10/10/2026
This week, members of the Upper Cape Tech faculty gathered in our Memorial Garden to remember and honor two beloved members of the UCT community, Bob Celeste and Chris McDonald.
In 2004, a committee was formed to create a lasting way to honor UCT students and staff who passed away while part of the school community. From that vision, the Rose Merritt Memorial Garden was created as a place of remembrance and reflection. This week it became a place for colleagues to come together, reflect, and celebrate the lives of two people who meant so much to our school in recent years.
Bob Celeste joined the UCT family as an Instructional Aide and Job Coach in 2010 after retiring from a career in Engineering that spanned over four decades. He spent the next sixteen years assisting students in several of our technical programs including Marine Technology, Electronics, Engineering, and HVAC. There was no problem that Bob could not solve and no thing that he could not build. He was greatly respected by his students, tremendously admired by his colleagues and is deeply missed.
Chris McDonald was an integral part of the UCT family who made a significant impact on the lives of countless Marine Technology students over his decade long career in teaching. From sharing his expertise on Yamaha marine engines to starting a Fishing Club for students, Chris fueled everyone’s excitement for all things related to the ocean. Our dear friend and colleague is missed greatly and remembered fondly.
Bob and Chris each gave so much of themselves to our students and to this school and the impact they had on the people around them continues to be felt throughout the UCT community.
We are grateful for the years we had with them, for the lessons they shared, and for the memories they leave behind.
