UFT Admin
- Retired teacher
Danielle Lehtinen, a longtime art and music teacher and chapter leader at PS 58 in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, was known as a committed arts educator and dedicated union activist who promoted a culture of respect for educators and students alike. She died on Sept. 13 of lung cancer. She was 70.
Danielle, who immigrated from Poland as a young person, was a practicing artist who went into teaching to share her love of visual arts with children. She was a supportive and approachable teacher who not only fostered children’s knowledge and appreciation of the arts but also treated her students as fellow accomplished artists, her colleague Angela Heras said. “She was so creative and so respectful of her students,” said Heras. “She spoke to the students as if they already knew what they were doing.”
Danielle, who served as the school’s chapter leader from 2010 until her retirement in 2014, took her union role seriously. “The core of her UFT work was respect for all the individuals in the school and a desire to make sure that they were treated with respect,” said Dan Lupkin, who as a UFT delegate, was mentored and trained by Danielle and took over as chapter leader when she retired.
“She wanted everyone to be lifted up,” said Heras, who also served as a UFT delegate. Danielle was a particular champion for paraprofessionals’ rights, fighting for space for paraprofessionals to eat lunch and appropriate, paraprofessional-specific professional development. “But it was more broadly about dignity,” said Lupkin. “She really cared about people, and she thought the work of education was vitally important.”
Following her retirement, Danielle continued painting and exhibiting around the country and in Poland. “Art was always her first love,” said Lupkin.
She enjoyed spending vacations at her summer home in the Poconos and devoted significant love, energy and resources to rescuing and fostering cats. She was predeceased by her ex-husband, with whom she remained on close terms until his death.
Condolences can be sent
c/o Dan Lupkin
PS 58
330 Smith St.,
Brooklyn, NY 11231.
More about Danielle (Facebook)
Danielle and I met in 1985, when we both had a part-time evening shift at Macy’s Harold Square. Danielle was working on her masters degree in art at Parsons school design. Although we didn’t work together, we became fast friends almost immediately — the kind of friendship that doesn’t need effort. From those early beginnings, our bond lasted nearly forty years. We spent many holiday celebrations together with our friends, shared long, wandering conversations over the phone, and stayed woven into each other’s lives through all the changes that came with time.
Danielle was a good human being — deeply good. She loved her life, loved her students, loved the her family, and the people she called friends, and she loved the beauty she created and shared. I treasure the decades we spent together, the laughter, the conversations, and the countless small moments that made our friendship one of the true gifts of my life.
Job well done Danielle! And what fun we had making memories. I pray for your soul, and I give thanks for every year, every holiday, and every conversation we were blessed to share. Keep shining…your light lives on in us!
Danielle and I met in 1985, when we both had a part-time evening shift at Macy’s in New York City Harold Square. We were in different departments, but we became fast friends almost immediately — the kind of friendship that doesn’t need effort. From those early beginnings, our bond lasted nearly forty years. We spent holidays at each other’s homes, shared long, wandering conversations over the phone, and stayed woven into each other’s lives through all the changes that came with time.
Danielle was a good human being — deeply good. She loved her life, loved her students, loved the people she called friends, and loved the beauty she created and shared. I treasure the decades we spent together, the laughter, the conversations, and the countless small moments that made our friendship one of the true gifts of my life.
Job well done Danielle! And what fun we had making memories. I pray for your soul, and I give thanks for every year, every holiday, and every conversation we were blessed to share. Keep shining, your light lives on in us! Macy’s in New York City Harold Square. We were in different departments, but we became fast friends almost immediately — the kind of friendship that doesn’t need effort. From those early beginnings, our bond lasted nearly forty years. We spent holidays at each other’s homes, shared long, wandering conversations over the phone, and stayed woven into each other’s lives through all the changes that came with time.
Danielle was a good human being — deeply good. She loved her life, loved her students, loved the people she called friends, and loved the beauty she created and shared. I treasure the decades we spent together, the laughter, the conversations, and the countless small moments that made our friendship one of the true gifts of my life.
Job well done Danielle! And what fun we had making memories. I pray for your soul, and I give thanks for every year, every holiday, and every conversation we were blessed to share. Keep shining, your light lives on in us!
I am so pleased to see this wonderful obituary of Danielle L.
I am someone who had a close relationship, long ago, with her and who so appreciates this memorialization of her death.
I am a person who is a great supporter of unions and NEVER considered her in connectionwithj this. Thank you so much!
I LOVED HER TREMENDOUSLY
Mark R.