Occupation: After graduating from the University of Illinois, I taught French at Pierce Middle School in Grosse Pointe, Mich. Over the next several years, I was home raising my four sons: Trey, Scott, Ted, and Ryan Kiernan. After the boys were much older, I returned to teaching, doing substitute teaching and homebound tutoring for the Greenwich Public Schools. I worked for a short period of time in the ESL Learning Center at Greenwich High School. For five years, I taught in the bilingual program at Wright Technical School in Stamford. My last teaching opportunity was at the Greenwich Japanese School in Greenwich. I taught English as a Foreign Language as well as American History. Going to work every day was like landing in Tokyo. It was an amazing experience, and I truly enjoyed my time with my students and colleagues. I retired from teaching in 2003.

Family: I have four sons from my first marriage, and I am blessed with ten grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Three of my sons live in Connecticut, and my second oldest son, who was living in Florida, died unexpectedly in January 2018. The cause was undiagnosed cardiovascular disease. Needless to say, this has been an extremely difficult year for our family. My second husband, Julian Brix, is retired and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Southwest Power Pool, which is based in Little Rock, Ark. He has three adult children and four grandchildren, all living in the Midwest.

Pets: Julian and I have no pets, but when I was living in Greenwich, I had two high-spirited Irish Setters. They were brother and sister, Mollie and Murphy.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We moved to Williamsburg, Va., in 2004. We were there for almost seven years before we moved to Newtown in 2010. It was a central location between the towns where my sons and their families were living at the time.

What do you like to do in your free time? I like to attend the sporting events and other activities that my grandchildren are involved in. I also like to cook, read, play Bridge, and knit for charity. I love volunteering at the Booth Library, sorting books that are donated, pricing them, and packing them for storage until they reappear at the summer sale. I’m also on the Communications Committee at Regency at Newtown, where I enjoy writing bios of the residents here.

What is your favorite travel destination? I exchanged houses with a French family in the summer of 1981. I took my four very young sons to a small town outside of Paris, L’tang la Ville. We spent alternating days in the small village and touring Paris. More recently, Julian and I spent time in Italy and three weeks in Japan, where we were entertained by my former students and colleagues.

What is the best part about Newtown? I love the friendliness of the people and the feeling of living in a relatively small New England town.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? My maternal grandmother. She insisted that I get an education beyond high school and always said, “Education is the one thing no one can take away from you.” My grandmother was an avid reader, and I think that influenced my love of reading. Also, despite her lack of formal education, she had a lot of wisdom.

If you could spend the day with one person, who would you choose and why? My maternal grandmother. I would like to know what her life was like as a child and as an adult.

Who is your favorite musical artist? Eric Clapton and Elton John.

Do you have a favorite movie? To Kill a Mockingbird because it has a lot of depth.

What is your favorite quote? “On ne voit bien qu’avec le coeur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.” The quote is from Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry. It’s translation is “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. The important things are invisible to the eyes.”

What is something you cannot live without? My family and friends. They are always there, during good times as well as the difficult times.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Watching my four sons become mature, responsible adults and good parents who carry on our family traditions.