Written by Hope Baker
This article was originally published in the May 2025 Issue of Coronado Magazine. To read this article and more from Coronado Magazine, click the button below.
Ask recent Coronado High School grads about their favorite teachers, and one name is sure to pop up over and over again—Mr. Bill Lemei.
Often wielding a staff, sometimes donning a hat and cape, Mr. Lemei was no ordinary educator. He was unique, energetic, and creative, but most of all, he was beloved by students, teachers, and parents alike.
Born to Ernst and Nancy Lemei in Bremerton, WA, Bill, his sister, Susan, and their military family lived in many places before calling Coronado home. With a gleam in his eye and a soft smile, Bill recalls his idyllic middle and high school years on the island. “My friends and I would spend happy days running around barefoot and nights in sleeping bags on the beach,” he said. “We’d hang out at Marco’s, The Mexican Village, and Oscar’s Drive-In, and even made the occasional trip down to the Long Bar in Tijuana. Those were the days when there wasn’t a single stoplight in town, and the ferry was our connection to the mainland.”
There was plenty of fun to be had, but Bill was also an exceptional student, graduating as Salutatorian of the CHS Class of 1965. After that, he became what he called “quilt-educated,” studying at Harvey Mudd, UCSD, SDSU, State University of New York, Mesa College, and Chapman.
Beyond his love of learning, Bill found another great love—his wife, Carol. Though both graduated from CHS, they laughingly recall exchanging fewer than 100 words in high school. Years later, in Palo Alto, a mutual friend reintroduced them, and their love story began. After time up north, they returned to Coronado in 1979.
Bill and Carol started their next chapter as business owners, running several flower shops and a successful printing business before Bill began teaching. They had two children, Galen and Kaitlin, and in August 2000, Bill started at CHS, where he taught until 2024.
Over the years, Bill says he taught “many flavors of math and physics,” and being in his class soon became legendary. Affectionately nicknamed “Gandalf” by his students, Mr. Lemei used his creativity and humor to captivate them. He produced exciting audio/visual presentations, wove current events into lessons, and wasn’t afraid to have a little fun—turning off the lights, using flash paper for the illusion of throwing fire, and fully embracing his role as “The Wizard.”
His “secret sauce” was a mix of preparation and good intentions, ensuring no student’s time was wasted and that math and physics felt relevant. Mr. Lemei took the responsibility of teaching to heart, often working 60-70 hours a week, and it showed. But his greatest lessons weren’t from a textbook.
Carol recalls, “Bill taught kids how to meet struggle, disappointment, and failure head-on. He helped shape resilient students who weren’t afraid to fail in class or in life. That was one of his gifts.”
Bill’s impact stretched far beyond the classroom. He was a devoted soccer coach for his kids’ soccer teams and, in 2010, served as faculty advisor for the first CHS robotics team. He always went the extra mile, and the success of his students proved it—many went on to earn master’s and doctorate degrees in science, engineering, and beyond. Bill’s influence extended to his fellow teachers as well. One of his signature t-shirts read “Kindness Matters,” and during the school’s beloved ‘Twin Day,’ many staff members surprised him by wearing their own “Kindness Matters” shirts in his honor.
Despite his humility, Mr. Lemei’s accolades speak for themselves. He was named CHS Teacher of the Year and later honored as the District’s Teacher of the Year. In 2024, he was chosen as the keynote speaker for the CHS graduation ceremony. But perhaps the honor closest to his heart was earning the “Kipperman Award” multiple times—an award voted on by the senior class to recognize the year’s most inspirational staff member.
If you ask Mr. Lemei about his biggest accomplishments, he won’t mention awards. He’ll tell you about his family and how he strived to live a life of kindness and compassion. In that, he has surely succeeded.
Now retired, Bill enjoys life with Carol, their children, and grandchildren, but says he’ll never forget the memories he made at CHS. “I loved teaching from the first day until the last, and every day in between.”
And, he still loves calling Coronado home, saying he feels “unimaginably fortunate to be here.”
As a grateful mother of one of his former students, I’d say we are the lucky ones. Thank you, Mr. Lemei.
True to its mission to serve as Coronado’s primary center for community history, the Coronado Historical Association (CHA) conducts educational and research programs about Coronado’s history and people.
More photos of Bill Lemei:
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