Every morning, office manager Alicia Tasker entered the doors of SHS at around 5 a.m. to get a head start on the day’s work.
This was her quiet time. She would savor the stillness of the building and blast rock music to accomplish as much work as possible before the chaotic rush of the school day put a pause on her responsibilities.
While it wasn’t required, Tasker did this so that when the school day was in session, she could devote her time and efforts to serve the Southport community to the fullest extent.
To her colleagues, her love for SHS was evident in the way she put Southport students above all.
“Our goal here and in this township is to serve kids, and she lived that,” bookstore manager and Tasker’s longtime friend Vivian Leach said.
Now, the Cardinal community must adjust to a new normal.
Tasker’s blaring music and deep belly laughs will no longer greet them in the mornings or fill the air during the school day due to her passing on Sept. 20.
But her undeniable devotion to serving the kids of Southport and her impact will continue to be cherished and honored.
“The only thing that we can do is to do our best to make sure that the office continues running and we do for kids what she would’ve done for kids,” Leach said.
Tasker’s crystal clear love for SHS dates back to her time as a student. She graduated from SHS in 1989 and later returned to fulfill many positions at the school.
Tasker served as the office manager, working to ensure that the office ran smoothly and that administrators were on track with their schedules.
Her diligence and work ethic helped the office maintain control and stability.
“Her fingers are in everything…” Leach said. “She makes sure that the front office runs like it’s supposed to,” Leach said when asked about Tasker’s responsibilities. “You name it, she’s done it.”
Perry Township Director of Secondary Education Brian Knight worked closely with Tasker during his 7-year service as principal of SHS and says that she made him a better principal.
Throughout their time together, Knight took note of Tasker’s care and compassion for others. He hopes to carry this same trait in his personal life.
“It didn’t matter where you were coming from or what your need was, she was just always willing to be there,” Knight said.
To Knight, Tasker was the energy that rippled through water after a stone is thrown in.
“She was that person that had a ripple into everything we did and who we were at the core and who we want to be as a school,” Knight said.
To current principal Amy Boone, Tasker’s ‘Cardinal passion’ is a characteristic she hopes to embody. Boone even says that Tasker would ‘yell at you if you wore blue.’
Boone also recalls Tasker’s early morning work routine and believes that she worked so early in the morning, so she could help people during the day.
“She always made sure that people were taken care of and then she did the other stuff on her own time,” Boone said.
Tasker’s selfless character was highly recognized within the walls of SHS, but even outside of the building, her giving nature remains apparent.
“Whenever it was something, even if it was a detriment to herself, she gave to everyone,” Kobe Tasker, one of Tasker’s sons, said. “She made sure she gave time, energy, compassion, communication to everyone.”
Kobe says his mother’s giving nature was influential to his life, and he truly believes that she was one of the only people in his life that showed him unconditional love.
“If you burned a bridge, she was there with wood pallets to build it right back,” Kobe said.
In and out of Southport, Tasker’s undeniable dedication to SHS will remain unforgettable.
“She bled Cardinal Southport red,” Kobe said. “The school’s going to be a little different without her. But she was a mom to all and I know that the final message she’d ever want for everyone to know is (that) she loves them.”
