Herman Corradetti, Ph.D., 77, beloved husband, devoted father and respected community member, of Schnecksville, died with faith, Dec. 13, 2017, after a long and courageous battle with leukemia.

He and his wife Dolores “Dolly” L. (Hilbert) Corradetti celebrated 44 loving years of marriage.

A member of St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church, Orefield, for more than 30 years, he was a member of the church choir.

Born April 10, 1940, in Cologna Spiaggia (Roseto degli Abruzzi) Italy, he was the son of the late Gaetano and Teresa (Chiappini) Corradetti.

He attended high school at the Collegio alla Querce in Florence, Italy, and after completing his advanced degrees at the University of Rome, he emigrated to the United States in 1964 to pursue the American Dream.

He taught Latin in the Buffalo, N.Y., area for a time before moving to the Lehigh Valley to work as a psychologist for the Lehigh County MH/MR, Bethlehem.

He obtained additional graduate degrees and the proper certifications in counseling, pupil personnel services and secondary school administration from Niagara and Lehigh universities.

He later became a counselor at Emmaus High School for a span of 20 years.

During that time, he co-founded and was a longtime president and president emeritus of the Lehigh Carbon School Counselor Association.

For 17 years, he conducted college planning workshops sponsored by The Morning Call.

After serving for two years as an Emmaus High School assistant principal, he was appointed principal.

He served proudly in this position for many years and made a commitment to attend every academic event, concert, musical production, sporting event, where he was often seen leading student cheers, and all other school and community events.

During a span of 56 months he oversaw the renovation and expansion of the high school with the help of a supportive and very competent administrative staff.

Additionally, he worked hard and succeeded in re-establishing the Lehigh Valley Athletic League after it had dismantled.

His love and charisma touched many throughout his years at Emmaus High School, where he was affectionately called Dr. C by his many students.

Upon retiring from the East Penn School District, he went on to serve part time at Northampton Community College as an academic advisor for 10 years.

He also taught graduate counseling courses for several years at Lehigh University. In 2007 he returned for a short period to serve once again as principal of his beloved high school and was the proud recipient of “The Friends of Education Award,” bestowed upon him by the East Penn Education Association.

He spent a combined total of “only” 47 years in education, even though his aim was 50.

Throughout his life, he was also active in community service.

He was elected and served on the Parkland School Board for 16 years, several times as vice president and president.

He served on the boards of Lehigh County Technical Institute and Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21.

He was an active member of the Board of the Office of Children and Youth Services of Lehigh County and the Children’s Round Table, and served for a time as a co-chair of the Institutional Review Board at Lehigh University.

He also spent many of his younger years coaching youth soccer.

In his spare time he took great enjoyment in reading, listening to classical music, walking, biking, international travel, and most importantly, spending time with his beloved family.

The Corradetti family thanks all their very special friends for their support during some trying times.

A great debt of gratitude is extended to the doctors, nurses and staff at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, N.Y., for their highly skilled and compassionate care.

Very special thanks are extended to members of the leukemia team, who, together with Drs. Michael and Anita Corradetti, looked for the latest research and therapies that helped prolong his life significantly.

In addition to his loving wife, he is survived by his dearest son, Michael N. Corradetti MD, Ph.D., and his cherished wife, Anita Corradetti MD, of Raleigh, N.C.; brother Nicola and his wife, Vanda Garbuglia; nephew Luigi and his wife, Roberta Fantuzzi, and their children, Gaetano and Italo, all from Italy; and very many cousins, both in Italy and the United States.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Dec. 22 at St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church, 1879 Applewood Drive, Orefield.

The Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Wargo will be celebrant. Family and friends may pay their respects 6-8 p.m., Thursday in Heintzelman Funeral Home, Inc., 4906 Route 309, Schnecksville, and 10-11 a.m., Friday in the church.

Interment will be private.

Expressions of sympathy may be recorded at heintzelmancares.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The American Cancer Society (Hope Lodge), c/o the funeral home P.O. Box 196, Schnecksville, PA 18078-0196.