Obituary of Robert A. Hyland

Robert Anthony Hyland, 86, of Scotia, NY passed away peacefully late Tuesday evening, May 23rd following a long and arduous battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. He was surrounded by his loving wife of 61 years, Aloha, and their four children. 

Bob was born in the Bronx, on a Saturday, March 7th, 1937. Raised in Long Island, he was the second of four children of Joseph and Marion Hyland. After graduating from Bayport High School Bob pursued higher education, earning his undergraduate degree & NYS Teacher’s Certificate in elementary education from SUNY Oneonta. 

On September 1st, 1964 Bob was hired as a 5th grade teacher at Pashley Elementary School in the Burnt Hills Ballston Lake School District. His teaching career would cover 30 years and provide a deeply influential effect to countless number of students. Spanning nearly four decades, his time at Pashley would conclude as an oft remembered and beloved teacher.

As a teacher, Bob’s legacy is one of lasting impact; combining genuine care, empathy for his students, while always finding ways to teach lessons beyond traditional means. Mr. H., (as he was affectionately known), fulfilled his life’s purpose by leaving an indelibly warm learned mark on every class he taught. Each class taught would be welcomed as they walked into his classroom in the early warm days of September, only to walk back out into the bright late days of June: better prepared for the next school year and life in general. Each class richer from the experience through his gentle, productively challenging, funny, and often unique methods of teaching. That he will be remembered and recalled fondly is a legacy in and of itself. 

Like some full-time teachers Bob carved out time after school, nights, weekends, and during summer months to make ends meet for his wife and 5 children – to be certain food was on the table, sneakers were on feet, roof over heads, braces on teeth, and that even an annual road trip during April break to Myrtle Beach could be enjoyed; all for the love of his family.

Sports wove its way throughout Bob’s entire life – and no surprise, found their way into some of his part time jobs. For many Fall seasons he was a registered and certified high school soccer referee, (this was undoubtedly a carryover from his own love of the sport where, at SUNY Oneonta, he excelled and was selected to the New York State All State Soccer team as an offensive Right Wing and was an early selected member into the Oneonta Sports Hall of Fame). Off from teaching during summer months, he worked as a Mutuel Clerk at the Saratoga racetrack, assisting guests with placing wagers on horse racing. Bob fell in love with horse racing and horses in general; becoming a lifelong fan of Secretariat, “Big Red”, and other famous thoroughbreds. Later in his teaching career, this love led to another part time role with Off Track Betting (OTB) where Bob, always a wizard with numbers, worked at the Smith Street Corporate offices, nights and weekends, for years; calculating, tallying, and confirming wage amounts pooled from across the state. And finally, perhaps his longest part-time sports related seasonal stint, began in the 1960’s and ran right up until 1992, where he enjoyed a courtside seat on chilly winter evenings at the fabled Union College Memorial Fieldhouse in Schenectady, NY. Here, Bob became a fixture operating the clock at the scorer’s table for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Toward the end of nearly 25 seasons as the College’s basketball clock operator, the teacher taught both his sons and son-in-law how to work the clock, blend into the game without being part of it, enjoy courtside seats, and get paid for doing so.

As a hobbyist, Bob was an avid reader of all things, beginning bright and early each morning with his daily delivered newspaper. Bob was a Civil War buff and enjoyed reading anything by Michael and Jeff Shaara. Being born in the Bronx a Yankee fan he had to be: to be anything else would have assured eternal damnation – a mortal sin. Along with being an All-State collegiate athlete and exceptional basketball player, Bob was also a catcher and for a short time played minor league baseball. His hero being, like so many of his generation, Mickey Mantle. Later in life, the golf bug bit the baseball player. He tamed his baseball swing into a fairly decent golf game. Laughter filled the golf courses on which he played with the two golf leagues he was affiliated with for years: the Poor Devil’s and Knights of St John. Both leagues and the group of guys Bob played with held a special place in his heart. It is where his swansong as an athlete played out, before he could be an athlete no more.    

And then, too, there was music. Often heard singing, a tad bit off key, (he didn’t care), Bob sang along with the Beatles, Neil Diamond, Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Seger, Pink Floyd, Tina Turner, (who was not only his favorite female vocalist, but accompanied Bob into the afterlife on the day they both left this world), and musical’s such as Oliver, Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, and countless others. Never a surprise was it to hear the Hyland stereo spinning albums, volume turned high, at the home on Sanders Avenue. 

As a husband, Bob found the love of his life and true-life partner in Patricia Aloha Pelham, while studying at Oneonta. Younger than Bob, they met, quickly became smitten, and married on Aloha’s 21st Birthday, a Saturday, February 17th 1962. 

For over 61 years “Bob & Lo”, enjoyed the lure and pull of their shared rich conversations, deep laughter, absorbingly good novels, comfort of pets, Johnny Carson at night, their backyard pool, evening walks for coffee to the Scotia Diner, wonderful neighbors, hosting large festive annual Christmas Eve gatherings at their home on Sanders Avenue, then their Nettles Island, FL ocean home and the new friends readily made in the land of sun, where retirement found and embraced them both, and finally in the joy and promise of their eight grandchildren – their biggest shared love. 

As a father, Bob (Dad), was about as close to a textbook father as any child could want. Always encouraging, forever quietly firmly laying down a template, showing his children what it meant to be a decent human being. Like his students, his children benefited from and had the luxury of receiving and learning from their father’s, ‘teaching ways’. Growing up, and into adulthood, the father and the teacher would often become blurred lines. As a father he remained a teacher. 

As adults now and with children of their own, Bob’s sons and daughters have met and continue to meet people who had, “Mr. Hyland”, as their teacher. Often upon hearing the last name Hyland, a frequent refrain was, "are your related to Mr. Hyland, from Pashley Elementary?”. Confirming, Bob’s children would often then be regaled with personally special and meaningful remembrances and anecdotes. All spoke tenderly even reverently,of Bob, often referring to him as, “my favorite” or “one of my favorite teachers”. He was and remains his children’s favorite teacher, as well. 

These heartfelt inquiries and subsequent tales, offered freely and unsolicited, spanning the length of Bob’s career and beyond, suggest a glimpse into the calculus throughout and summation of his life. That lasting constant impactful legacy and what it is at its core; an illustrative embodiment of the positive impact one human gifted to countless others. 

How to sum up a life? To his students, to his family, and to his friends, his legacy readily and quite easily answers this question: one that left more with each individual he met than what was taken.  

Bob leaves behind his best friend, wife, and mother of his children, Aloha and his children; Joseph (Deanna), Matthew (Patty), Kara Bacon (Lenny), and Patricia Mills (Jeremiah). In 1985 Bob’s soul was pierced and heart irreparably torn by the sudden death of his then 20-year-old son, Kevin Robert Hyland. 

The extended family Bob also leaves behind include: four wonderful sisters-in-law, Ann, Faith, Judy, and Phyllis; a brother-in-law, Bill; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Marion Hyland; his sister Betty (Maxwell), brother Michael and brothers-in-law Michael Pelham and CarrPangburn. Bob’s only remaining sibling, younger brother John, has always maintained he had two heroes in his life: Mickey Mantle and his big brother Bob. 

Grandfatherly joy, that next level of love for any man, Bob squeezed tightest. In the 8 grandchildren he leaves behind, you can see, hear, and feel his legacy. Jillian, Sydney, Cecilia, Jacob, Emma, Miranda, Abigail, and Alexandra; each carry a special part of the man who would teach, and each will undoubtedly continue to grow and express his many positive traits in their own way, throughout their own life. They will miss their grandfather but will gently carry a part of him,always. 

Bob spent the last eight years of his life as a resident of the Glendale Nursing Home. The Hyland family would also like to convey their deepest gratitude to the extended ‘family’ within the Mohawk Trail neighborhood. Love, care, compassion, constant communication were the hallmarks enjoyed by the family. The entire group of caregivers were nothing short of remarkable in their attention to Bob. Special thanks to Cherie, Chris, Lou, Erin, Hank, Jackie, Ally, Deborah, and Stella. 

Calling hours for Bob will be held at the Glenville Funeral Home 9 Glenridge Road Scotia, NY 12302 on Monday June 19th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with a service to follow at 12:00 p.m. at the funeral home.  Graveside services will be at Park Cemetery on Sacandaga Road Scotia NY 12302 .

The family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to Alzheimer’s Association  

https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate