Family and friends remember Fairfield High School Spanish teacher found dead

FAIRFIELD, Iowa (KCRG) - Family and friends are continuing to remember Nohema Graber.

Officials located the remains of Nohema Graber, 66, at Chautauqua Park in Fairfield on Wednesday. Graber, a Spanish teacher at Fairfield High School, was reported missing earlier in the day. Two teenagers are facing first-degree murder charges after investigators said they killed a Fairfield teacher.

Christian Graber, who said he is Graber’s son, posted on Facebook about forgiving the two students charged in her death. He said his Mom gave him the gift of the Spanish language and helped multiple students.

“My mother was an angel of a woman and was one of the kindest souls,” he wrote. “She gave me the gift of the Spanish language and helped many of her students over the years. She was well-loved in the community and around the world.”

The Fairfield School District canceled classes today and support resources were available for students and staff at the high school. Nohema Graber, who was born in Mexico, taught there for nine years. She spent another six years teaching Spanish in the Ottumwa School District.

Friends also created a GoFundMe to support the Graber family. Organizers of the fundraiser said the funds seek to provide the means for family, friends and the community to donate and support the Graber’s as they mourn her loss. The proceeds are expected to go toward supporting the family and paying for funeral costs.

Nohema Marie Graber, who said she is Graber’s daughter, said she’d miss her mom in a post on Facebook. She wrote that her family lost a “absolute angel”.

“We had the wonderful fortune of growing up in a home filled with such an abundance of warmth and love,” she wrote. “I will miss her loud laugh and dancing with her to any music that was playing, she had so much joy in her eyes and such a deep sense of faith.”

She also reiterated her brother’s thoughts about finding forgiveness for the boys charged with her Mom’s death.