William J. (Bill) Cumero

A nearly lifelong California resident, Bill was born in Fresno on December 4, 1941, to Anna and Joseph Cumero. The family moved to Oakland in 1944 before settling in Castro Valley in 1945.

Bill attended local schools, graduating in 1959 from Castro Valley High School where he lettered in cross-country, and sang bass in the a capella and madrigal choirs. He then attained his education degree from California State University-East Bay in 1963, and in 1965 received Life Standard Secondary Teaching credentials in History and Speech.

In 1966, Bill began his teaching career in Aptos before moving to the King City area in 1967. For the next 33 years, he taught at King City and Los Padres Continuation high schools. Upon his retirement from the latter school in 2000, graduating students asked Bill to speak at their commencement. The first bilingual teacher in the school district, he did so . . . in Spanish. Even after moving to northern Washington State in 2001, he taught periodically until his death. One of his favorite statements about teaching was printed in the Bellingham, WA, Herald in 2002:

"Becoming an excellent teacher requires creativity, the ability to communicate with and inspire youth to learn, a deep knowledge of your subject area and a thirst to always learn more, an ability to handle stress and adapt to change. It's far from easy and not just anyone can be a good teacher."

Never afraid to speak his mind, Bill filed a complaint against the teachers union in 1980, alleging misuse of legally mandated nonmember dues. When ensuing appeals finally reached the California Supreme Court in 1989, the decision for the plaintiff became precedent-setting case law, Cumero v. Public Employment Relations Board.

Bill served in the U.S. Army Reserves, 91st Division (Training), where he reached the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6). During his seven years as a reservist, he was designated an Outstanding Instructor, and awarded the Infantry Marksmanship Medal.

Bill's many abilities included dramatics, a skill he displayed, not only in the classroom, but on high school stages from Castro Valley to King City. An unrelenting punster, he could turn anything he read or heard into a groan-worthy witticism. Walks to his rural mailbox were also legendarily long due to his habit of speaking at length with neighbors on the many subjects of interest to him.

He had nearly photographic recall, a seemingly improbable aptitude since fifth grade tests had shown his left-handedness was causing him to reverse letters and words. Once this problem was addressed, however, he became an avid reader, attaining an average speed of 1000 words per minute vs. the 300-word average for American adults.

An avid hunter and fisherman in earlier years, Bill still loved to camp in his fifth-wheel trailer. Most of all, though, he enjoyed spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren, friends, and beloved dogs.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, and is survived by his wife, Mary Jackson Cumero; daughters Mara Lopez (Wlad), Francesca Cumero, Maria Cumero (Seamus), and Anna "Happy" Michel (Keith); stepdaughter Ann-Marie Murray (Zak), and stepson Anthony Jackson; sister, Peggy Babcoke (Mike); seven grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins in California and Washington.

A memorial service will be held at the home of Anne and John Murray, 5004 South Snoqualmie Street, Seattle, WA 98118, at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 26, 2010.

Donations may be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), or the American Diabetes Association (ADA).