Judge William Lavery Named Grand Marshal

Of 2007 Newtown Labor Day Parade

By Nancy K. Crevier

“Surprised,” is how Judge William Lavery, Chief Court Administrator, describes his reaction to being selected grand marshal of the 2007 Newtown Labor Day Parade, and honored, as well, to add this tribute to an already long list of recognitions over his 40-year career.

That career began with his graduation from Fordham Law School in 1964 and admission into the Connecticut Bar that same year. He has served on many health and environmental boards across the state and was state representative from 1967 to 1971. He served as counsel to the Majority Party, House of Representatives, from 1971 to 1973, and from 1976 to 1981 Judge Lavery was the town and borough attorney of Newtown.

He has been vice president and president of the Connecticut Judges Association, former co-chair of the Legal Internship Committee, and a member of the Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee. From 1981 until 1989, Judge Lavery was judge of Superior Court, and Judge of Appellate Court in 1989. He served on the Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules from 2002 until 2006 and from 2000 to 2006 served as Chief Appellate Judge, before being named Chief Court Administrator in February of 2006.

Along with his interest in the Newtown Scholarship Committee, Judge Lavery’s commitment to the town, in which he and wife Joan have lived since 1972, has been apparent in his dedication to C.H. Booth Library. Judge Lavery has been elected to the C.H. Booth Library board of trustees for 14 of the years between 1991 and 2007. Most recently he has served as president of the board for the past two years. 

Therefore, with this year’s parade theme of  “Cyrenius H. Booth Library — Keeping Us Reading For 75 Years,” it is fitting, says Labor Day Parade Committee chairperson Kym Stendahl, to name Judge Lavery as this year’s grand marshal.

 “I think I’m symbolic, as I represent the library,” says Judge Lavery. He is proud of the many facets of the library that benefit residents of Newtown. “Our library is a community center,” he says. “We satisfy a diversity of needs. The library provides social activities for adults, a multitude of children programs, and we are developing the young adult program. Our research department is an opportunity for people to interact who are seeking job opportunities, and most of all, the library provides books to the community.”

The town has access to a good book collection, says Judge Lavery, in good part to the generosity of Friends of The C.H. Booth Library.

“They are a separate, independent, non-profit group of volunteers who work hard on the book sale and other sales to support our book collection,” he says. Last year, according to Judge Lavery, the Friends donated over $100,000 to the library, specifically for library collections and special items.

He notes that the town is fortunate to have the talent of library director Janet Woycik, who he believes, steers the library in the right direction. “[The library] is completing our five to ten-year long-range plan this spring, which I think is quite appropriate for the 75th anniversary of the library,” he says.

Having supported the C.H. Booth Library for so many years and having attended almost every Labor Day Parade for over 30 years, this former Main Street resident, who now lives at Liberty at Newtown on Mt Pleasant Road, is pleased to take his place this year as one of the many highly regarded town residents who have served as grand marshals for the Newtown Labor Day Parade.

“We have had a lot of good parades,” recalls Judge Lavery, “but the year we had the big flag marched down Main Street was one of the best.”

He looks forward to yet another superior parade and to a fun day as grand marshal on September 3. And if the sun should shine, he says, so much the better.