Retiree Council 10 has lost a valuable member of our ranks. Ernie Reis passed away on September 8, 2016, at the age of 71. Ernie served as Editor of our award winning newsletter, Skyline News, and as Webmaster of the companion internet site. He has been an ambassador and Alternate Delegate from RC 10 to the NYSUT Representative Assembly. In June, he was honored for his work with RC 10 at our Spring Scholarship Luncheon, with the Rensselaer County scholarship being awarded in his honor.
In the 1960’s Ernie served in the Air Force as a weatherman and spent some time in Turkey. He then went to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, graduating with a major in Economics. While there he became involved with reform groups to change the way juvenile delinquents were treated, which included several programs that gained national recognition. His work there awakened a passion to help youth, and he subsequently worked for the NYS Division for Youth, and also served for over ten years with employment and training programs in Columbia/Greene and Orange counties.
Ernie then attended UMass School of Education, earning his Master’s in Education. He later attended SUNY New Paltz where he received his Certificate of Advanced Study.
Ernie retired in 2006 after spending many years teaching in the Rensselaer-Columbia-Greene Counties BOCES, where he empowered his students to earn their GED (High School Equivalency). While teaching, he was involved with Union activities within the RCG BOCES Teachers’ Association, representing the union at the NYSUT RA. He also served as an elected delegate to the Troy Area Labor Council. In retirement, he continued to substitute teach for Chatham, Ichabod Crane, and Taconic Hills schools. He was very involved with local politics, and served as Town Chair of Chatham up to the time of his death.
When diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Ernie approached the challenge with humor and optimism, giving the battle his all. He wrote about his diagnosis in the October-November 2015 issue of “Skyline News,” sharing with all of us the need to remain hopeful and yet acknowledging the difficulties in such an overwhelming diagnosis. His article won the “Best Writing” NYSUT Communication Award, and is linked below.
Robert F. Kennedy once said, “The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.” Everyone who knew Ernie, understands that he left the world a better place because he was in it. We will miss him.
http://rc10.ny.aft.org/files/erniesarticle.pdf