One month since the passing of prolific educator Dr Joe Kincheloe, his colleague and friend for more than 30 years, Associate Professor at Western Carolina University, Dr Eleanor Hilty, remembers the United States (US) national as the man who never stopped smiling.

While vacationing on the island with his wife, Dr Shirley Steinberg, during the holiday season last year, 58-year-old Kincheloe died after suffering a heart attack. Kincheloe was a professor and Canada research chair at the Faculty of Education, McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

He leaves behind his wife, a fellow educator, and their four children.

Hilty, who is also the master of arts in education coordinator, was notified of her mentor's death by Steinberg. She told The Gleaner that his passing was a great loss.

The two met while studying at the University of Tennessee, of which they are both natives.

"I feel a lot of guilt because the reason they came to Jamaica was because of me, because I work here," she said.

"That was the reason they began to come and stay on the south coast. This was their second year," she added.

Hilty, who teaches students who are working on their bachelor's and master's degrees at Western Carolina University, said the couple had fallen in love with the country and were particularly fond of rural communities such as Black River, St Elizabeth.

She said that Kincheloe, who had recovered from skin cancer last year, was not known to have a heart condition.

"I am constantly concerned that the reason that he didn't get treatment quickly was because he was in a fairly remote area and he was so young," Hilty said.

As one of the most prolific writers in education in the US, Kincheloe's reputation is widely known around the world. During his life, Kincheloe published more than 45 books and was a leading spokesperson on educational issues and critical theory.

tendai.franklyn-brown@gleanerjm.com.