Duke Schirmer Obituary

Years ago on Legacy, soon after Duke had passed away, I mentioned how he even gave me homemade cards to cheer me up, featuring caricatures of himself. I've treasured them for more than 40 years(!!!) I'm going to try to add them here to bring a smile to all who loved him. There are many more, but here are a few favorites.

Duke was one of the best human beings I ever met. I remember how some kids in class were initially afraid of him because he could be so wacky and unpredictable. But his fearlessness about what other people thought made me feel free to be different and unpredictable as a teenager and beyond. I loved having a cup of instant coffee with him at the desk in the back of the classroom and talking about everything and anything. He made me feel special and important during a time in my life when self esteem was at its lowest. I will never tire of singing his praises. Thankul to the sponsor of the legacy page.

My mother just reminded me the other day of how she visited me in one of my writing classes back in the early 90s and that I jumped up on the desk, wearing a Captain Marvel mask, to wake up my students. That was Duke's influence! He used to walk around the room on our desks, throw balled-up paper at us to rouse us -- whatever it took, he would do.

He gave me my career as a writer and writing teacher -- and my commitment to the "tough ones" (because of his commitment to me -- and I was one of them).

I realized today that he died a year after Martha. That makes total sense. They were inseparable. How many times did he say, "I have to run now! Tea with Martha!"

He even mentored us in how to stay married!

Thank you again, Duke.

Every time a security question asks my favorite teacher my mind goes back to Duke Schirmer. I learned of his death not too long ago & commented on Facebook with this same sentiment figuring many old students could relate & probably have the same answer for that security question. I remember his white Hanes & Cheenos & black boots like it was yesterday. His enthusiasm, his passion, including how he jumped on tables & inspired us all to write!! Or simply left the room.... I went to Emerson college on a writing portfolio in no small part due to my favorite teacher of all time. His comments on my writing included in my application, You do get the human condition! Among other quotes that made me believe I had what it took.

My deepest and belated condolences to this fabulous teacher's family!

I regret not Googling Duke's name earlier, I certainly would have come to Mamaroneck to honor him. Does anyone else remember that time when we were standing up and reading from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, the scene where Caesar is assassinated, and Duke got so jazzed that he decided to run a lap around the halls? Speaking as a former student, it was great to jog around the halls just because we got excited about Shakespeare.
I will remember Duke for as long as my heart beats. Rest in peace, Mr. Schirmer.

Susan Houde-Walter (nee Houde)

One of my most memorable and inspirational teachers; he told us to "throw up on paper", and taught how to become freed up to write first, edit later, and it's been a gift in all aspects of my life, beyond writing. Will always be grateful.

He got me published (in a local newsletter but still). I thought he was crazy but that helped me come out of my shell and not worry too much about being normal or what others thought about me. What a great guy!

Not even Duke could get me to go to class, but this is how he got me to write: keep a journal, he said, and give it to me once a week, and I won't mark you absent. And he didn't. Instead, he wrote comments on those stormy, self-abasing adolescent pages: "Landis putdown #723." "Landis putdown #35,835." Decades later I found him and thanked him and told him I'd become a writer, and he said he'd become a gentleman farmer. Thank you to his kids for sharing him with the rest of us.

'Write, dammit, write!'

I see I am coming very late to the guestbook. I just heard about Duke Schirmer's passing from an MHS friend. Of course Mr. Schirmer was one of my best and favorite teachers. His classes were riveting. At first I found them terrifying, until I realized how caring he was. His teaching brought joy and inspiration to my years of adolescent angst and lives on in my heart.

Duke Schirmer was the best. He made learning fun and exciting. Being the very simple man he was, he did not realize the tremendous impact he had on so many of his student's lives. It was so great when I spoke to his daughter, Amy, after his passing and she referred to her dad as "My Hero."

The Alums of MHS Class of 1979 have a FB site. We recently found a pic of Mr. Schirmer and the comments about our memories of him were wonderful. Please keep our site posted if any type of gathering is being planned in his honor!!

There is a Larchmont/Mamaroneck group on Facebook with many members; you might have better luck with that one. There are also individual pages for some of the graduating classes, but I guess that is a bit inefficient. Message me there if you can't find the main group and I will send you a link, and I am happy to help in any other way I can.

Hi Sharon!

The tribute plans seem to have taken a vacation... I know, though, that with enough of us interested, we can resurrect this. Rita and I had been in touch with MHS to find out how we could get messages out to the alums, and they were helping us with that. What we found out was that the FB page for alums is a place to start talking about interest in a tribute. The problem is that there are so few people connected to that page. Anyone who has ideas should feel free to be in touch with me and Rita Glassman and jump in.

I would also be interested in attending any tribute to Duke Schirmer. I have a number of his cartoons and wrote an article on him for Spotlight Magazine the year he retired (which I'm not sure i still have, but hope that I can find!). I would appreciate being added to any invite list; than you! --Sharon (Stenzler) Tessler, MHS Class of '81 - [email protected]

HI Kate --

Not sure. I was making plans with Rita Glassman for this year, and we haven't spoken since January, so we should probably get back on track with this soon -- Beth (Schoenholtz) Udoma

Hello Mary,

Wonderful to see your message on Duke's Guest Book! Would love to see Duke's drawings. Are you perchance interested in attending a gathering for our late beloved teachers of former students at MHS? Some of us are trying to organize this,
Rita Glassman

Duke was a great teacher, mentor, friend. I loved Duke and have a wonderful collection of his self-portraits (cartoons) that I would love to deliver to his family and/or share with fellow students of his.

Of course, Paul! And everyone can get involved in planning this, though Rita is leading us!

Beth (Schoenholtz) Udoma

It would be nice to invite his son Blair and daughter Amy and me a good friend.
I met Duke and his wife Martha after they retired in upstate NY. An open invitation to the 4:30 cocktail hour was available to all friends. I attended a few times a week for years.
Duke would discuss current events, history, read to us, and was always concerned with my life. We would have a toast to our recently deceased friends and a river of tears flowed the day had to toast to Duke and Martha

Great thinking! March would be ideal, as traveling weather is better than in February. Let's get together to honor the Duke!

Beth (Schoenholtz) Udoma
[email protected]

Some of us are seriously hoping to have a reunion/gathering of Duke's students at Mamaroneck High School in February or March, 2013. We would love to get a great turn out and we can really honor this great teacher and human being who gave us so much and was so modest and humble. It seems appropriate somehow, even after his passing to do this. It seems important to acknowledge those who helped us be better as individuals. Duke was that rare teacher who encouraged our artistic/creative expression, who saw into our souls, who believed in us and cared for us. Please stay tuned for further notices on this gathering.
Blessings,
Rita Glassman

Duke Schirmer was, by far, the most popular and coolest teacher I ever had. I had little interest in school but loved being able to express myself on paper in his class. An appreciation of writing continues through my daughter who would have loved having him for a teacher. He truly would have enjoyed her opinionated writing for a local Florida newspaper.

Duke was my best friend, what a great person.

Duke Schirmer was my Creative Writing teacher in 1970 at Mamaroneck High School. I had just transferred from a private Jewish high school where I had to wear long sleeves and skirts. I will never forget my first day in Duke's class with him wearing jeans, a tie dyed tee shirt and swearing. I knew I had died and gone to heaven. It was the most glorious encounter of my young life. In his class I was able to be fully myself, and could reveal the longings and struggles in my heart. In his class I started my singer/songwriter's career sharing my first original songs. On days when I felt forlorn and sad over the loss of my dad, Duke walked me around the perimeter of the high school. He was my best cheerleader and even years later he was a friend who still knew how to keep you faithful to the creative path and lift you up so you could be the person you were meant to be. I am so sorry and sad to learn of his passing along with Martha who made the best pies and had the most loving, warm heart of anyone I ever knew. It would be great to have a gathering of all those who knew and loved these two remarkable, huge hearted individuals. Their impact on this world was huge.
Rita Glassman

Duke made you want to be a better person. Thank you Duke, I'll keep trying.

It is said that during one's life there may come, if one is lucky enough, one person who made a difference in your life. Duke Schirmer definitely made a hugh difference in my life. He made learning and the thrill of learning FUN!! I know that I would not be where I am in life if it were not for "Duke." Now we all know Duke well. I know he is up in heaven with his beloved Martha and blushing at all the accolades being accorded him. A very modest man who became all of us his friends and mentor.
I will miss my friend and mentor more than you can imagine. Duke's way will be a long way in coming again.
Paul Jellinek (in Duke's class 1960-1961)
Palm Coast, Fl. 32137
[email protected]

The best of teachers that taught me how to write and think. I learned d never to be afraid of putting across to the reader my inner most feelings about the subject being written about. That was Duke Schirmer, a wonderful icon of a teacher and persistent beacon of learning for those who cared to engage with him. He was the most out of the box teacher I experienced. He was unafraid to explore with his students all facets of writing. I am most proud of having the privilege of being a student of Duke Schirmer. It is sad to know of his death. My condolences to his family although 1 year plus since the Duke passed away.

I just received the sad news of the death of my favorite teacher, Duke Schirmer, of my favorite class at Mamaroneck High School. Suffice it to say he shook my staid, suburban values to the core in all the best ways, helping me to see the world from directions I did not realize existed as a naive 15-year-old. In his rumpled white t-shirt and chinos and work boots, crouched on the floor or leaping atop our desks, he demanded we write with our hearts, not our heads — and we did, like it or not. I can't remember the grade I got for the class. But I do remember that, more than once, I earned a devilish smile that meant one of my streams of consciousness scrawled in marker across a giant sheet of paper had shown him that I had unlocked a part of my creative mind that had previously gone untapped. For that I will be eternally grateful. Thank you Duke. Rest is peace with Martha, you muse.
Tom Evans, Ridgefield Connecticut

A year and a bit late I find this sad news. A group of students from the late sixties are remembering favorite teachers and as always the conversation runs to Duke. He touched so many young lives. He supported, inspired, and nurtured us into being ourselves in a way that none of us will ever forget. He was remarkable, unique, and loving. I have always missed him.

So many things to say... Duke Schirmer is responsible for my life as a writing teacher, a writer, an editor. I knew, only a few weeks after starting his class at Mamaroneck High School in 1977, that I had found my purpose on the planet. I would be like Duke. I would do for others what he had done for me. He listened and heard. He validated my attempts at growth, expansion, at speaking my truth, at learning to see, as a writer should, not "a thousand things with one eye," as the quote on one of the walls of our room reminded us, "but one thing with a thousand eyes." He let me get away with nothing. He pressed for self-expression beyond anyone I had met before or have met since. And when I tried to cop out, he would have none of it. He held me to account for being who I said I would be in the world. He went in after our withheld words and pulled them out. He walked on our desks to snap us out of our adolescent stupor. He crouched on the floor watching as we wrote poems in magic marker on giant pages, which he then used to line the walls of our classroom... our anguished teenage ramblings, standing back with us to note proudly what could be called forth from us. And then, each day at 4, he would rush home for "tea with Martha." I know that he and Martha are having tea in heaven, and that he is and will always be standing back to note with pride what can be called forth from us, what we can call forth from ourselves, call forth from others. With enduring love and respect, Beth (Schoenholtz) Udoma.

I am still mourning the loss of Martha, and Duke missed her terribly, as he told me during our last phone conversation. My beloved creative writing teacher and the best teacher I ever had -- I will miss your friendship, your wit, your wisdom, and your wonderful letters with their artwork. Our hearts go out to his family. Duke became OUR friend, even though he was never Harry's teacher, but they enjoyed each other's company. Duke, you will be sorely missed and always remembered and loved. You were one of a kind -- the best. I do want to share that your daily poetry readings and wine tasting with Martha and neighbors was always a delight to hear about. It sounded like there was so much love and romance still present after many years of marriage. Those poetry stories are so touching and I always wanted to hear about them. May you never be forgotten, may your love of poetry live on, may your legacy live on in Mamaroneck High School and in the writing world.
A tearful farewell to a wonderful friend and teacher, to me, Harry and also to Mara. He gave recommendations to 2 generations in my family - to me and to Mara. He was like family to all of us.
Ronna and Harry DeLoe and Mara Steinhardt

Duke was a wizard of a teacher--intense, inspiring, intrepid--I taught English with him at MHS for many, many years, and I respected and loved him dearly! What an awesome, unusual man who devoted himself with his whole being to his students. I send his family my sincerest condolences. Sadly, the world will not see the likes of Duke Schirmer again!

My deepest condolences to Mr. Schirmer's family on the passing of a wonderful man. Mr. Schirmer was my English teacher during my sophomore year of high school ('78-'79) and he made a lifelong impression on me, and I know on many others. I will always remember him fondly. - Sharon Stenzler Tessler

Only recently i was looking through my MHS yearbook and stopped on a photo of Mr. Schirmer but had no idea he resided in this area. He was a wonderful teacher and t.hose of us who knew him back then are grateful for that opportunity. My sincere condolences to his family.

I will miss Duke coming into our office for his visits @ Berk. Med. Gr. I had the pleasure of checking him in most times & we talked about our families & I was reminded of the song "Duke of Earl" which he said his kids in school used to sing to him. I will miss my Duke of Earl. God Bless. BrendaBurdick

To Dukes family, our sincerest condolences. Duke and Martha were two of the nicest people we had the pleasure to serve at the Coumadin Clinic at Berk. Med. Group. Bob Newbery and Sherri Rheaume Clinic Nurses.