It didn’t take long for Rowan, Adleigh, and Reed Wehmhoefer to grab a book and plop down on their own little acorn seat at Oregon Park West on Thursday, May 28.

And that would have had the late Nancy Kerwin beaming.

Kerwin was a beloved early childhood teacher whose commitment to children and their early education has been memorialized with a free Little Library, commemorative bench, and children’s seating area, all nestled in between a splash park and playground for kids.

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Oregon Park District Executive Director Erin Folk (left) and Adleigh, Reed, and Rowan Wehmhoefer look over some of the books to be placed at the free Little Library during the dedication ceremony for the Nancy Kerwin Memorial at Oregon Park West on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The memorial honors the former teacher of the Oregon Park District's Children's Center with the Little Library, commemorative bench, and children’s seating area. (Earleen Hinton)

Kerwin served as the Oregon Park District’s Children’s Center teacher from the program’s inception in 1990 until her retirement in 2018. She died in September 2025 and was honored Thursday with the official dedication of the mini-children’s area at Park West, one of the parks owned and operated by the Oregon Park District.

“We are grateful for the many years Nancy dedicated to our Children’s Center program and the positive influence she had on so many young lives,” said Oregon Park District Executive Director Erin Folk. “This dedication is a meaningful way for our community to celebrate her impact and ensure her legacy continues to inspire future generations.”

Debbie Leffelman, who worked for the park district for 32 years, chose Kerwin as the center’s teacher when the center was created.

“Way back in 1990 when I started working for the Park District, one of the very first things that I was responsible for was creating the Children’s Center preschool program. It was a new and exciting learning opportunity for 3- to 5-year-olds preparing them for kindergarten. The most important part of starting a new program like this was to find the perfect teacher. So, I hired Nancy Kerwin. What a win that was. For 28 years she was our lead teacher, well respected, loved and known for the quality Children’s Center program,” Leffelman said.

Known as Mrs. Kerwin to her students, Leffelman said she was a wonderful teacher and became a close friend.

“When she taught, it wasn’t just about coloring in the lines, how to hold your pencil properly, using scissors, tying shoes, writing your name, and learning the ABC’s. Much of her teaching was about social skills: being polite, taking turns, respecting elders, kindness, sharing, and being a good friend,” Leffelman said.

Leffelman said Kerwin reinforced that kindness and giving with her students by partnering with a children’s charitable organization at Christmas and having her students bring in a toy to be donated to a child less fortunate. Her curriculum also included fun field trips, special guest speakers and an end of year picnic for her students and their families.

“Mrs. Kerwin was a selfless person who loved her family, her friends, her community and especially her students, Leffelman said. “She was kind to all, loved the Lord and relied on her Catholic faith to get her through tough times. She didn’t do things to be noticed. She quietly did the Lord’s work and faced each day with a servant heart.”

Leffelman said she believes Kerwin would love the new memorial that sits just east of the ball diamond named for her son Joey, who was a devoted park district employee and volunteer before being killed in a 2005 automobile accident east of Oregon.

“There is a memorial for both her and her son Joey at the same beautiful park. I thank all of you for remembering my friend, for remembering what a beautiful person she was, for remembering her many years of service to the park district and to children and the community,” said Leffelman, noting Kerwin would especially like the three little acorn seats for children to sit on.

“This park bench is a beautiful memorial, but how sweet it is to include little acorn seats for the little ones that she so loved to teach and for this amazing free little library and the many donated books in Nancy’s memory. I have so many fond memories of Nancy which I hold close to my heart,” said Leffelman.

Kerwin’s daughter, Colleen Berg, thanked the park district and all the others who planned and attended Thursday’s event. Berg shared some of the lessons that her mom lived by and taught.

“For gratitude, she lived every day. She had two signs in her home that are now in ours that say, live each day with a grateful heart. Even in the face of adversity, she found something to be grateful for,” Berg said. “Quality time, she loved her family, her friends, and spending time with them. Being present. It’s easy to be present when we’re around those that we want to be around, that we love, but in the hard moments, be present and take it all in.”

Berg also praised her mother’s sense of humor.

“She loved to laugh, and did it frequently, so always think of her laughing,” Berg said. “One of the hardest lessons to learn as her daughter was to challenge. She was always challenging me to be better, to live bigger, to dream bigger. It’s a very valuable lesson.

“One other plaque that she had in her home said, the life you live is the lesson you teach. So I share that with all of you so that you can carry it forward, and when you think of her, think of the lessons.”

And Berg also said faith was essential in her mom’s life.

“Her faith was the center of her life, so I’d be remiss in not sharing that with all of you. I want to thank everybody for being here,” Berg said.

Folk said the response from the community in donating books for the Little Library indicated how much people appreciated and liked Kerwin.

“It’s been incredibly meaningful and truly speaks to the impact Nancy had on both the people that she taught and the community at large,” Folk said.

Folk said she has personally enjoyed receiving calls, messages, and stories from people in and outside of the Oregon community who either knew Nancy or were acquainted with Colleen and the Kerwin family.

“Hearing those stories, memories and personal connections has been a wonderful reminder of how far Nancy’s kindness, compassion and influence truly reached,” Folk said. “Each book donated here today represents more than just a story on a shelf. It represents a memory, a connection, and a lasting tribute to someone who spent so much of her life helping children learn, grow, and feel cared for.

“We hope the space continues to bring joy to children and families for many years to come and serves as a lasting reminder of the positive difference Nancy made within the community,” Folk said.