Date: Fri 22-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

snapshot-Dolores-Lussier

Full Text:

SNAPSHOT: DOLORES LUSSIER

Occupation: Church secretary for the Newtown Congregational Church. They get a

charge out of it because I belong to St Rose Church. I say, "Sure, I wear many

hats."

How long in Newtown: I moved to Connecticut in 1969 - we lived in Bethel. Then

we moved to Sandy Hook in 1971.

Biggest change in town: It's certainly growing, but the changes I feel will

benefit the town. We used to have nice little shops in the plaza where the A&P

used to be - men's store for mid-income. I find we have to go away from town

to do so much shopping. I wish small businesses would come to town and feel

secure - a shoe store, a men's store. That's what I miss. But I'm glad it's

growing. There's the mindset that too many people are coming in and that takes

away from the quaintness of the town. That's silly. The people make the town.

I don't want big manufacturing plants with smoke stacks sticking up in the

air. But a little [development] is good.

Family: I have a husband, Bob, and we've been married for 32 years; and three

sons that are all grown Bob, 31, Keith, 30, who just became a father in

August, and Kevin, 26.

Pets: We used to be a menagery at one time. All we have is one cat now - Puff.

And she thinks she owns the place. If my husband had his way, he'd be a

farmer. We love the outdoors.

Hobbies: My husband was a jazz musician [with a group] and I'd sing a little

bit with them. Father Jude had a theatrical group [at St Rose]. Bob played the

piano and I would sing. The Cabarets were all benefits. I was the Abbess in

Sound of Music and Bloody Mary in South Pacific. Music has always been a

focus. When I was in high school, I always wanted to pursue an opera career,

but my parents didn't think it was a respectable thing for a young lady to do.

That was a time when you listened to your parents. And I work at the

Cornerstone Thrift Shop. I like to embroider. I love to read, and I like to

walk. I'm going to be a music consultant to enhance the wedding ceremony - not

the reception. I'm going to get cards made up for "At Your Service." It's a

fun thing to do. They come to the house and we work out the music. I'm very

eclectic in my music. I'm a soloist, but they don't have to use me. I collect

some angels, elephants, pitchers, and santa clauses, but I don't like to

overdo anything. I love gardening. I enjoy flowers and getting out there and

working with nature - it's very therapeutic.

Favorite type of music: I like a lot of things from musicals. I love Barbra

Streisand - she's one of my favorites.

Organizations: Connecticut Choral Society - we're 120 voices, and I've been

with them about 3« years. We're having a Christmas concert at St Rose on

Friday, December 13 at 8 pm and Sunday, December 15 at 3 pm. We have an

orchestra that accompanies us. The chorus [performance] is so popular we have

to turn people away.

What type of books do you read: I love science fiction. Mystery and suspense,

too. The Body Farm, that was really neat. I've been insatiable about reading

lately.

Personal philosophy: I think if each person picked one thing to do - smile at

someone, stop and speak to someone - one positive thing for another, it would

help to heal and diffuse some of this anger. Negativity and anger are like a

cancer and if you try to counteract that with kindness, it works. It's so

minute, but you'd be surprised at how much that spreads. There's no instant

gratification here; what happens, doesn't happen over night. But that's the

only way I see we can get out of this anger business. We have much more power

than we realize. It's an everyday way of life. And that hasn't always been my

philosophy - I used to be a hot head. I really in my heart believe that we, as

individuals, can diffuse this... We have spirit there that guides us; if we

ask for good things, good things will come to us.