Retired PE Teacher Ron Cuppernull Passes Away
Ron Cuppernull taught his physical education classes with a wry sense of humor and a touch of class and his students loved every minute of their time in the gym. Known for his many years of coaching the Blue Devil boys' and girls' varsity tennis teams, Mr. Cuppernull passed away suddenly at home last Thursday. He was 77.
Born February 10, 1935 in the small upstate New York town of Oswego, Ronald Brennen Cuppernull was quite a guy. He was a three-time varsity letter winner with the Brockport State college basketball team and eventually made his way to Long Island, where he settled into a long and wildly successful career in the Huntington School District.
Mr. Cuppernull left indelible marks at Robert L. Stimson Junior High School, where he developed an outstanding basketball team and later at J. Taylor Finley Junior High School, where he worked closely with several colleagues, including Peter Sansiviero, Aaron Littman and Charlotte Coronato. He taught and coached legions of local teenagers over the course of three decades in the district and sent his own children through Huntington High School.
The Blue Devil tennis program grew in prestige under the direction of Mr. Cuppernull, an exceptional player himself, who was highly regarded in local tennis circles. He founded the girls' program and never failed to field a competitive team.
One of Mr. Cuppernull's most impressive players ever was Sandra Birch, who won the Suffolk singles championship as a high school freshman. Birch went on to capture two NCAA singles crowns and was runner-up twice in singles and once in doubles at the NCAA Division I Championships while playing for Stanford University.
When Mr. Cuppernull stepped aside as Huntington's tennis coach, he passed the reins to his trusted JV lieutenant, Jamie Fishlow, a Huntington High School physical education teacher. The pair developed a strong bond over the years that extended well into Mr. Cuppernull's retirement.
After Mr. Cuppernull decided to retire from teaching at the close of the 1990 school year, he also stopped coaching the Blue Devil girls' varsity team. But, he remained as the boys' coach until completely retiring from coaching in 1999.
Mr. Fishlow was heartbroken to learn of his colleague's passing. "I am very sad," Mr. Fishlow said. "He was a great friend to me and since he left coaching, he was a great friend of the program. Since he retired from coaching, I don't believe there was ever a girls' or boys' season that he ever missed stopping by to see me at the courts. He always wanted to check out the new players and he would bring a chair and watch the matches. We would talk about everything; our families, what we've been doing and, of course, the matches."
When Mr. Cuppernull stepped away from coaching for good, he felt at peace. "His wife, Karen told me today that when he gave up the boys' team to me, he knew it was time to pass the torch to a younger guy," Mr. Fishlow said. "He was comfortable with his decision and with me. That's the kind of person he was; selfless! I am forever indebted to him for that. Over those next few years, I had great teams leading to the county championship in 2002. He was a mentor and a friend to me and I will truly miss him."
Following his retirement from teaching, Mr. Cuppernull and his wife traveled extensively. He played a lot of golf and enjoyed spending time with his family. "He was a very humble guy and a true gentleman," Mr. Fishlow said. "I know that since he stopped teaching, he enjoyed his retirement immensely."
Although he was happy on the sidelines, Mr. Cuppernull agreed to Mr. Fishlow's request to step back into the arena for one more season when Huntington was desperate for a JV coach. "That was Ron, always willing to help," Mr. Fishlow said.
In addition to his wife and brother, George, the retired Huntington teacher leaves behind sons Mark, Gary and Peter Cuppernull and step-children Lisa, John, Justin and Jude Desiderio, along with 25 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Visitation was scheduled for Sunday evening and Monday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at M.A. Connell Funeral Home in Huntington Station. A funeral mass was set for Tuesday at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Centerport at 9:45 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the Cuppernull family has asked that donations be made in the retired educator's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis TN, 38101-9908.