[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 17 (Thursday, February 4, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE LIFE OF RICHARD ``DICK'' SPOTO, FORMER PRINCIPAL AND 
                               HEADMASTER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 4, 2010

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
and contributions of Richard ``Dick'' Spoto--and to acknowledge his 
dedication to the teachers, students and his neighbors in the Tampa Bay 
Area.
  Mr. Spoto was born in Tampa, Florida in 1917. He was the youngest of 
13 children born to Guiseppina and Pietro Spoto. He started his 41-year 
career in education as the assistant football coach at Hillsborough 
High and then the head coach at Jefferson High until he became the 
county's first director of health and physical education in 1949. 
Shortly after, Mr. Spoto returned to school and received his master's 
degree in administration from the University of Florida in 1952.
  Mr. Spoto realized soon after receiving his masters that his true 
calling resided in the school system. So he returned to become 
principal of Tampa Bay Boulevard Elementary from 1953-1961, then Sligh 
Junior High from 1961-1966 and finally Hillsborough High from 1966-
1970. After leaving the school district, he went to work as headmaster 
at Saint Mary's Episcopal Day School before retiring in 1980.
  For 41 years, Mr. Spoto was dedicated to enriching the lives of his 
students and colleagues. His mentor and friend Richard ``Norm'' 
Pettigrew, with whom he created the group Athletes from the Past, 
described him as ``a friend to everyone--an inspiration really . . . he 
would instill good habits and kept you on track.''
  While Mr. Spoto may be gone his lifelong commitment to athletics and 
education has been celebrated with many honors, culminating in 2005 
with the dedication of Richard C. Spoto High School.
  Mr. Spoto is survived by his two daughters, Susan Spoto Shobe, 
Elizabeth ``B.J.'' Spoto-Russell along with his four grandchildren, 
Ashley Shobe Gilkison, David C. Shobe Jr., Kathleen Elizabeth Johns, 
and Allison Elayne Russell and his two great-grandchildren, Richard 
``Bo'' Gilkison and Elizabeth Marie Johns. The Tampa community honors 
the life of Mr. Spoto for his outstanding contributions as an educator.
  His service to the Tampa Bay community has made a lasting mark that 
will not soon be forgotten.

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