‘A one-in-a-million kind of teacher, that was him’

ROSEVILLE — Paul Tregembo Sr. had a passion for cars, and for 46 years he shared that energy with the students he taught in auto shop class at Roseville High School.

His tenure with Roseville Community Schools began in 1969, and he continued teaching until he retired in 2015. He was a full-time instructor until the last six years, when he went part time, and he still had the same enthusiasm in the classroom from when he started. 

According to an obituary posted at dignitymemorial.com, Tregembo Sr. died Oct. 22. He was 81. He is being remembered for the knowledge he shared with his students and the patience he showed them as they learned about carburetors, engines, chrome, wheel bearings and more.

Roseville Community Schools Assistant Superintendent Peter Hedemark got to know Tregembo Sr. when he took over as principal at RHS in 2002.

“He was a leader in the school. He was an absolute legend. The kids loved him. He showed the kids so much,” Hedemark said. “He was part of teaching for four decades and saw changes in cultures and kids. He was a great role model. He showed the kids how to work with their hands, problem-solving, (how to) work together.

“A one-in-a-million kind of teacher, that was him. He was just fantastic,” Hedemark said. “What he would pull out of the kids was amazing. He had a way of bringing out their abilities and their talent. At the end of the day, they could turn around and see what they built and what they fixed.” 

Tregembo Sr. also was known for mentoring other educators. The seasoned educator was so well-liked that he was named WDIV Channel 4 Teacher of the Year during the 1987-88 school year. The auto shop teacher also made sure students participated in the annual Autorama in Detroit when possible or displayed cars at shows at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores. Many times, the students won trophies for the custom cars they created. 

Many former students posted memories of Tregembo Sr. on different social media pages. Dave Bommarito, a Roseville High School Class of 1971 graduate, said auto shop was his favorite class and Tregembo Sr. was one of his favorite teachers. 

“He was a great teacher. A great guy. He always wore a shop coat,” said Bommarito, a car buff himself. “He gave everyone special attention and would make a point to work with you individually. He made you good and knowledgeable about cars. You never had to be afraid to ask him questions if you didn’t understand something.”

Tregembo Sr. often put the students into small groups of five or six to work on different parts such as the engine, exhaust or interior of the cars. Some students even brought their vehicles to class after school to work on them or have Tregembo Sr. check under the hood. 

“It was pretty cool. I felt pretty comfortable and confident with the cars I bought,”  Bommarito said. “I had some hot rods, and it gave me confidence to work on cars by myself.”

 Car culture has been part of the Tregembo family for four generations. Tregembo Sr.’s dad, Stanley Tregembo, taught auto classes at River Rouge High School beginning in 1943. He passed on his driving passion for cars to Tregembo Sr., whose son, Paul Tregembo Jr., also taught auto shop in the district. Tregembo Sr. and Jr eventually started their own auto school in Roseville called Drive One Detroit. Tregembo Jr.’s sons, Joseph and Brandon, represent the fourth generation in the business. 

Also feeling the loss of Tregembo Sr. is district Superintendent Mark Blaszkowski, who not only knew him as an educator, but as family. Tregembo Sr. was Blaszkowski’s father-in-law. Blaszkowski released a statement to the Eastsider that was also posted on his Facebook page.

“As I think about his legacy, I think about how many people he supported including his family. His passion was cars and that passion permeated everyone he knew. Every student he worked with holds a little piece of him and they have passed that down to their kids and so on,” Blaszkowski said. “It was not about the trophies and yes there are hundreds, it was about sharing the knowledge and helping others. As they say, ‘If you teach a man to fish…….’ 

“He helped so many students and their families with their vehicles so they would have transportation. Many times, he paid for their parts. He also helped students get jobs and build careers, not to mention travel outside their own community,” Blaszkowski continued. “Who says teachers don’t make anything. He shows they make all the difference in this world. May he rest in peace. Let us carry his legacy on by sharing the knowledge and experiences he bestowed upon us.”

In February 2023, filmmaker Keith Famie visited Drive One Detroit for Famie’s PBS documentary, “Detroit: The City of Hot Rods & Muscle Cars.” Famie and his film crew documented the high school students working on several classic cars — including a 1931 Ford Roadster pickup and a 1967 Pontiac LeMans convertible — for that year’s Autorama. 

Drive One Detroit opened in 2017 in a 16,000-square-foot training facility. The accredited auto tech class partnered with local high schools. Students take classes at Drive One Detroit while enrolled in their home schools.