Heidi Steinberg D’Acosta, age 68, passed away on May 26, 2023 in Bridgeport, Connecticut at St. Vincent’s Hospital from Covid and a compromised immune system.
Heidi Steinberg D’Acosta. Legacy.com
Heidi was born in Bronx, NY to Bernie and Ethel (Regan) Steinberg, grew to adulthood alongside four life-long friends who also became teachers: childhood with Janet Donnelly in Riverdale, The High School for Performing Arts in Manhattan with Donna Rowe Moss graduating in 1971, Lehman College with Liz Fishman where she earned a B. A. in English in 1975, and with Ted Taylor at SUNY Stony Brook where she earned a M. A. in English in 1976.
Additional course work during her subsequent career included The Connecticut Writing Project in 1985 and numerous courses at Fairfield, Sacred Heart, and Southern Connecticut State universities.
Hired shortly after earning her M. A. by New Canaan Public Schools, she taught English and directed annual theater productions at Saxe Middle School before transferring to the high school where she served as Chair of the English Department upon her friend and mentor Mary Smith’s retirement in 2007.
Heidi then served as Chair until retiring in 2016. In retirement she taught one introductory writing class at Norwalk Community College each semester.
The National Conference for Community and Justice honored Heidi with a 2003 Social Justice Hero Award “for her tireless dedication to nurturing young people’s understanding of diversity, equality, and difference.” She co-taught Border Crossing, an inter-district high school course.
Heidi reveled in her role as mother and recently experienced radiant joy at Passover with our family gathered around her and grandson Logan in her arms. She showered affection and care on our dogs: Nola (our Belgian Malinois), Lucy, and Veggie, knit, and read daily.
Heidi and Jim met at Saxe when introduced by his former English teacher and her colleague, Jane Tease in 1986 when he was working as a substitute teacher at the dawn of his career.
Treasured vacations with Jim included jaunts to Narragansett and major trips to Switzerland where they visited the imagined setting of her namesake’s adventures, to Portugal, and Hawaii.
Devoted wife of James Wade D’Acosta, history and social studies teacher at Fairfield Warde High School. Loving mother of Daniel Emilio and Alex James D’Acosta (Katie Halleck-Hendrickson), – members of the Fairfield High School class of 2001, and adoring grandmother of Logan.
Cherished cousin of the Regan clan in New York and daughter-in-law of James Louis and Levora Manning D’Acosta of New Canaan.
Beloved sister of Zelda Parnes (Rabbi Stephan Parnes); loving aunt of Laura Pierce (Judson), Neil Bernstein (Dahna Jones), and Michael Bernstein, MD (Alyssa); and caring great-aunt of Benjamin and Harper, Emma and Lucy, and Elan and Golda.
Contracting Covid a few days before Passover, her condition gradually worsened until a sudden downturn required immediate admission to St. Vincent’s through the emergency room on May 3.
Reflecting upon her worsening condition and pending transfer to intensive care on May 16, Heidi stated “I’ve had a magnificent life. My only regret is that I didn’t have more of it.”
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 31 at 2:00 p.m. at Or Hadash (formerly Beth El), 1200 Fairfield Woods Road, Fairfield, Connecticut. Interment following at Or Hadash Cemetery on Reid St. in Fairfield. The family will receive visitors at home, 199 Warwick Ave., Fairfield on Wednesday following interment until 6:00 p.m., Shiva Minyan at 7:00 p.m. and visitors following until 8:30 p.m.
Thursday visitors 4 to 6 p.m., with Shiva Minyan at 7:00 p.m. and visitors until 8:30 p.m. Friday visitors 3 to 6 p.m.
To join a livestream of the service Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and to share a condolence message, visit www.greensfuneralhome.com.
Memorial contributions may be made to ABMR (American Belgian Malinois Rescue, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to helping Malinois in need). Follow directions on their web site, then write an email to Jessica Browner at jabrowner@mindspring.com with your name and street mailing address for USPS. Jessica is compiling the record of donations for Heidi’s family.
Gift cards to Shop Rite, Stew Leonard’s, and BJs will help Jim with general food and home maintenance; Grub Hub for the boys.
[This obituary appeared on legacy.com.]
Prayers go out to the entire D’Acosta family. Heidi was a beloved and impactful English teacher. She will be greatly missed.