Roger Heller

To a wonderful Teacher from a grateful student.

A person who I really enjoyed teaching with at San Carlos High School was Roger Heller. He was on the faculty three of the four years I taught there. I had the privilege of team-teaching with him and some other colleagues.

Roger was always a jolly fellow. Happy, even happy-go-lucky. He loved teaching American History. For Roger, history was story-telling. And could he tell a story! The kids loved to hear him expound upon lesser known facts about lesser well known American...

I remember Mr. Heller from my senior year at San Carlos Highschool in 1963. I never had him as a teacher but knew he was well liked and respected by all the students. I enjoyed his humor. Condolences to his family. Marilyn Galvin-Young, Lincoln, CA

Mr. Heller was just about my favorite teacher at SCHS--1963! His skill in teaching his history was phenomenal. He would give us current issues and divide us into debate teams. He always provided active learning. I remember we had two classrooms divided by a sliding door. He would open it up and connect two classes at the same time for activities. Great memories!

-Terri Fiorini Davis

Dr Heller was my History and Social Science prof at SJSU. He was also my teachers mentor/supervisor as I was doing my student teaching. We had many discussions about world events and being a Vietnam vet myself, we shared thoughts of our war time experiences. He was truely a great man and I think of him often. I am very sorry to hear of his passing. Mike Tognoli, Gilroy, CA (SJSU '76)

Mr. Heller was my history teacher at San Carlos High School in 1963,I enjoyed my classes with him,and knowing now how knowledgeable he was it is a pity we didn't know more about the man,but at that time closeness between teachers and students wasn't "cool",my best to his family,and friends.

I don't remember many of my high school teachers but I do Mr. Heller. He was was kind, always had a smile, and infused a "you can do it" tone that was such a help to me. He orchestrated his classroom so that a struggling student could succeed. His was where I gained confidence and could picture becoming a good student.

Like Roger, I, too, was born in North Dakota but in 1928! His birthplace was only 12 miles from my hometown across the border in neighboring Montana. Our fathers were acquainted but Roger and I never met until we were fellow history graduate students in Berkeley after 1951. My wife and I enjoyed Roger's company and we kept in touch until his health seemed to make that impossible. At UC we used to banter competitively about our concurrent reserve military service, he in the Army and I in...