Frederick Dennis Hart
05/07/1951 - 06/29/2025
Frederick Dennis Hart (went by Fred) was born on May 7, 1951, in San Francisco to Gladys Eleanor [Arndt] and George Collier Hart. Fred lived his entire life in his SF childhood home at first with his parents, then while caretaking his parents and eventually on his own after their deaths. However, he equally loved Santa Cruz where the extended family had a "beach house" where his love of the ocean began on his very first trip (ever) when he was a mere 2 months old. As Fred loved the ocean so much he and his cousin Patricia (who was more like a sister to him) often walked along the various beaches of SF where they both lived or those in Santa Cruz when they made one of their numerous trips to the "beach house" throughout their lives although in later years they were shorter walks with walking sticks, canes and/or walkers.
Fred had a soft spot for animals, cats in particular, that started in his first few years of life. He had numerous furry family members of the feline variety during his life – the most notable being "Miss Kitty" who he would do anything for and did not want to be separated from.
Fred proudly graduated from Lowell High School in 1969 before obtaining an Associates of Arts degree from City College in 1971. He followed it with a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University in 1974 along with completing his teacher credentialing at SFSU.
While in school and/or before he began his tenure as a "history teacher," Fred was very active in politics and especially with local politics. As such he even helped hands-on with multiple campaigns.
Once Fred had his credentials, he began teaching in earnest and still had multiple filing cabinets of teaching notes, lessons and supplementary materials in his home office at the time of his death. Fred started at Jefferson High School after doing his student teaching there before transferring to Terra Nova High School. Fred taught mainly US History, World History, and Government class but taught the occasional Economics or Algebra class. His students loved him as shown by all the thank you notes and student gifts still on display in his home office. He was especially knowledgeable and enthusiastic when discussing California history as his extended family helped settle Santa Cruz, San Francisco and the surrounding areas and he had the stories (and even some photos) to prove it.
Fred loved sports and while he did not play much besides golf, he had some golf awards to show for it. He loved watching sports and tried to catch all the games at least on the radio or TV (Go 49ers!, Go SF Giants!). He also enjoyed seeing the stadiums and golf courses that others played on and when he traveled around the US or World, he toured the stadiums and golf courses taking photos for his collection.
Fred was extremely ENTHUSIASTIC about football and especially coaching football. He lived and breathed football at times as shown by his home office being more of a Coach's Den with many playbooks, team photos (both professional and casual), trophies, credentials, etc. still on display and out for viewing and use in his home when he died. Fred coached football at Terra Nova for over 20 years in various capacities (and every team photo was still on the walls) where his players, their families and the school in general respected and admired him and considered him legendary as he was part of multiple championship winning teams. He and the other coaches built a culture of teamwork and discipline both on and off the field (academics mattered to Coach Fred) and he wanted his players to succeed in life as well as on the field. Fred continued to follow his players after they graduated from Terra Nova and continued his interest and support if Terra Nova football after his retirement.
Fred passed away peacefully from various long-term health conditions that intensified suddenly on June 29, 2025 in San Francisco.
While Fred never married, he was much loved by his extended family including: his grandparents (Mary Gertrude [Lynch] and Fredrick William Arndt), parents (Gladys Eleanor [Arndt] and George Collier Hart), sister Sally Nadine [Hart] Voelker and her daughters Blenda [Voelker] Allen, Rhonda [Voelker] Vernaza, Karen [Voelker] Durham, and Maureen [Voelker] Birmingham), cousins (Patricia Mary Grace Frost, Jack Noel Frost, and Janice Marie [Frost] and Joel Shears Barbour and her sons Joel James Shears Barbour and John Robert Frost Barbour) as well as numerous other extended family including 2nd and 3rd cousins and friends that were close enough to be considered family.
Friends are invited to Fred's Funeral Mass, Friday, July 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM, at Church of the Epiphany, 827 Vienna Street, San Francisco, CA 94112. Burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma. In lieu of flowers donations in Fred's memory may be made to the following:
Terra Nova Boosters, 1450 Terra Nova Blvd., Pacifica, CA 94044 or to San Francisco SPCA, sfspca.org/tribute, 201 Alabama St., San Francisco, CA 94103.