Remembering Westfield Teacher David M. Hart, 89

David M. Hart, 89 of Mountainside, N. J. passed away on January 18, 2016, after a two year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dr. Marilyn McGuire Hart, his son, Dr. D. Michael Hart and his wife Eileen of Westfield, N.J.; his daughter Ellen Richardson and her husband A. Brad Richardson of Dover, Delaware; and by his daughter Alison Brafman, and her husband Ari, of Westfield, N.J. He is also survived by seven grandchildren.
David was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and raised in Springfield, N.J. He earned a B.A. in Science Education at Montclair University in 1950 and a Masters in Administration and Supervision at Montclair in 1957. A scholarship in his name has been established for a graduating senior at Westfield Senior High School, for one who has demonstrated an extraordinary interest in natural or environmental sciences.
He joined the army in 1945 and served with the 15th Infantry regiment in the Philippines, receiving the Asiatic Pacific Campaign World War II Ribbon and an Honorable Discharge. David was an active member of the Mountainside Veterans of Foreign Wars, and was honored to be the Grand Marshal of the 2014 Memorial Day Parade.
In his professional career, David started as a Science Teacher in Roselle Park, NJ for 2 years, followed by teaching Natural Science to 7th graders Westfield, NJ for 12 years. He served as principal of Deerfield School, Mountainside, Charles H. Brewer Middle School, in Clark, NJ, and the Carl H. Kumpf Middle School in Clark, for an additional total of 25 years.
Community involvement included 6 years as a Councilman on the Mountainside Borough Council, service for 6 years on the Union County Regional High School Board of Education, service on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Specialized Hospital, membership for many years in the Lions Club, including being President in 1986-87, membership in the VFWPost 10136, a member of the Mountainside Music Association. David was a Scoutmaster and Leader in Boy Scout Troop 76 for 4 years during which time they graduated 6 Eagle Scouts; he was a Little League Coach for 2 years, which included winning the pennant, and the Jonathan Dayton Choral Parents Society. David loved Fishing, and was on the New Jersey State Council for Central Jersey Trout Unlimited, and  served on the Board of Directors for The Warren County Rod and Gun Club.
In his retirement, David was an avid fisherman, and fished frequently with his son, Michael, and other family members. David has photos of almost every child and grandchild holding a fish. Marilyn and David loved to travel and sometimes combined fishing with their trips. They traveled all over Europe, went to China, and the Caribbean. David included fishing in his trips to Alaska 5 times, New Zealand, Belize, and all over the United States and Canada.
David Hart was a pillar of the community, had high moral values, was active in his church, was a wonderful father and family man, and a man of great accomplishments. He brought out the best in everyone around him, and was beloved by all. He will be sorely missed.