What teachers remember about Rich Imler is that he was
”
old school.
”
An optimist, a supportive leader
– and a fighter. His family remembers him as a devoted father
and grandfather.
A longtime principal and assistant principal in Gilroy Unified
School District, Imler served 30 years as head of Gilroy High
School, Brownell Fundamental School and Luigi Aprea Elementary.
Gilroy – What teachers remember about Rich Imler is that he was “old school.” An optimist, a supportive leader – and a fighter. His family remembers him as a devoted father and grandfather.
A longtime principal and assistant principal in Gilroy Unified School District, Imler served 30 years as head of Gilroy High School, Brownell Fundamental School and Luigi Aprea Elementary.
Imler, 65, passed away Thursday at his Discovery Bay home after a three-year battle with cancer.
“I knew him when I was a student at Gilroy High School and he was an assistant principal, when I was a teacher and he was the principal – and he was a longtime friend,” said Superintendent Edwin Diaz. “He devoted his life to being a principal. He devoted his life wherever he was at.”
Under Imler’s tenure, GHS was a recipient of the Most Distinguished High School Award and Luigi Aprea scored a perfect ’10’ on the Academic Performance Index. He fought for the continuation of the Brownell Fundamental School – and continued to fight against the district office – if he felt students would benefit.
“He truly was in it for the kids,” said Luigi Aprea teacher and friend, Stephanie Chisolm. “If he didn’t think it was good for the kids – he was always willing to buck the system … When push came to shove, he was always there for you.”
That loyalty to his staff and devotion to his students left a permanent image in people’s minds. Described by many as “old school,” his was fair and firm in his discipline. Children knew where they stood with him.
“I’ve never seen a principal get along so well with students. They respected him,” said Connie Sanchez, a friend and former Brownell Fundamental Parent Club president.
Every year he dressed up as Dracula at Luigi Aprea’s Halloween assembly. At GHS, Imler would open up the gym and play basketball with students.
“He didn’t just sit on the sidelines. He was right in the middle of things,” Sanchez said.
Remembered for his crew cut, white shoes, glasses that never quite made it past his forehead, sporty cars and signature phrase, “See ya kid,” Imler was someone you could talk to. He listened.
“I felt like he valued my opinion whether it was different than his or not,” said friend and Luigi Aprea teacher Karen Humber.
Humber and Chisolm remained close to Imler after he retired. He would call them and inquire about what was happening at the school.
“He always wanted to know what was going on – I still think his heart was here,” Chisolm said.
On Fridays, Imler would take “Star Kids” out to lunch at McDonald’s, she recalled.
“I just feel like we lost one of the good ones,” she said.
Born and raised in Inglewood, Imler taught math for seven years in the Los Angeles Unified School District. He received both his bachelor’s in math and master’s degree in education from the University of Southern California.
Around 1970, Imler, his wife Judy and their two children moved to Gilroy.
“We didn’t want to raise our kids in L.A.,” she said, noting they had recently celebrated their 43rd anniversary. “That’s what he lived for – his kids and his grandkids.”
Imler retired in 2000 and moved to Discovery Bay to be closer to his son David, daughter Debra Carothers and three grandchildren. Though retired, Imler couldn’t stay away from schools. He began teaching math at Antioch High School.
The diagnosis of esophagus cancer three years ago prevented Imler from accepting a principalship at a Bay Area middle school. After that, Imler’s life was a rollercoaster of recovery and chemotherapy.
“He had 40 radiation hits and I stopped counting after 30 (chemotherapy) treatments,” Judy said. “This is the one problem I ever knew that he couldn’t solve. It killed him that he couldn’t be productive or help out.”
The operation to remove a portion of his esophagus left him in pain – but he would keep that to himself.
“During his ordeal he would always sugarcoat everything,” said Luigi Aprea teacher Gary Wendorf. “He didn’t want anybody feeling ‘Poor Rich – look what he’s going through.'”
Most recently, Imler had undergone an experimental treatment that had many hoping he would recover. Just a few weeks ago he was out painting the house. Around the time of the Garlic Festival, he informed friends that the cancer was shrinking. It was within the past week that his condition worsened. Judy phoned Luigi Aprea Friday morning with the news of his death.
Imler’s presence in the halls of Luigi Aprea will continue. Underneath the portrait of him hanging in the reception area is a plaque that reads, “In honor of Rich Imler. Principal of Luigi Aprea Fundamental School. ‘Reach for the stars.’ A perfect 10/10.”
Another plaque decorates the entranceway of the school. It reads, “Rich Imler … Above and Beyond.”
A graveside service will be held Thursday, Sept.1 at 1pm at Oakmont Memorial Park and Mortuary in Lafayette.
