Biography for

Walter DiMarko

Walter (Wally) DiMarko considered his seven years in the Brecksville Schools among the best years of his life. Upon graduation, Wally attended the University of Miami where he earned a Bachelor of Education in Social Studies in 1965. That year he began his teaching career in the Miami-Dade County Public School System where he would spend the next thirty- five years. He later earned a Master of Education in Social Studies at Florida Atlantic University in 1967, received a Master of Arts in American Studies in 1970 from the University of Miami, and completed his Doctoral Studies (all but the dissertation) in American Diplomatic History in the early 1980's. While at UM, Wally met his beautiful wife Judy, an elementary education teacher. They will celebrate their forty-fifth anniversary in July, 2011. Classified as "Dinks" (double income no kids), they devoted their lives to their teaching careers. During his career, Wally was honored as Teacher of the Year on three occasions, was a Department Chairperson of Social Studies in two different high schools, and served as assistant principal. He devoted the majority of his career to teaching Advanced Placement American History. He was honored to serve as President of the Miami-Dade County Council for the Social Studies and served as a board member to the Florida Council for the Social Studies.

Wally and Judy retired from the public schools in June, 2000, but Wally still had the urge to work. He was first recruited by Barry University in Miami Shores to supervise student teachers; and later he served as a teaching instructor and was promoted to Director of Student Teaching/Internship for the Adrian Dominican School of Education at Barry. Judy, who also supervised student teachers at Barry, had Wally as her boss. "Bad enough to live with him," she would later say. They have been completely retired since June, 2005.

Community service has not escaped Wally. He has been active with the Presbyterian Church in America since the early 1970's when he taught Sunday School, served as a Deacon, and was Chairman of the Board of Deacons at Granada Presbyterian Church in Coral Gables. He and Judy are currently members of Old Cutler Presbyterian Church where Wally serves as a greeter and works with the new members' classes.

The U, as in the University of Miami, which is just ten minutes north of their Pinecrest home, is Wally's favorite place. He is a member of Iron Arrow, the highest honor attained at the University of Miami. He has served on the board of general alumni association and the alumni board of the school of education, was Hospitality Chairperson of the Hurricane Club in the 1980's, and is currently the President of the University of Miami's Sports Hall of Fame. He and Judy are members of the Hurricane Club, a major fund raising arm for Hurricane athletics, and are members of baseball's Diamond Darlings and Diamond Studs. "Go Canes" is their rallying cry.

Wally, who had been adopted when he arrived in Brecksville in 1954, later discovered that he had an older sister who is an Ursuline Nun and currently teaches computer technology at Beaumont Senior High Catholic School for girls in the Cleveland area. Sister Adelaid, as she is known, is an avid Ohio State Buckeye fan and Wally remembers the harassment following Miami's loss to Ohio State for the National Championship in 2002. "She is at it again," stated Wally, since Miami has a home and away series with Ohio State starting this season (2010) in Columbus and ending in Miami in 2011. "I guess I will be a target at the reunion," stated Wally.