About Mike

“As I enter my retirement years, I have been asked numerous times, ‘what would you do differently if you had a second chance in life?’ My response is simple and always the same - I would change nothing. I certainly would want to be born in Italy to the same parents, immigrate to this great country, go through the Nutley Public School system, work at the same job I loved for 35 years in Cedar Grove, marry my wife Judy, have the same family tree with Danny and John as sons, Maria and Stacy as daughters-in-law, Michael, Frankie, and Daniel as grandsons, and have all of you as friends. Obviously, you could not ask for a better life.” - Mike Geltrude at his retirement dinner

Mike was born Michele Geltrude on December 2, 1939 in Barletta, Italy, the only child of Cosimo “Danny” Geltrude and Anna Spadaro. Soon after Michele's birth, his father, a sailor in the Italian Merchant Marines, “jumped shipped” in the United States with the hope of securing a better future in America for his wife and child. While his father started to work in the U.S. to save money to bring his family over, Michele was raised by his mother and grandparents in a very small living space with no running water and livestock roaming the cobblestone streets. The family was very poor and had just enough for the bare essentials. The spare funds his father was able to send to Italy were used to pay for Michele to continue to attend school, something very few children were able to do at the time. Life in Italy during World War II was difficult, but the young Michele found ways to channel his energy and amuse himself by playing soccer and stealing his neighbors' tomatoes. Finally, in November of 1951, just shy of his 12th birthday, Michele and his mother left port in Naples and headed for Ellis Island. Their American dream had begun.

The family settled permanently in Nutley, NJ where Mike would attend Lincoln School as a fifth grader. Since he did not speak a word of English, Mike was held back until he could learn the language. It was at that point that Mike discovered one of his life's true passions - Mathematics. He quickly realized that he did not have to understand English to excel at math. His first report card supported this as he failed every single subject, except for an “A” in math. In time, Mike would be quite successful in all of his academic subjects. Socially, he made his first friend in Charlie Kucinski and was taken under the wing of his “big brother,” Sam Stellatella. Mike remained close friends with Charlie and Sam until his passing some 55 years later. Mike's loyalty and dedication to his friends was clear from the beginning. It is no surprise that so many of the people Mike met his first year in Nutley remained his friends for the rest of his life.

In 1955, as a freshman in high school, Mike met the love of his life - Judy Verrico. Virtually from the moment they met, they would share their lives together as a perfect match. The love and support they provided each other was like a storybook tale. The two of them would remain inseparable soul mates for the next 50 years. Mike was loyal, faithful, and dedicated to her. Judy reciprocated at every moment and stayed at his side until his last breath.

To say that Mike loved sports would be an understatement. He had an absolute passion for all sports as a participant, as a coach and as a spectator. He thrived on the competition as well as the comradery. When Mike arrived in Nutley from Italy, he was only familiar with a single sport - soccer. No one in Nutley had ever seen anything like it, a youngster trying to kick a basketball or bouncing it off his head. However, Mike realized that soccer was not an option in high school sports, so he turned his interest to football, where he earned three varsity letters. In spite of the fact that he had never played or even seen the game before, Mike's toughness and athleticism enabled him to become the starting quarterback for the varsity teams of 1957 and 1958. In his senior year, he led Nutley to a 7 - 1 record and a final ranking of #3 in New Jersey with the team's only loss coming to eventual state champion, East Orange. Mike also set the Nutley High School record in 1957 with an 82-yard punt. In the off-season, Mike played basketball, baseball and track, where he earned two more varsity letters. Off the field, Mike was very active in high school by serving as class treasurer and keeping a very busy social calendar.

Mike attended Seton Hall University where he would eventually earn three degrees ~ a bachelors in mathematics, a masters in education and yet another masters in mathematics. As an undergraduate at Seton Hall, Mike satisfied his competitive drive for sports as a member of the varsity soccer team where he earned three letters and was captain in his senior year when the team was nationally ranked. He became the first Nutley High graduate to earn a Division I varsity letter in soccer. It is interesting to note that Mike had not played soccer from the time he left Italy to his sophomore year in college when he tried out for the varsity team.

In 1963, Mike started his first teaching job at Cedar Grove High School where he would remain until his retirement some 35 years later. He poured his heart and soul into teaching mathematics to his students and at the same time taught valuable lessons in life. His effectiveness cannot be underestimated as a significant number of his students went on to become teachers, citing Mr. Geltrude as their inspiration. His tireless efforts in staying late to tutor those who needed extra help and writing recommendations to assist others to get into the college of their choice would leave a lasting impression on those around him. He simply loved his job and it showed every single day. He was ultimately rewarded for his efforts in 1985 when he was named chairman of the Mathematics department. He remained chairman until his retirement in 1998. Mike also developed many friendships with colleagues and students during his tenure in Cedar Grove, and like the friendships he had made along the way in Nutley and at Seton Hall, those friends would be with him until the end.

Mike's love for athletics logically drew him to coaching where his passion for sports and unique teaching styles would make him incredibly successful. Whether it was coaching midget football in the 1960's, or high school track in the 1970's, or traveling soccer in the 1980's, the same dedication and loyalty Mike had displayed to those around him in his life was magnified 10 fold when it came to his athletes. As a track and cross-country coach at Cedar Grove for over 25 years, he went above and beyond what a normal coach would do. His commitment was rewarded as he was named New Jersey Track Coach of the Year with fellow coach George Jenkins in 1979. In addition, Mike and George coached their track teams to state sectional championships four times along the way. More important than the awards and championships was the personal impact he had on every one of the athletes he coached.

As Mike's two sons grew up with an interest in playing soccer, he committed himself to coaching them, and hundreds of others, in the correct way to play the game. Mike dedicated the entire decade of the 1980's to re-inventing the way North Jersey approached the exciting prospect of traveling youth soccer. He was, without question, one of the most successful soccer coaches around and to this day has won more soccer games than anyone else in Nutley. However, his greatest achievement was the organizing and development of exchange programs with foreign countries such as Germany, Ireland, France, and of course, Italy. Mike initiated one of the first tours for a youth soccer team from New Jersey to a foreign country when he brought 25 players from Nutley to play in West Germany for three weeks in 1981. The years that followed brought international teams to Nutley for some of the most intense and competitive soccer ever played in the area. This experience had a life-long impact on everyone who had the privilege to be a part of the program. Finally in 1988, he took his Nutley team on a tour of Italy culminating with a tournament in Mike's hometown of Barletta. As with the other sports he coached, the success Mike had could not be fully understood with winning percentage, but with the tremendous learning and cultural experience, Mike was able to provide his players and their families with. Similar to teaching career, Mike's influence inspired dozens of his former players to pursue coaching careers of their own.

As busy as he often was, Mike always found the time to do charitable work. He spent countless hours organizing and participating in charitable events over the years. At the same time, Mike quietly performed generous acts of kindness that no one ever knew about. When someone was not well, he would take them to the doctor or make a visit to the hospital. He shopped for those who could not do it for themselves. He did not believe that he had to be part of a large organized group to lend a helping hand. He understood that the small things mattered just as much, if not more. Mike never sought special recognition of any kind for the things he did. He did not brag, boast, seek accolades or financial gain, as he simply wanted to help others any way he could.

As Mike entered his golden years, he looked forward to the happiest role of his life as a grandfather. Those around him saw the pride “Grandpa Mike” took in teaching his grandsons to do their math homework or playing soccer. This was to be his greatest legacy. Sadly, his time as a grandfather would be cut short. When Mike was diagnosed with an incurable and often deadly form of skin cancer known as malignant melanoma in December of 2004, he did not cry, pout, or feel sorry for himself. Instead, he prepared himself for the fight. Mike was instantly committed to raising awareness about this insidious disease. Always a man of action, he took it upon himself to be a one-man force for melanoma awareness. He simply started by informing his many friends about his condition and what they could do to prevent it. As the story would have it, they told two friends and they told two friends and so on and so on… For the remaining fourteen months of his life, he relentlessly kept delivering the message. His goal was to ensure that no other family would have to endure the same struggle as his. At the same time, Mike continued to live his life with an energy and optimism that serves as an example to all. His generosity and selflessness will be remembered for many years to come while his dignity and courage when facing his own mortality inspired the hundreds, and perhaps thousands, who knew him. In the end, Mike was at peace knowing that his life was truly one that had realized its full potential and his work on earth had been accomplished. He passed on from this life without a single regret.

So what exactly is Mike's message? It is quite simple because it lies in the essence of how he lived his life. Consider these lessons from Mike's life:

He appreciated the simple things like his family and his friends. Money never mattered to him. He always gave his best in everything he did and encouraged you to do the same. He tried to help everyone he could. He respected every person he came in contact with and judged them only by the content of their character. He taught that achieving the team's goals were more important than individual accomplishments. Whatever he knew he tried to share with others. He believed that good things were the result of hard work. He always kept his word. He never took a friendship lightly or for granted. He took care of his parents as they grew older. He made time for his wife, children and grandchildren. Above all, he lived his life believing that every day was a gift and should not be wasted. And of course there is one more message from Mike, protect your skin from the sun at all times and see a dermatologist for periodic check-ups.