D. Harold Goldberg, of Waterford, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Thursday. He was 91. Throughout his life, he had a profound impact on the lives of literally tens of thousands of youngsters and their parents.
As an educator, he was known for his dedication and fairness, treating all with equal respect. Harold (“Hish”) was raised in Colchester, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Daniel and Rose Goldberg. A devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, Harold is survived by Judy, his wife of 60 years; their four children, Edward, and his wife Carol of Storrs, Jeffrey and his wife Helene of Bet Shemesh Israel, Steven and his husband Greggor of New York City, and Debora and her husband Thomas of Waterford; eleven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by two sisters; Belle Rosenblum of Plantation, FL; and Ada Leff of Camarillo, CA; and numerous nieces and nephews. Brothers Bernard Goldberg of West Hartford and Nathan Goldberg of Santa Clarita, CA; and sister Thelma Stone-Magun of Allentown, PA, predeceased him. A lifelong educator, Harold, a graduate of Clark University, received his teaching certificate from Columbia and his 6th year diploma from the University of Connecticut.
He began his career as a biology teacher on Guam, and later at East Hartford High, where he also coached track and cross country. He then moved to Waterford High, serving as teacher, guidance counselor, and Vice Principal. His most significant contribution to education was as principal of Clark Lane Junior High, a position he held for nearly 40 years.
A passionate proponent of inclusion, Harold was an early pioneer in mainstreaming, which he instituted at Clark Lane at a time when it was not yet in vogue. It was for this reason that Special Olympics always held a special place in his heart. He was honored with the Unsung Hero Award for pioneering the CAS-CIAC Unified Sports program, which has served thousands of athletes over the years, involving dozens of schools throughout the state.
A diligent commitment to professional excellence was reflected in his involvement in the Connecticut Association of Schools, where he served as president and received its highest award; and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, from which he received the Principal of the Year award. This commitment extended beyond the classroom walls as Harold officiated middle and high school basketball for many years. Harold continued to work through his retirement years, first as a recruiter at the Regional Multicultural Magnet School, and then as interim principal at Lyme Consolidated and Preston City Memorial.
Countless educators have benefited from Harold’s formal and informal mentorship. He served in several volunteer capacities, including on the boards of Jewish Family Service, Beth El Synagogue, and as a Trustee of Bacon Academy. He was a volunteer firefighter in Colchester and a Navy surgical technician during WWII.
Funeral services will be observed 2 pm Sunday, May 6th at Congregation Ahavath Achim, 84 Lebanon Ave. , Colchester. Burial will follow in the Jewish Aid Cemetery, Colchester.
Anyone who wishes to pay a condolence call may visit with the family at 7 Deerfield Road, Waterford, where the family will be observing Shiva beginning May 6th following interment and continuing through May 11th (suggested hours 10 am -12 pm and 4-7 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Harold’s memory to Special Olympics CT – Unified Sports, 2666 State St, Suite #1, Hamden, CT 06517. Care of arrangements has been entrusted to the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home of Colchester.
For online condolences, please visit www. auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com Donations may be made to: Special Olympics CT – Unified Sports 2666 State St, Ste. #1, Hamden CT 06517 Web: www.
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