John Bligh
- Retired teacher
- Tottenville HS, Staten Island
“Just being around Bert made you feel good,” said Tom Murphy, the chapter leader of the UFT’s Retired Teachers Chapter. “He cared about people and he was a great student advocate.”
Bertram J. Springstead, a graduate of Tottenville HS, returned to his alma mater after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and taught in the industrial arts department for 30 years, retiring in 1995.
Bert, 80, died on May 3 from complications of a stroke.
Murphy recalled his former colleague helping to organize every class trip to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, and then accompanying a dozen busloads of students on each excursion. “These were major, iconic events for the school,” Murphy said.
“Bert exemplified all the good qualities of an educator,” said former colleague John Soldini, RTC vice chairman. “He knew his subject matter, cared about his students and gave willingly of his time, both before and after regular school hours.”
Bert taught a range subjects, from electronics to blueprint reading and mechanical drafting, photography, audio/video and TV production, and he helped establish Tottenville’s video studio. Tributes to Bert, a student favorite, continue to pour in on the school’s alumni Facebook page and other sites. He was also the girls’ varsity softball coach for more than 10 years.
Retired social studies teacher Peter Whitehouse remembered Bert “both as a teaching friend and a fellow coach. He was literature’s Everyman, except for all ages, not just his time. His openness and sincerity were always up front and operable. And he was humble to the core.”
On the Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home website, former student Jason Recevuto described Bert as “one of those teachers who influence your life. I have very fond memories of the TV studio and continue to produce videos to this day. I can’t express how much his class meant to me.”
Born and raised on Staten Island, Bert was a direct descendant of the Springsteads who landed in America in 1650, and his ancestor fought in the Revolutionary War.
He joined the Marines right out of high school, serving from 1957 to 1960. He studied electronics and worked on fighter planes, spending 14 months servicing aircraft in Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines.
Upon his return home, Bert earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the City College of New York.
In retirement, Bert volunteered at the Senior Center JCC as an instructor and at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum as an explainer on the hangar deck. He was a lifetime member of the Marine Corps League. In his home community of Tottenville, Bert was active in Our Lady Help of Christians R.C. Church and served on the board of the South Shore Swim Club. He enjoyed spending time with his family, photographing wildlife and country line dancing.
Bert is survived by his wife of 58 years, Jeannette; his daughter, Debbie Amoroso, and her husband, Mario; his sons, Bert and his wife, Mary Beth, and Scott and his wife, Debbie; and his grandchildren Gabi, Mario Jr., Samantha, Mallory, Scott Jr., Emma and Timothy.
One of my favorite teachers.