John Bligh
- Retired teacher
Nettie Becker introduced modern dance into the curriculum at Springfield Gardens HS in Queens during her 20 years as a health and physical education teacher at the school. She also began and coached an after-school dance club at Springfield Gardens that performed on special occasions for students and their families there and at other schools in Queens.
She died of heart failure on Jan. 7, 2021, at age 91.
In 1953, Nettie began her 34-year career as a health and physical education teacher at JHS 159 in Manhattan, where she taught for one year. After two years at Washington Irving HS in Manhattan and three years at Abraham Lincoln HS in Brooklyn, she took a leave of absence for eight years to raise her two daughters. She returned to work at Springfield Gardens HS from 1967 to 1987.
Her husband Paul, a social studies teacher for 31 years, said Nettie was a member of Springfield Gardens HS’s UFT executive committee, which large high schools had at that time. In that role, she often represented colleagues in the grievance procedures.
After her retirement in 1987, Nettie devoted herself to working with troubled families and children as a member of Zero to Three, a national organization, and as a fellow at the Child Development Center of the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. She also became a dance and movement therapist working with troubled children who could not express themselves through speech.
A strong advocate for a national program of affordable early child care, Nettie served on the Board of Directors of the Rosa Lee Young Childhood Center in Rockville Center on Long Island that provided child care to an ethnically diverse group of children.
In addition to her husband Paul, Nettie is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.
Condolences can be sent to Paul Becker, 132 Dartmouth St., Rockville Centre, NY 11570.
I was a dance student of Mrs. Becker. We also partnered on extracurricular dance workshops.
She was an empowering and gracious mentor. I remember her as an influential and impactful leader, with a gentle yet no-nonsense demeanor. I had a great deal of respect and admiration for her. I have thought of her often throughout the years.