Robert Leo Sympson

Robert L. "Bob" Sympson, of East Rockaway, New York, passed away leaving behind a remarkable legacy of education, environmental stewardship, historical preservation, and devotion to family.
Born in1934, in Massachusetts to Elred and Johanna Sympson, Bob moved with his family to Kentucky as a young teen where he developed a lifelong love of agriculture and the natural world. He attended the University of Kentucky, where he majored in poultry husbandry. Shortly thereafter, he spent a year as an exchange farmer in Pakistan, an experience that broadened his worldview and deepened his commitment to service. In his twenties, Bob joined the U.S. Army's Counterintelligence Corps and was stationed in Brooklyn.
While attending St. John's University, where he received a master's degree, Bob met his future wife, Patricia. They married and settled in East Rockaway, where Bob would become a deeply rooted and transformative presence in the community.
Bob devoted his professional life to education, serving as a science and horticulture teacher who inspired generations of students through his knowledge, curiosity, and passion for learning. He taught at Vincent Smith School in Port Washington for four years before joining the faculty at Valley Stream South High School in 1965, where he taught until his retirement in 1991. He led the hiking club at the school and took many students, and former students to climb Mount Washington, Mount Marcy and Mount Katahdin. One time he and his wife woke up to find that some of his students had set up a tent in their back yard and camped there overnight!
After retiring from teaching, Bob turned his full attention to volunteerism, particularly tree preservation and planting. In 2006, he became chairman of the newly formed East Rockaway Tree Advisory Board. Through his leadership, East Rockaway was designated a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. He helped establish the village's Shade Tree Planting Partnership, a program that enables homeowners and the village to share the cost of planting trees placed to provide shade while preserving sidewalks and infrastructure.
In recognition of his lifelong conservation efforts, Bob received the Arbor Day Foundation's 2010 Lawrence Enersen Award, honoring individuals who have made a lasting positive impact on their community's environment. He was a resident of East Rockaway within the Lynbrook school district, so both villages benefited greatly from his tireless work.
In the 1990s, while serving on the Lynbrook Village Environmental Concerns Committee, Bob initiated tree-planting programs and helped establish a community garden that remains in use today. Working with the Lynbrook School District, he planned and helped fund a Community Walking Trail and Arboretum at Lynbrook South Middle School, raising $16,000 for its creation.
At the county and state levels, Bob successfully secured $135,000 from a Nassau County bond issue to develop a county forest management plan. He was instrumental in organizing the New York State Urban Community Forestry Council, serving as its first secretary, and helped advance the passage of a countywide tree ordinance. As vice president of the Nassau County Cornell Cooperative Extension, he launched the Greening of Nassau tree-planting program for county school districts in 2009.
Bob was equally devoted to preserving local history. Alongside his late wife Patricia and many friends, he helped form the Friends of the East Rockaway Gristmill, which later became the Historical Society of East Rockaway and Lynbrook (HSERL). A founding member since 1996, Robert served on the board of directors for nearly 30 years and remained an active leader throughout. He was instrumental in securing state and national historic designation for the East Rockaway Grist Mill Museum and several local homes. His favorite activity was to portray "Miller Bob" during HSERL's annual retrospective at the Lynbrook Library, where, over the years, approximately 3500 fourth graders learned about local history.
Most recently, in mid-November, a detailed miniature replica of the Old Grist Mill-constructed by Bob-was placed on display at the East Rockaway Public Library, serving as a lasting testament to his craftsmanship and dedication to preserving the village's heritage.
Beyond his public service, Bob was a master woodworker, an avid gardener, a poultry enthusiast, a lover of politics and the proud owner of two antique Ford automobiles. A lifelong democrat, Bob loved to talk politics, and the breadth of his political knowledge was staggering. He always enjoyed showing off his garden, and his cars, and the fact that he kept chickens at his Marion Street home for many years was an open secret among his neighbors and friends.
Above all, Bob was a devoted father and grandfather. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Patricia Colway Sympson. He is survived by his daughter, Veronica Sympson Krendel; his son-in-law, Robert Krendel; his sister-in-law, Mary H. Colway (Beck); and his cherished grandchildren, Caroline Krendel (Bryan McDonald) Georgia Krendel, and John Krendel, who were the great pride and joy of his life. Bob's kindness, curiosity, and unwavering commitment to family, education, and community will be remembered always. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the history he preserved, and the trees that will continue to grow because of his vision.
He leaves us with this enduring message:
"Trees reflect the image of a community-pride, stature, longevity, and wealth. Trees are the lifeline wherein a community preserves its history and peace within its boundaries. People have the responsibility to protect and promote the community of trees in their environment." To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Robert, please visit our floral store.