Bucky and Caroljane both retired from teaching around the same time. They had purchased a place in Lake Worth, FL before retiring and spent some time there. They sold their home at 181 Ferndale Road in Edgemont and briefly lived in White Plains, NY while also spending more time in Florida. Eventually they moved to Florida and settled in Lake Worth. Bucky had a hard time adjusting to being there as he loved Edgemont, the community feeling that he'd developed teaching at Scarsdale High School and the beauty of Westchester County, NY with the 4 distinct seasons which he was reluctant to leave.

He did come to accept being in Florida and was able to find work as a youth and family counselor which he did for several years. He continued to jog and this remained part of his life until the last 8 or 9 years when he developed Parkinson's disease. He and Caroljane moved to Boynton Beach, FL and he remained there until it became to difficult for Caroljane to care for him. He began losing his balance and falling alot. His speech started to be affected and he began stuttering. He also showed signs of the early stages of Alzheimers as he got close to 80 years old. He lived out the remaining years of his life in an Alzheimer's unit in Sunrise, FL. While it was challenging to see him deteriorate physically in his remaining years and became progressively more difficult for him to communicate, he did show signs of recognizing those close to him who would visit up until the last few months of his life.

Bucky began teaching at Scarsdale High School in the 50's. He would remain there for over 30 years and was best known for being a teacher of physical education, health and psychology as well as a football coach for the first 15 years. He developed very close relationships with his students and was loved by many of them. He especially appreciated his students in the 60's and had the 1966 yearbook, Bandersnatch dedicated to him (see the photo or stories section to read the dedication). His career at Scarsdale High School was the highlight of his life. He loved being a part of the community and made lasting friendships with several of his fellow teachers as well as students. He enjoyed spending time in Scarsdale Village where he'd see socialize with friends. Former students who's lives he impacted stayed in touch with him right up until he was no longer able to communicate with them.

In 1965 while demonstrating a power lift to his student athletes he ended up with a slipped disc. He was in the hospital and laid out flat on his back for 6 months. While he recovered and was able to walk again he would be in pain for the rest of his life. He wasn't the kind of guy who liked sitting around and began jogging before it became a popular exercise. He would continue doing this everyday as a way to relieve stress and stay in shape until he was unable to later on in life. 

While he was teaching at Scarsdale High School, he also went back to school at NYU and got his masters degree. He would use this later on in the 70's to teach psychology at Westchester Community College.

Both, his sons, Dean and Jonathan Scott went to school at Edgemont High School and Bucky enjoyed watching both of them participate in sports. He could often be seen jogging around the Edgemont High School track or watching a football game on the top of the hill. He also spent a lot of time at his close friend, Artie Scolari's. While teaching and raising his kids, he visited with his sister, Joyce and her husband, Mel often driving to their home in Fairlawn, New Jersey. He also spent time with his father, Morris who lived in New Jersey. Bucky lost his father, sister and best friend, Artie who was like a brother to him within one year in 1975-76. I am not sure if he was ever the same after this as it must have affected him very much.

 

In his 20's, Bucky got a job as a summer camp counselor at Camp Seneca in Pawling, NY where he met his future wife, Caroljane Gitnick Stemer from the Bronx, NY who was also a camp counselor. The two of them got married on December 20, 1952 and lived in Rockland County, NY where there first son, Dean Matthew Stemer was born. They eventually settled in Edgemont near Scarsdale, NY in Westchester County where they bought their home at 181 Ferndale Road. Their second son, Jonathan Scott Stemer was born 4 years after Dean and Edgemont became the community where they would raise their family. Bucky became a high school teacher at Scarsdale High School while Caroljane taught elementary school in Hartsdale, NY. 

After graduating from Eastside High School, Bucky got a scholarship to play football at the University of Georgia. While I'm not sure of the exact timeline, he served his time in the United States Navy and did go to the University of Georgia in Athens, GA for a short time. He didn't adjust very well to the south being so far from home so he left there.

He ended up moving back to New Jersey and attending Trenton State Teacher's College. He was awarded letters in track and football while obtaining his degree.
Recently, I found an online copy of a yearbook, The Valley Green http://www.littlefallslibrary.org/1941-1984/1951.pdf from 1951 that had his picture in it. This must have been the first school, Passaic Valley Regional H.S. in Little Falls, NJ where he taught after college.

LeRoy Robert " Bucky" Stemer was born on February 14, 1926 in New Jersey and grew up in Patterson, NJ as a little boy during the Great Depression. He was the son of Morris Stemer and Ann Goodman Stemer. As he described it he was mostly raised by his maternal grandparents who were from Hungary. He had a sister, Joyce who he adored and loved very much. She was the one who was credited with giving him the nickname, " Bucky " of which he was best known by family and friends throughout his life. Apparently, when they were very young Joyce tried to call him Bobby or something close to this representing his middle name and it sounded like " Bucky " which stuck for good.

He was given a lot of attention for his athletic ability in high school and ended up receiving all kinds of praise/awards for his speed in football and track. His name was in the paper often for his accomplishments at Eastside High School. He won the award for being New Jersey State champion in the 100 yard dash. He became friends with his high school buddy Art Scolari which would grow into a lifelong best friendship. Later on in their lives they both chose to raise families in Edgemont near Scarsdale, NY. He also maintained a lifelong friendship with Charles Boyle and Teddy Shapiro who he grew up with in Patterson.