Yanks and Brits
right: youngest son Richie(arm in cast) and wife Fiona, with Fiona's parents Pauline and Brian flanking them--
in front, Daniel (7) and Lydia (4), in front of Charlie
left: two
girl cousins--
born
5 years and 3000 miles apart, and more alike than most sisters--
Lydia (4) and Miranda (8)
right: the "Brits"--Lydia (4) and Daniel (7)
...and the lineup ('01)
...wearing their names and now 15, 12, 10, 7, 4
JUDI LOPMAN MIRANDA
For those of you who have traveled the world over and might not have
returned to Huntington in many a year, you wouldn't recognize the place.......The
only
stores still in existence that were here when we were tooling through the
streets of the old home town are Marsh's {big time} Margie & Lynns
{florists} and Robert C. Moss {optician}.The big brick building that once
housed the
telephone company, on the corner on Main and Prospect Streets, is now the
Public library and has increased much in size. The rest are all history
now.
Hate to date myself, but when I moved to Huntington there was diagonal parking
in the MIDDLE of Main Street. Does anyone remember that? It takes a bit
of
maneuvering to just get through town now. Our high school has become Town
Hall {it is strange to go there on business-----it's so quiet now}
and
the south playground, a parking lot that you can never find a spot in unless
your driving instructor was Mario Andretti instead of Mr. Mueller.
The
walkway
leading to the Old First Church across the street, is now a memorial to
those who have served in the Armed Forces of our country. So I would
invite anyone
whose family members were in Korea {or WWII, earlier} to walk along there.
Anyone who has a family member that served in Korea should get them listed
on the wall. It is quite moving. My husband, brother, and three brothers
in
law are included in those plaques, so dedicated. Our graduation site {Hecksher
Park} is, as endemic to much of the north east, full of Canada Geese.
One must tread carefully. Huntington Hospital is still there but has
increased
five times its original size. And Huntington Station doesn't have any
stores that were there 45 years ago.
By the time I moved to Huntington as a kid, I had already attended 5
different schools. I heard school mates talk of their parents having
some of the same
teachers in grade school that we had. I thought that was neat. Stability
was
what I desired and stability I got, ten fold, for I haven't strayed afar
from the old sod, only 6 miles over my lifetime.
I now reside in the Elwood
part
of Huntington. I married a Huntington fellow {Charlie Miranda---class
of '52} in '58 and am still with the same guy. We have four children.
My husband,
having owned his own landscape/contracting company, afforded me the luxury
of being a stay at home Mom for 18 years before I reentered the work
force.
When I did return to work, it was at Huntington Hospital { along
with giving
me a good job, I did wish to give back to the community I grew up in}
for 24 years from where I retired last September. I still work per diem....only
six days a month, but it's nice to be able to say "sorry,but no"
to the supervisors when asked to work extra. I worked as a Unit Secretary
on Orthopedics, Pediatrics and Endoscopy units. So for those of you with
bad
backs, knees etc..............I know of a load of good docs. Through working
there I did manage to meet up with a few classmates now and then, but unfortunately
on those occasions it was when someone had the misfortune to have a family
member or they themselves were in need of medical help. Many of the doctors
and my coworkers were astounded when I would tell them that I grew up less
than two miles up the road on Park Avenue, went to school across the street,
worshipped across the street from that, then another school a mile up that
road, only to spend a good part of my life on lower Park Avenue. They didn't
know of anyone more hometown than that. I had to retire after that-----I
was afraid that one day I would get in the car,turn on the ignition, and
my car
would head straight to Connell's and it would be all over. {Hello, Betty
Ann
& John------have some pre-need instructions for your guys}
My children
are all married and we are the grandparents of seven. Aren't grandchildren
a blast-----my sister in law once said that "Grand children were
the reward for not killing your own". It's true. They are the source
of much joy. Three live on LI,---- Chuck, a job coordinator and assistant
to the dean at Farmingdale, father of two. Roy, works for Cablevision,
father of one. Dell-Ann, an accountant, mother of two and fortunate in
this day
and
age, to be a stay at home Mom also. Our youngest, Richie, has been in
the Air Force for 14 years, married to a Brit, father of two, and has
been
overseas all that time. That gives me the excuse to travel to Europe
at least once
a year to get my grandkiddie fix. The interesting part of staying local
was that my children unbeknownst to me became friends with children of
classmates.
All in all life has been
very kind to me. More than that I could not ask for
nor do I need. Now that I have the time, like everyone else I wish
to travel a lot more. I am active in my church, ring in a hand bell choir,
and play
a mean game of Mah Jongg. Looking forward to the reunion and speaking
to friends
via e-mail. ENJOY! My best to all. Judi
Judi Lopman Miranda
An aside to Bob Rippere: we just sold our vacation home in Brookline, Vt. this year. See if you can find it on a map.......Population last year 762. Although there is more than one horse to the town, there isn't any town.......just a row of mail boxes along a rural route......a tax office only open on Mondays 9-12.....and a little round school house no longer in use. When things got crazy on LI, I would jump in the car and head for the north woods to clear the cobwebs out of my head. Never met up with Roger Verme though. JM