Frank Spada was known for deferring personal compliments to his wife, Anna Margaret. Whether it was a professional congratulations or simply an appreciation of the shirt he was wearing, Spada always had the same response: “It’s my wife; I couldn’t do it without her.”
He was just as selfless in his teaching, devoting hours of 
time outside the classroom to give students any necessary extra instruction. It was a trait that made him a favorite faculty adviser for both individual students and clubs. He spent nearly thirty years advising the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Student Club, helping them to prepare for regional and national competitions.
Students always sought him out for honest advice, says Fred Driscoll, dean of the College of Engineering and Technology.
“Sometimes they did not want to hear it, but the students knew he was telling the truth and they needed to follow it if they wanted to earn a Wentworth degree.”
Driscoll frequently hears about the impression Spada made on alumni, noting one alumnus who stopped by soon after Spada’s passing and told him that “wherever he goes, alumni he meets state that they appreciate the education they received here and in particular because they had Professor Spada.”
“Professor Spada was a gifted teacher and a respected educator,” said Professor Ali Khabari, electrical engineering and technology department chair and associate professor. “He was a very sociable person, which made it easy for students to approach him.”
Always dedicated to his work, Spada stayed in the classroom until illness forced his leave in January 2011.
Spada died on March 31, 2011, at age 85. He is survived his wife of 56 years, Anna Margaret (Saia) Spada; five children, Salvatore, Frank, Richard, Paul, and Joanne; and seven grandchildren.
—Julie Barr
