Milton McPike, a giant in the Madison educational community, died Saturday night at HospiceCare Center in Fitchburg, surrounded by his family. He was 68. At 6-foot-4, the former San Francisco 49er cut an imposing figure at East High School, where he served as principal for 23 years.
Even after he retired from East in 2002, McPike continued to contribute to the community by being a member of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents….
UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley said that McPike’s values of hard work, education and family made Madison a richer place.
“We will miss his commitment to young people, his open-hearted service and the way he inspired generations of students to achieve and succeed,” Wiley said in a statement. “He was a guiding force for students, teaching them to embrace diversity, overcome bias and build their lives through learning.”