John Bligh
- Retired teacher
- Retired UFT district representative
Bob Miller was a founding member of the UFT and a dedicated teacher at George Washington HS in northern Manhattan. He was a union organizer for the fledgling UFT and a longtime UFT District 6 representative par excellence.
“He was a mentor, guide, advisor and, most importantly, a friend when I was a chapter leader in District 6,” said Vince Gaglione, a UFT retiree and Executive Board member.
Bob died on May 22, 2023, at age 89, of congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Bob was a shop teacher in 1960 when the UFT was founded. He became the District 6 representative in 1969.
“I always knew, no matter what I did, Bob would have my back,” said Linda Lipitz-Mayer, a chapter leader at PS 132 in his district. “I would try not to call him over the weekends, but I sometimes did and he always took my calls. He was always there for you; that was Bob.”
Lipitz-Mayer said Bob encouraged her in her union work, ensuring she had a lift to chapter leader training sessions and pushing her to become a UFT pension consultant.
Gaglione said he, too, was encouraged in his union activism by Bob. “He provided me opportunities to lead, whether in school board election campaigns, political endorsements of local politicians, or writing a district newsletter to promote the union’s priorities for district schools,” he said.
Gaglione, who succeeded Bob as District 6 representative, said Bob left large shoes to fill. “Bob had a big presence in District 6, not merely by dint of his physical stature but also by his assertiveness for member rights and interests,” Gaglione said.
At a UFT Executive Board meeting last spring, Gaglione spoke about Bob and asked for a moment of silence in his honor. “You might not have known Bob Miller,” he said, “but his years of service to the UFT laid some of the foundation stones on which you continue to build this union.”
In addition to his union leadership and activism, Bob loved reading science fiction, boating, and fixing “anything and everything,” his daughter Abby Miller recalled.
Bob is survived by Abby, his son Philip and five granddaughters, Ally, Kera, Margot, Emmy and Summer.
