[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 53 (Wednesday, March 27, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE LIFE OF BELOVED CAPITAL REGION EDUCATOR ERNEST D. STECK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PAUL TONKO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 27, 2019

  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of beloved 
community leader, veteran and educator Ernest D. Steck who passed away 
in February.
  Mr. Steck was a symbol of virtue and discipline to many in our 
Capital Region Our community owes him a debt of gratitude for his 
commitment to educating and shaping the minds of the young men under 
his tutelage, both in his history classroom and on the football field.
  Ernest was born in Rock Island, Illinois and grew up in Chicago and 
Brooklyn during the Great Depression He enlisted and served in the U.S. 
Army during World War II and fought in the Pacific Theater. After the 
war, he went back to school to earn his undergraduate and advanced 
degrees in physical education at the University of Iowa.
  After brief stints teaching in Bridgeport, Connecticut and 
Providence, Rhode Island, Ernest moved to Albany and brought his love 
of teaching to the Albany Academy, where he taught from 1953 to 1991. 
He also coached football, basketball, track, and tennis Each discipline 
provided a welcome opportunity for Ernest to share the principles that 
guided his life: the importance of hard work, discipline, and 
integrity. These earned him the respect of his colleagues and students. 
Classrooms were known to fall silent before he arrived while students 
waited eagerly for him to speak.
  Ernest's legacy of service earned him a promotion to athletic 
director and a spot in the Capital Region Hall of Fame in August of 
2014. If not reminding his teams that ``cool heads win games,'' he 
could be found virtually silent on the sidelines He believed in 
allowing the students to call their own plays, giving them a chance to 
develop team unity and trust. His creative approaches worked time and 
time again. In 1970, the Albany Academy football team won the State 
Championship for small high schools. He led a record-achieving 
championship streak until 1982. Students he coached referred to 
themselves as ``Ernie's Boys,'' a moniker that denoted their respect 
and appreciation Even to people who never stepped foot on a court or 
entered an arena, Ernest was legendary.
  Above all, Ernest was a proud family man His legacy lives on in his 
sons David and Phillip and grandchildren Kaylee, James, Alexandra, and 
Aaron He was laid to rest in late February alongside his wife Roselyn. 
To those who knew him, loved him, and were made better by his presence, 
I offer my sincere condolences.
  May we all take inspiration from the incredible service and courage 
of Ernest Steck and honor his legacy for years to come.

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