Calling it one of the best jobs she has ever had, Sherry Paisley choked up while meeting recently with members of the board of Newtown Heritage Preservation Trust (HPT). Paisley was within the main room of Newtown Meeting House on July 28, when a pillar plaque was unveiled to honor her and her late husband Tom for three decades of service as manager of the historic building.

Newtown Meeting House was originally constructed in 1720, near the current location of the Main Street flagpole. The building was moved to its current home at 31 Main Street on June 13, 1792, when a group of men raised the building onto logs and, aided by horses, rolled the building 44 yards to the west. At the time the building was home to The Ecclesiastical Society of Newtown, precursor of Newtown Congregational Church. The Colonial meeting house was, like its contemporaries, also a focal point for the community, where residents could meet to discuss local issues and engage in town business.

Newtown Congregational Church moved out of 31 Main Street into its new building on nearby West Street in 1988. It sold the building that year to the Town of Newtown for $1. Heritage Preservation Trust was formed at that time, took over the building, and assumed all costs for operating it.

Newtown Meeting House is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Connecticut Register of Historic Places. Its biggest challenge has long been its maintenance. Sherry and Tom Paisley were hired in 1996 to manage the building, which involved arranging events and overseeing those repairs and maintenance.

Former longtime HPT President and current Treasurer Don Studley said the Paisleys were “paid very little and did their job seamlessly.”

Tom Paisley died in September 2011. Sherry continued her work, passionately protecting the building she was becoming so closely associated with.

“I love the meeting house,” she said July 28. “What happened when you’re in this building frequently, it becomes part of you. You become very protective of it and how it’s used.

“It really was a magnificent 30 years,” she said.

Speaking with a few members of the HPT board on July 28, Paisley cautioned “with a building like this, you never know what’s going to happen.”

After taking a moment to admire the handsome plaque that has been installed on the southeasternmost pillar, Paisley began sharing information on myriad topics, from accessing the steeple and literally keeping bats out of the belfry to who needs to be contacted when it is time to repair the pew cushions or fix the furnace.

HPT Treasurer Don Studley said for thirty years, Paisley “has been the heart and soul of the Newtown Meeting House, serving not just as its building manager but as its ultimate guardian.”

For all the time she has put in and the funds she was paid, Studley said Paisley was probably paid pennies an hour. Nevertheless, both Paisleys did their job seamlessly, he added.

“In an era where true dedication can be rare, Sherry poured three decades of her life into ensuring that this historic landmark thrived. From seamlessly booking and coordinating life’s most milestone moments — including beautiful weddings, solemn funerals, and community concerts — she welcomed countless neighbors through our doors with grace and professionalism.

“She understood profoundly that the Meeting House isn't just a physical structure, but a sacred backdrop for the memories of our community,” Studley also shared.

Soon after HPT took over the building, fundraising efforts began. The Trust offered the public the opportunity to “buy” a pillar or pew through donations. Each purchase was honored with the installation of a bronze plaque on its corresponding building element. Studley told The Newtown Bee five of the six available pillars were purchased during that early 1990s effort.

“We had one unsubscribed pillar and we thought we would add a plaque on it to honor Sherry and Tom's service,” he said August 8.

He later added to his thoughts, saying what truly set Paisley apart was her role was never just a job. Consultations between the board and the building manager were infrequent, he said, because Paisley required very little oversight.

“Her standards were routinely higher than anyone else’s,” he said. Paisley worked with “a fierce independence and an unmatched work ethic,” he added.

“Over the years, she developed a deep, emotional connection to the historic building, treating its preservation with the same meticulous care, pride, and respect that one would reserve for their own home,” Studley said. “She insisted that every corner of the Meeting House be kept in absolutely pristine condition, recognizing that preserving its historic integrity was a gift to both the past and the future.”

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.