Robert Joseph Comerford

Easthampton, MA - Robert (Bob) Joseph Comerford lived for public education, progressive causes, his family and friends, and the New York Times.

He died on July 20, 2025 at the age of 92 surrounded by the love of his family.

Bob was a child during the Great Depression, raised mostly by a single mother after his father died in a factory explosion during World War II while proudly working to produce building supplies for the war effort. He was the first in his family to graduate from college, followed by service during the Korean War. Bob was proud of the Ph.D. in history he earned from St. John's University, and eternally grateful for the GI Bill.

Bob taught Social Studies on Long Island at Garden City High School for nearly 35 years, affectionately known as "Doc" by his students and colleagues. He was part of early movements in public education to enliven classroom teaching and better engage students. He was an early adopter of the teaching practice of integrating multiple disciplines through team teaching, as well as efforts to combine experiential and outdoor learning with classroom instruction.

Bob believed in the principles of representative government and power of political activism. He volunteered at the local level on school and town committees and on campaigns for county, state, and national candidates. Throughout his life, he was an avid gardener and an equally passionate lover of travel and the outdoors.

He had the gift of finding and cultivating wonderful friends. From New York to western Massachusetts, he was blessed with friends who shared his love of current events, good food, the arts, the natural world, and laughter.

There are many defining stories of Bob's life, but perhaps none capture his huge heart like the stray cat Bob loved when his daughters were quite young. Though for weeks he admonished his family to not let the cat in the house, Bob secretly poached and diced chicken for the cat who later became the family's longest-living and most cherished pet.

One of four children, Bob is predeceased by his beloved brothers Bill and Ray and his sister, Anita, but you would never know they were gone as he carried stories of their adventures growing up with him every day of his life. He is also predeceased by his wife of more than fifty years, Jeanne Comerford; his wife's twin sister Joan Shanley; his son-in-law David Patterson, and other close family members.

He is survived by his daughters Joanne (Jo) Comerford and Lori Patterson and Jo's wife Ann Hennessey who will remember him as deeply caring, funny, and generous. Their children (Bob's grandchildren) Sam and Jack Patterson, Sam's wife Alexandra (Ali) Fradin and Chloe and Isaiah Comerford Hennessey. The grandchildren grew up with pop's stories, packed to the brim with life wisdom (whether they wanted it or not). He is also survived by his nephew Josh Shanley and his wife Kristen Johnson.

Bob is remembered by his sister-in-law Joan Comerford; and nieces and nephews including Eileen, Bill, John, and Gary Comerford and their families; and Karen, Kathy, and Kenneth Comerford and their families.

Bob died knowing that he was a great grandfather to Etta Fradin Patterson, daughter of Sam and his wife Ali. Bob's joy in Sam and Ali's daughter knew no end.

The day before he died, Bob said, "If there's a heaven, it's loving your family into eternity."

The Comerford-Patterson-Hennessey-Fradin-Shanley-Johnsen family thanks the Lathrop Community, Central Hampshire Veterans' Services, Cooley Dickenson Hospital, the VNA Home Hospice team, and the caregivers of Caring Solutions.

Bob will be buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Northampton in a private service, next to his wife and sister-in-law.

Donations can be made in Bob's memory to the Northampton Education Foundation ( https://northamptoneducation.org/ ) and to Child's Park ( https://childspark.org/ ). Bob said the garden at Child's Park rivaled any garden he had ever been privileged to walk around.