Occupation: In my past life, I was a writing/communications instructor at Western Michigan University and did freelance writing. Then I went on to become director of communications at Davenport University, also in Kalamazoo, Mich. That job came as th
Occupation: In my past life, I was a writing/communications instructor at Western Michigan University and did freelance writing. Then I went on to become director of communications at Davenport University, also in Kalamazoo, Mich. That job came as the result of a freelance advertising campaign I produced, and the television commercial that was part of that campaign earned me a Silver Addy Award. I also taught at Davenport. I left Michigan to come to Connecticut and get married again. Now I am publicity coordinator for the Friends of the Booth Library and was recently asked to sit on their board.
How Long In Newtown: I left my job in Michigan three years ago to marry David Goldin, a Newtown resident and radio historian.
Family: I raised two sons as a single mother and they are now grown. Ethan, my oldest, was a Fulbright Scholar and had a fellowship to Stanford University in California where he earned his PhD in medieval Japanese history. He is now a professor at Michigan State University. He and his wife have one daughter, Naomi, who is 4. My younger son, Michael, is a vice president at SalesPage Technologies, LLC, a computer software company. He and his wife live in Battle Creek, Mich. My husbandâs one daughter, Rachel, is a middle school teacher and lives with her husband in Bridgeport. I grew up in Philadelphia and I have wonderful cousins who live in New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. Iâm happy to be able to see them more often, since I moved back to the East Coast.
Hobbies: I enjoy reading, traveling, sewing, gardening âbefore I moved to âdeer countryââ meeting new people, and going to programs and hearing speakers in the Newtown community.
Pets: We have two female black cocker spaniels, Sparky, and our new puppy, Princess.
Favorite Books: I enjoy fiction ââ especially mysteries and thrillers. But my all time favorite books include To Kill A Mockingbird; Gone With The Wind; Cry, The Beloved Country; and The Joy Luck Club.
Organizations: Iâm a member of the Newtown Newcomers and Neighbors Club, the Friends of the Booth Library board. My favorite book group at the Booth Library is the Mystery Book Club.
Additional Tidbits: I was 25 years between husbands and became a grandmother for the first time before I remarried. The longer I was single, the more convinced I was that Iâd never marry again. Then look what happened!
My husband, David, has had his handlebar mustache for 44 years. He started it the day he entered college.
We have 304 old radios in our home and most of them still work.
I was the first and only person to throw up in a rented plane that my husband was flying, even though he told me ânobody ever throws up in my plane.â
Most Vivid Memory About Newtown: The first time I saw the flagpole lit up in the evening, in June 2001, with the flag blowing in the breeze, was very beautiful, and it made me feel like I was really in New England.
Favorite Vacation Spot: We went to Italy for our honeymoon and I just loved it. Rome was an incredible mixture of the old and new, and Venice was lovely and romantic. I especially enjoyed listening to the orchestra play in San Marco Square at night and eating the delicious gelato.
Personal Philosophy: Life is full of surprises. The way you handle them makes all the difference. It helps to be flexible and be able to adapt to change, as well as to have a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at oneself. I consider myself a very lucky person, and I am extremely grateful. Treating others the way you would like to be treated is still valid. Pick your battles. Donât sweat the small stuff, but donât overlook the details either.
Snapshot: Joyce Goldin