In Memoriam

John C. Leonard, a computer science and technology teacher who retired in 2003, made a powerful difference in the lives of his students and his community. Stern but fair, John always managed to weave life lessons into his teaching at the Mott Hall School...

Gilbert Constant was a dedicated and generous colleague to his coworkers and a caring educator to his students in the school community at 811K, a District 75 junior high and high school in Brooklyn...

When Stuart Baker arrived at Woodside JHS in Queens in 1972, it was the start of a beautiful friendship...

The loss of Leslie Verneret has left a void in the PS 268 Emma Lazarus community, where she played an integral part. She was known by all for being trustworthy, hardworking and dedicated to supporting her students and colleagues...

Education was everything to Myrtle Pollard, who taught for most of her career at PS 181 in Flatbush, Brooklyn. By the time she retired 17 years ago, Myrtle had taught health education and physical education as well as Adult Basic Education in the Bronx...

Paula Pryce-Bremmer was a beloved colleague, described by coworkers as the “heartbeat” of Careers in Sports HS. She started her career as an elementary school teacher before becoming a high school creative writing teacher, then transitioned to school...

Christopher Mondal was a per-diem paraprofessional at PS 46 in the Bronx who had a huge impact on the school in the eight years he worked there...

The school community at PS 60 in Bulls Head, Staten Island, is mourning the loss of Alba, who died days following her 73rd birthday...

Robert Krotin was a UFT member for 22 years, most recently at Brooklyn Home Instruction Schools...

José Gonzalez, who retired in 2018 after a 30-year career as a paraprofessional, used his gifts as an artist and musician to enrich the lives of children...

Kim Ryan was just starting her teaching career at PS 42 on Staten Island in 2000 when Cathi Sherman was winding down her career after 34 years as a teacher. Their time at the elementary school overlapped by only two years. But Ryan says Sherman was...

Harold Saltzman was a UFT member for 61 years and a dedicated organizer and activist with the union...

Alice Blasso was a UFT member for 30 years and taught special education at PS 122 in Queens. She was known for her compassion and her willingness to speak up for her students. Alice’s passion for education was the same from her first day teaching until her...

Bernice Goldklang was a UFT member for 50 years, including 25 years spent teaching special education in the sixth grade at PS 97 in Queens...

George Fishman combined the skills he developed teaching language arts to middle school students for 35 years with his skill as a stained-glass craftsman to become a teacher again at the union’s Si Beagle Learning Center in Brooklyn after his retirement in...

Anthony Pollice, known to many as Frank, was a social studies teacher at JHS 115 and JHS 143 in Washington Heights for 34 years...

Jo Reaser was a teacher for over 40 years. Before moving to New York City, she taught in Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Jo was a UFT member for 19 years, most recently working as a special education teacher at PS 108 in Manhattan...

Cherie Phyllis Bermudez had a gift for communicating with her students at IS 292 in East New York, Brooklyn, where she taught social studies and English as a Second Language before her retirement in 2001...

Donna Rubens began teaching at PS 63 in Manhattan in 1966, teaching K-3 classes there until she transferred to PS 235 in Brooklyn, where she taught pre-K until her retirement...

Ruth Miller began teaching in the early 1940s and taught kindergarten at PS 79 in Whitestone, Queens, from the beginning of the 1950s until her retirement in 1987...

Francine Freundlich was a UFT member for 15 years, teaching at Prospect HS, kindergarten and working with young children in the Department of Education’s LYFE program...

Marilyn Froim was a UFT member for 35 years, retiring as a home economics teacher from PS 225 in Brooklyn at the age of 54...

Caridad Gutierrez was a UFT member for 30 years, most recently as a bilingual teacher at PS 1 in the Bronx...

Joseph Cummings was a UFT member for more than 20 years, most recently teaching social studies and economics at Murry Bergtraum HS in Manhattan...