Occupation: I retired from Boehringer-Ingelheim sales and marketing in 2006. Before that, I was with Duracell in sales and marketing. I was in private banking for a while, too.
Occupation: I retired from Boehringer-Ingelheim sales and marketing in 2006. Before that, I was with Duracell in sales and marketing. I was in private banking for a while, too.
Family: My husband, Stan, and I have been married for 48 years. We have a son, Steven, who lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, Denise, and their three children, Michael, 12, Kathryn, 10, and Gabrielle, 7. Our daughter Sharron Lang lives in Brookfield and is married to Garry.
Pets: Grizzly is our pound dog, part Australian shepherd. She is the most mellow and gorgeous dog. She is about 14 years old, and we have had her for three years.
How long have you lived in Newtown? Iâve been in town since 1967. We lived in Sandy Hook for many years, and then moved across town in 1985.
What do you like to do in your free time? I volunteer with the C.H. Booth Library, where I manage The Little Book Store. I have other volunteers who help me go through the donated and sorted books, and then decide what will work here, and then we price and shelve the books. They are sold at very reasonable prices and all of the money goes to the library for books, materials, and programs. I am also a member of the Friends of Counted Embroidery. I do a lot of crafts, like beadwork and stained glass, too. I am a voracious reader, and we love to travel.
Do you have a favorite book? I have too many favorite books and authors to name just one. I prefer mystery/thrillers, suspense, fantasy, and sci-fi. Iâm just finishing a Tami Hoag book and I love the Preston-Child books. Lee Child is another great author.
Do you have a favorite travel destination? We like to do the ecological expeditions through Natural Habitat Adventures, a tour group that works with World Wildlife. They are small groups and we have been all over. Weâve been to the Galapagos Islands. The lizards just walk over you there. Weâve been to Tanzania and South Africa, on safaris, and the Arctic last year, to Svalbard, Norway. They only do one tour a year there, because it is usually ice locked. Probably my favorite trip has been to Antarctica, which was phenomenal. We were on a Russian icebreaker, and there were only 46 of us on this trip. The scenery is incredible. Iâve been to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, and the northernmost city, Svalbard. Thatâs the kind of trip we like to do, and we usually try to go at least once a year.
What is the best thing about Newtown? We have great friends here, and Newtown is sort of centrally located between our extended families in Maine and Pennsylvania. I just feel comfortable here.
Do you have a hero? To me, a hero is a person who does what has to be done, a person who lives his or her life in a good manner. A hero is just the ordinary person who tries to make a difference and tries to help out. Itâs the one who is there for others. A perfect example is my father. He married my mother when I was about 7 years old and my brother was 12. He took on two kids with no second thoughts, and raised us as his own. He was phenomenal.
Do you have a personal philosophy? Try to not do any harm. Help when you can.
Do you have a guilty pleasure? Travel is a guilty pleasure, but I am also a bookaholic. I usually read four to five books a week. I have books stacked up that I want to read. It makes me comfortable, because I know I wonât run out!