Sacramento woman dead from COVID-19 attended church with others who have virus – KCRA Sacramento

There have now been 11 coronavirus-related deaths in California. Among the people who have died is a woman who was a substitute teacher in the Sacramento City Unified School District. The woman was identified as Gayle Alexis. KCRA3 reached out to her family, but they are not ready to speak publicly. Longtime friend Carolyn Tillman said Alexis was also an active member at Faith Presbyterian Church in Sacramento's Pocket neighborhood.The minister sent out an email Sunday evening," Tillman said. She was cheerful, upbeat, loved children -- a joy to be around -- and will just really be missed because of her positive attitude about life and the fact that she helped me with a childrens choir for quite a few years, (which) was just a real positive thing for me." Tillman said the two knew each other for more than 20 years at church, and that Alexis retired from Matsuyama Elementary in Sacramento and then continued as a substitute teacher.She certainly didnt need it for the income -- she did it because she loved children," Tillman said. "And she was doing it, at times I think, to help out a friend. Because she enjoyed the classroom and was good in the classroom. Although Sacramento City Unified would not directly confirm the identity of the substitute teacher who died, in a statement it said it became aware Wednesday of an individual who worked in a Sutterville Elementary classroom as a temporary volunteer. The district said a substitute teacher in February had tested positive for COVID-19. The school was disinfected immediately after the district was notified. On the churchs website, the pastor said that as of Saturday, five members of the church have tested positive for COVID-19 and that others were symptomatic, awaiting testing results. "To date, there have been a small number of confirmed positive cases in the congregation. Sadly, one of those has died," Faith Presbyterian Church said in a statement to KCRA3. "On March 12, Faith Presbyterian Church staff discovered that a small number of church members were displaying symptoms potentially associated with COVID-19. That evening, the church leadership met and made the immediate decision to close the church facility on Florin Road to prevent spread of the virus in our congregation and community."The church added it is closed until at least April 3. Its dismaying that testing is still so limited because based on those five (people), that probably every active church member should be tested," Tillman said. "Because who knows? I could be a carrier. So it would probably be reassuring to know that I am not carrying it, and therefore I am not risking my grandchildren carrying it to somebody else.

There have now been 11 coronavirus-related deaths in California. Among the people who have died is a woman who was a substitute teacher in the Sacramento City Unified School District.

The woman was identified as Gayle Alexis. KCRA3 reached out to her family, but they are not ready to speak publicly.

Longtime friend Carolyn Tillman said Alexis was also an active member at Faith Presbyterian Church in Sacramento's Pocket neighborhood.

The minister sent out an email Sunday evening," Tillman said. She was cheerful, upbeat, loved children -- a joy to be around -- and will just really be missed because of her positive attitude about life and the fact that she helped me with a childrens choir for quite a few years, (which) was just a real positive thing for me."

Tillman said the two knew each other for more than 20 years at church, and that Alexis retired from Matsuyama Elementary in Sacramento and then continued as a substitute teacher.

Courtesy of Carolyn Tillman

She certainly didnt need it for the income -- she did it because she loved children," Tillman said. "And she was doing it, at times I think, to help out a friend. Because she enjoyed the classroom and was good in the classroom.

Although Sacramento City Unified would not directly confirm the identity of the substitute teacher who died, in a statement it said it became aware Wednesday of an individual who worked in a Sutterville Elementary classroom as a temporary volunteer. The district said a substitute teacher in February had tested positive for COVID-19. The school was disinfected immediately after the district was notified.

On the churchs website, the pastor said that as of Saturday, five members of the church have tested positive for COVID-19 and that others were symptomatic, awaiting testing results.

"To date, there have been a small number of confirmed positive cases in the congregation. Sadly, one of those has died," Faith Presbyterian Church said in a statement to KCRA3. "On March 12, Faith Presbyterian Church staff discovered that a small number of church members were displaying symptoms potentially associated with COVID-19. That evening, the church leadership met and made the immediate decision to close the church facility on Florin Road to prevent spread of the virus in our congregation and community."

The church added it is closed until at least April 3.

Its dismaying that testing is still so limited because based on those five (people), that probably every active church member should be tested," Tillman said. "Because who knows? I could be a carrier. So it would probably be reassuring to know that I am not carrying it, and therefore I am not risking my grandchildren carrying it to somebody else.

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Sacramento woman dead from COVID-19 attended church with others who have virus - KCRA Sacramento