Adrian McGuire
Obituary Reports the death of an individual, providing an account of the person’s life including their achievements, any controversies in which they were involved, and reminiscences by people who knew them.
Adrian McGuire, 99, passed away peacefully on Jan. 30 at Waterview Hills, cared for to the end by dear friends and caring staff.
His death brings the close of an era in the Chappaqua School District. Adrian was a beloved master teacher in Chappaqua for 40 years, primarily at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School. During his career, he impacted the lives of hundreds of grateful students. He understood an important goal in teaching: to hold students to high standards while encouraging and guiding them every step of the way. He was amazingly successful. As proof, many of those students (now in their 50s, 60s and 70s) had reached out to him in recent years through notes, e-mail, Facebook and even attending his 99th birthday party in June to share the lifelong lessons they learned in Adrian’s class. These memories meant the world to Adrian.
Adrian was also a beloved mentor for those entering the field of education. He freely gave his time and expertise to all. Life was not all about education, however. He was also an avid reader, devoted gardener and a lifelong lover of boxers.
Adrian was born in Pleasantville on June 21, 1924, and lived there until his move to Waterview five years ago. He was a proud graduate of Regis High School and Fordham University and received his master’s in history from Columbia University. His time at Fordham was interrupted by World War II where he served in the army in Europe.
After his graduation from Fordham, he accepted a job teaching mainly fifth grade in Chappaqua, and he loved every one of his 40 years in the profession. Upon his retirement, he supervised student teachers at Pace and Fordham universities, passing his deep knowledge on to the next generation. In recognition of his years of devotion to the youth of Chappaqua, Chappaqua chose this Pleasantville resident as its Citizen of the Year upon his retirement.
Adrian is survived by his beloved niece, Carol Herrmann, of Blue Hill, Maine, by his grandniece and grandnephew, Nell and John Herrmann, and two great-grandnieces. He was predeceased by his parents, Loretta and Adrian McGuire, his brother and sister-in-law, Eugene (Gene) C. McGuire and Anne McGuire and his nephew-in-law, Robert O. Herrmann.
Calling hours will be at Beecher Flooks Funeral Home in Pleasantville on Thursday, Feb. 8 from 4 to 7 p.m., with a service of remembrance scheduled for 5 p.m. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Adrian’s name to the Chappaqua School Foundation, Box 202, Chappaqua, N.Y. 10514 would be appreciated.
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