Suffern Retired Teachers' Chapter

Retirees...A Bridge From the Past to the Present

Connections

Barbara Albanese

Since I’ve retired, my husband, Joe Albanese (who also retired from Suffern), and I have been enjoying cruises and land tours each year. Our latest was with our three children and seven grandkids to Hawaii last July. Our next one is this summer to my home country, Poland, where I was born, and then to Sicily and Rome (again with my three adult kids and seven grandchildren).  

I now live in a fifty-five and over community in Middletown NY, where I’ve enjoyed many activities that it provides like dancing, water aerobics, pool volleyball, and bridge. 

I am very thankful for the Suffern School District for the support they’ve given me in my teaching career and the dedication of the teachers I taught with in both Connor and Cherry Lane schools.

Marianne Cucolo

I am presently living in Colts Neck, NJ.  My family has grown from 3 sons, with the addition of 2 daughters-in- law and 4 grandchildren.  My oldest son, Steven, has 3 sons and works as a post-production editor at Fox News.  Matt, my middle son, is a lawyer and has one daughter.  My youngest son, Evan, is a computer programmer working for Home Depot.

After moving to Colts Neck, I became a full-time grandmother; I was the Girl Scout Leader for many years. It was great fun.  I really enjoyed those days.

Now I have become an environmentalist in my free time, fighting against the pollution of our waters in the area due to the dangers of PFAS forever chemicals.  I even write a newsletter for over a thousand residents weekly, and I was interviewed by two local newspapers recently who are monitoring our fight.

In my spare time, you can find me out in the garden or just enjoying my new New Jersey friends.

Anne Hoben

After retiring in June, 2003, I joined St. Thomas Aquinas College as a Supervisor of Student Teachers from 2003 until 2013, which I enjoyed very much.  My daughter, Sara is a dedicated school social worker at Pine Bush.  My two talented granddaughters are in college.  Kyra is a senior at Albany and Shae is a freshman at Suffolk.

Linda Ludwig

My husband Bob & I still live in the Suffern School District. We will be married 50 years in August. Since retiring, I have volunteered in the office of the Church of the Presentation and was a member of the Women's Build Program helping rebuild homes at the Jersey shore damaged by hurricanes. I have also been a member of the Women's Club of Suffern for several years.

We spent several winters in Seminole, Florida, where my parents lived.  We also go to Ogunquit, Maine every summer with our family. We have travelled to California and several Southern states. We took a long bus trip which included Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park and parts of Canada including Halifax, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. We had already been to Montreal, Quebec, and Ottawa.

We are fortunate that our son Michael, his wife Stephanie, and their 3 children Jack (8), Mikayla (6), and Ava (1) live in Suffern. We are able to go to many of their activities.  Michael and Stephanie are both Math teachers at Clarkstown South HS.  Jack and Mikayla attend Connor School.  

Our other son, Robert, and his wife Kanya and their 3 children Aidan (16), Brendan (14), and Anyka (10) live in Millis, MA. Robert is an internal medicine physician with Brigham & Women's in Foxboro, MA.  His wife is a nurse at Providence Hospital. We try to visit them often.

I feel very fortunate to have taught at Suffern HS & still see many of my students and their families.

Lola Magliano

Greetings to all my fellow retirees, especially the “Class of 2003”!  I hope you are all doing well and have been enjoying these past 20 years!  It seems impossible that 20 years have passed since retiring from Ramapo/ Suffern schools.  Some things haven’t changed though.       

 I’m still teaching music and directing musicals with youth at my church here in Beaufort, South Carolina.  Our most recent performance was a musical rendition of the book, “A Tale of Three Trees”, a beautiful Easter story.  And our Christmas musical had NO elves or reindeer!  The church also sponsors an after-school tutoring program for Pre-K to 4th grade, where I teach music one day a week.  It’s a perfect situation--I get the hugs from the kids without the hassles from parents and administrators!  I enjoy playing handbells with the adult handbell choir as well.  All this keeps me busy and allows me to remain active with music.

I’ve done some traveling; to the UK and Italy, and I’m leaving soon for another visit to Scotland--my favorite destination!

My family continues to grow with 4 great-grandchildren and #5 expected in June.  They are a delight and bring so much joy to this old lady!  
            As I reflect on the past 20 years and the 30+ years before, I am so grateful for the wonderful friends and colleagues I had in Suffern and for the work and achievements of the Ramapo (now Suffern) Teachers Association which made a comfortable retirement possible.  I/we were very fortunate to have landed in Suffern all those years ago!
            My very best wishes to all for good health and happy years to come!
Lola Magliano, Vocal Music at Viola School 1970-2003

Alberta Mehr

Hi Friends and Colleagues from Ramapo Central (now Suffern Central),
     Since I am unable to join you for this wonderful luncheon, here is an update on my years since my 2003 retirement.

     After leaving Suffern in 2004, for about 13 years, Al and I enjoyed living in a hi-rise condo in Wilmington DE, where we did volunteer work which turned into part-time employment. We pursued easy travel from the Philly airport and were happily situated half-way between NY (where Al was still volunteering at the Bronx Zoo) and our son, Jeffrey, who worked in MD.  Wilmington is a great little city with wonderful activities and tourist attractions: Longwood Gardens, Winterthur, etc. Al worked at the Wilmington Visitors’ Center and Alberta worked at a nonprofit agency, Child Inc.
     In 2016, we moved to a CCRC in Silver Spring MD to be closer to Jeffrey and to enjoy the DC sights. Yes, at our age (Al = 83, Alb= 80)), we have had our share of medical issues, but thanks to our excellent health insurance and medical assistance, life has been rewarding and we remain active. We did a great deal of travel before COVID so now we stay closer to home in the USA. Our community offers trips to DC museums, theater shows, activities where we go by bus with our friends. Al volunteers walking dogs to help residents who need help. Alberta is secretary of the Computer Club and co-chairs a service group called Neighbors In Deed with over 150 residents who sign up to offer free services to 2500 residents needing aid.
     Jeffrey is now an assistant principal and busy working toward his EdD. His wife is a school guidance counselor. We live about 15 minutes away from them and see them often where we enjoy entertaining Callum who is now 17 months old at such a fun age! Yesterday, we introduced him to playing with bubbles!

Here are some photos: Al and Alberta visiting Longwood Gardens; Jeff with his wife Cara and son, Callum; Al and Alberta reading to Callum; Alberta celebrating her 80th birthday with flowers! Thanks to Ramapo friends who contributed to her birthday tribute video organized by Cara and Jeff.

Remembering with great fondness our years in NY and wishing you all the best in the coming years!  

With appreciation to the Suffern Retired Teachers’ Chapter,  
Alberta Mehr Ramapo Employee from 1964- 2003.

Barbara Murdock

I have been baking for troops and sending cookies overseas.  Also helping “Towns for Troops” with parties for Marines, Air Force and Army stationed at Stewart Air Base.  I am the Treasurer and Board Member of our Condo Board in Suffern. 

Virginia Paretti

Hard to believe that 20 years can pass so quickly!  I gave passing thought to looking for another job!  Instead, Joe and I traveled far and wide through Europe and the USA as well as multiple sea cruises!

We had 2 weddings and 4 grandchildren!  Many of you taught Amy and David.  Amy and her husband have 2 boys and live in Natick, MA.  David and his wife have 2 girls and live in Greenwich, CT.

In recent years Joe was diagnosed with Parkinsonism (due to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam).  He also just had a hip replacement.  I had a knee replacement 1 ½ years ago and feel like a new woman!

The adventure continues this summer!  We are selling our Suffern home of 37 years and moving to a new senior community on the campus of Purchase College in Westchester.

Life is good and we are looking forward to all that life still has to offer!

Maria Rossi

Can you believe it has been 20 years since retirement?  What a whirlwind time it has been! Since retiring, I have reinvented myself many a time.

My husband, Richard, and I have traveled to places in the US and visited the National Parks.  The US certainly has grand places to see. We used to travel overseas but as times changed, we stayed closer to home.  On the way we met people who shared our love of travel. 

I joined the Retired Teachers Center, attended meetings, and went on day trips with a terrific group of teachers from NYC and local districts.  The opportunity came to work at the Teachers Center shortly after that.  I used my skills there to help the center and active teachers, attending a grant writing class, manning the phones, organizing activities.  Once again, I worked with other retired teachers from districts in the county.

On a totally different note, I became trained to do bereavement counseling. I had attended sessions when I lost someone near and dear to me.  What an opportunity to help others who needed help!  Once again, teacher skills came into play, guiding, organizing, giving hope to those who lost someone dear to them.  I also worked at a local funeral parlor, opening, greeting, closing the place down after wakes and forwarding questions to the owner.  I was so grateful for these experiences.

One of the zaniest jobs I loved was managing a local chimney sweep company. Each day was an adventure, setting up schedules, sending out the sweeps, reconciling at the end of the day.   What started out as a part time job, almost became a full-time job.  It was so busy that I asked the owner to hire another Ramapo Central retiree.  We set our schedules so we could have time off and still go to work! Do you know that many calls we got were how to start a fire in the fireplace?  We talked to clients over the phone about how to start a fire.

One of the most difficult jobs to do was being caretaker for parents.  No one trains you for that. Dealing with dementia, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, doctors, wakes and funerals and all the ancillary items that go with that, can be daunting.  However, again, organizational skills came into play.  We teachers certainly have focus!  It is in our blood.

For a while I joined RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) through Rockland Community College and volunteered my services where it was needed be it at the college, the Office of the Aging, or other places that put in calls for help.  It is through this volunteering that I made contacts and networked so that if anyone else needed help, I could help direct them to the proper place.

I was a founding member of our local retiree chapter, was part of the executive committee and became editor of the newsletter for 10 years.  I have attended each luncheon to cheer on those who have retired and meet colleagues. (I always hope that former retirees come so we can catch up.  If you have not come to the luncheons, please do!)  At the same time, I joined NYSUT Retiree Council 14 which comprises teachers from Rockland and Orange Counties.  This is the umbrella organization above our local retiree chapter.  I am part of the executive committee and a NYSUT/AFT Retiree Delegate, attend meetings, conferences, make contacts and have a lot of fun.  Once again, I have met teachers from both counties and heard their stories.  We here at Suffern are certainly a lucky group! 

My husband and I joined a town senior group and now I am VP of that club.  I help and disseminate information as needed.  Members are most grateful for that.

Richard and I also do day trips here and there with another group when we can.  We have seen many plays, eaten at places we would never have thought to go to, visit places that are gems right here in NY!

Did I ever retire?  Yes!  My adventures were made possible because of the terrific colleagues I worked with over the years, the great administrators who valued talent, enthusiasm and saw potential in a teacher right out of college, from the Bronx no less!  The union also played a huge role in bargaining for our rights that we retirees enjoy today.  You know the names of all those who helped to get us to retirement.  NYSUT also made sure we retired with a great pension.  I would not be writing this if it were not for NYSUT and our district.  We must be grateful for all that we have accomplished.

I keep in touch with retirees and love hearing their stories.  Family life keeps me busy also.  I always loved to cook.  We are never at a loss for a good home-made meal.  Our friends share the same love, so we often visit each other.

Each day Richard and I exercise and walk.  It is here we have made many more friends who keep us busy!  It is never a dull moment in the Rossi household as you can see.  I am sure each of you have your own stories to tell full of adventure, laughs, sorrow, and excitement.  My favorite expressions when things don’t go exactly the way I thought it would be are    Give me strength… and …. This too shall pass….

Retirement has been good!

Judy Veltidi

How is it possible that 20 years have passed so quickly?  That’s 2/3 the number of years that I taught!!  Time did fly by!

The year before I retired, we had a house built on Greenwood Lake and moved there, just about 20 minutes from Suffern. During our time living there we did a lot of entertaining, and we traveled – to Italy several times, to England, to Paris, to Hawaii, and several other states within the US, doing all the things visiting tourists do. And almost every February we went to Florida.

In 2010 our son Doug (SHS 1998) married Kristen O’Neill (SHS 2006).  They met at the bar/restaurant Ireland’s 32 where Doug was a bouncer and Kristen a waitress. They purchased a home in Airmont, granddaughter Katherine arrived in 2015, and grandson Patrick was born in 2018.

In 2015 we moved back to Suffern, this time to the neighborhood where my Montebello students had lived.  Many of our neighbors were people I already knew!

As beautiful as Greenwood Lake is EVERY SINGLE DAY, living 4 ½ minutes from grandchildren is MORE beautiful!  It was the right move for us!

Unfortunately, in the process of packing to move, Bob injured his back and during our years back in Suffern his mobility was compromised.  Bob’s third back operation, which occurred in May of 2021 subsequently led to 8 months of hospital stays and rehab facilities, and he passed away in December of 2021 as the result of other physical problems.

The past couple of years have been “different” to say the least.  Bob and I had been married for 52 years.  Being back in Suffern has been comforting.  The family is close by.

Sally (SHS 1996) lives, and works, in Eastchester, New York as Superintendent of Parks and Recreation. Doug works in financial services for a software company, and works from home. My daughter-in-law is a teacher in the Bronx.  Granddaughter Katherine is a 2^nd grader at Cherry Lane, and grandson Patrick is in full day pre-K at Viola, and will become a Cherry Lane tiger next year.  My kids and grandkids light up my life!

Since retiring I have become a quilter, and am a very active member of the Warwick Valley Quilters Guild in Warwick, NY. When we moved back to Suffern, I decided to regularly attend Suffern School Board meetings, to keep my nose, and presence, in their business.  It has been an experience, some years more “interesting” than others. And, I have become active in the SRTC-SEA.

I am grateful EVERY DAY that I was a teacher in Ramapo Central!  I am grateful for the friendships I made during those 30 years of teaching.  I still see and/or keep in touch with many former colleagues, and I am fortunate to have forged a close friendship with Bill Weaver, former principal of Montebello.

I shall be forever indebted to the Ramapo Teachers’ Association for paving our way so that I can look back gratefully and fondly at 30 years of teaching, and 20 years of retirement!

Peter Wendrychowicz:

My wife,Terry and I are rediscovering ourselves throughout this period of  Covid-19 quarantine.  In other words, "we haven't killed each other yet". 

Barry Bley:

Barry Ryan:

“Connections” on the SRTC website is a great idea. I would really enjoy hearing about and from old RCSD friends. What a great place to work, in my case for 30 years! Since family was suggested as a possible topic, I’d like to share a very short video taken last week of our 3 grandkids (Kate is 8 and twins Laney and Brooke are 5) meeting their new puppy (now named Penny because of her color) who had just been dropped off by the breeder. The girls had no idea she was coming even though they have wanted a puppy for awhile. That’s my daughter-in-law giving them a very basic warning about new puppies. I think the video will bring a smile to your lips which we can all use these days. Enjoy, be well and best wishes, Barry Ryan (HS,  1972-2002)

Missy Aitchson (2018)

I am sorry to miss the luncheon but we are spending the month of September in Florida.  I am sending you one picture of the beach today, September; this is the view from my lanai.

Though it is cloudy it is still a wonder to be here.  For this I continue to thank the SEA for their wonderful contracts during my life at Suffern Central/Ramapo Central.  Without all their hard work I would not have been able to retire with such luxury.  Wishing everyone a healthy and safe fall. I also will attach a beautiful picture of our week at Cape Cod (another luxury of ours).  The last picture is the love of my life, my first grandchild  She and her parents were able to join us this week at the Cape.  Retirement is the best!  Union strong!

Teri Duke (2021)

Since retiring my husband and I have relocated to Bluffton, South Carolina.

Tom Okada (2020)

Since retiring, I have been working on my photography.  I have a new B & W darkroom in the basement of my house, as well as a new digital setup.  I have also been teaching a digital photography course at St. Thomas Aquinas.   My wife & I got a new puppy, and have been doing many house-related projects.

Tom Porfidio (1980)

If you access my web page, you will find a great deal of information of most of my activities since retirement.  www.tomporfidio.com

Mark Rubin (2007)

We have traveled much over the past 14 years of my retirement, often to the National Parks but also internationally to places like the Galapagos, Switzerland, Portugal and other interesting locations. 

I got my pilot’s license in 2009 (two years after retiring), a used plane in 2011 and my instrument rating in 2019 (ten years later).  My wife and I always fly together. It is a very mentally stimulating and fun hobby!

New hobbies include taking up the piano, pencil drawing, biking and flying. We have flown over much of the country from Maine to North Carolina and as far west as Idaho, Texas and Arizona. Each year we spend about eight months in the Northeast from May to December and four months in Florida during the cold winter months. No time for Facebook, Twitter or other life robbing social media so lots of time to try and work on new things. We wanted to re-invent ourselves in retirement and so far feel good about all we have tried and explored. Life is good!

Retirees who worked at Suffern Middle School may recall that my 17-year-old daughter was injured in a car accident in 1991. Her journey, and ours, through the long brain injury recovery process turned out to be quite an interesting story. In 2018 an artist from New York heard about our experience and encouraged my wife to work with a professional writer to put it into book form. After much thought, my wife, in conjunction with the National Memoir Writers Association and their editor, put the story together and the finished book will be published in October of 2022. It is a captivating read and should be of interest to those who knew me or anyone who just likes a good tale.

More information on it can be found at the website  barbararubinauthor.com or by Googling “More Than You Can See” by Barbara Rubin. The book can be ordered from any online book seller or at your local bookstore.

Serge Tarasenko

Wow!  Twenty years since retirement and still having the time of my life.  There have been some bumps in the road, especially health issues, but that is life.  Our septuagenarian friends only allow a few minute to dwell on health and medical concerns.  Carol and I reside in Saratoga Springs and winter at our condo on Hutchinson Island at the Fort Pierce Inlet in Florida.

Many wonderful things have happened to us in retirement.  Our two sons graduated from college and got married.  Christopher is a first responder with FDNY and Karin is an RN at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC.  Matthew is a PE teacher and AD in Island Park, NY, and Kerri is an elementary teacher in Port Washington, NY.

Carol and I have been blessed with six beautiful and wonderful grandchildren.  Dylan is a freshman at the University of South Carolina.  Taylor and Brandon are juniors at Monroe-Woodbury HS.  Kristen and Matthew are sophomores at Hauppauge HS.  Brooke is in eighth grade at Hauppauge MS.  We have enjoyed watching them grow up, spending quality time at our lake house:  swimming, boating, playing games, laughing, and really bonding as a family.  They are the pride of my retirement years.

We have traveled to many countries in Europe, plus Hawaii, Alaska, and many national parks out west.  I enjoy reading, golf, walking, and exercising, but best of all, watching the grandkids play sports.  Life has been good!!

I am sad about the passing of our retired brothers and sisters.  I’m grateful for having a fabulous career and also the the Suffern Teachers’ union for supporting teachers and education in the Suffern community (SMS 1968-2001)

After my retirement in June of 2001, my husband and I were looking forward to a long awaited vacation touring the western US and many of the national parks found there.  We were scheduled for a flight to Las Vegas on September 12. That never happened, as tragedy struck the US September 11, which none of us will ever forget.  Several weeks later we did take that trip out west, bittersweet as it was, with memories of 9-11 still on our minds.

 We have, since then, enjoyed many other wonderful vacations, enjoying the freedom of not having to schedule them around school vacations!

 As I reminisce about these past 20 years, I think of all the many enjoyable activities I’ve spent with so many of my friends and former co-workers. We’ve enjoyed “the good life” together dining out (lunches and dinners), playing cards, seeing Broadway matinees while enjoying lunch in the city, and trips to AC, of course, with my hubby.  I became a member of the Woman’s Club of Suffern, of which many former Suffern colleagues also belong, and does so much for the Suffern community. I am so proud to be a member of this fine, hard-working group, which, by the way, managed to celebrate its 100th birthday during the pandemic!

 After living in Airmont for 23 years, we moved to a 55+ community of condos in Wanaque, NJ called Wanaque Reserve, and have lived here for the past 6 years. Soon after moving to Wanaque, the happiest day of my retirement came February 27, 2017 when my grandson Charlie was born. Now 4 years old, it’s hard to believe he will be attending pre-kindergarten this fall! He brings Bill and I so much joy and happiness whenever we get to see him!

 My son just recently purchased a home in Point Pleasant. NJ. Their jobs have them still remaining in NYC, but they will be at this house weekends, vacations, and any time they can get away! Bill and I have decided we’d get to see them more down there than in the city, so we recently purchased a home in a 55+ community in northern Toms River, closer to Point Pleasant. We will be moving there in early October. It’s a beautiful community called Lake Ridge, and it will be nice to live in a house again!

 My years serving Ramapo Central, now Suffern Central, were years I will never forget. Working with so many wonderful teachers and students has been one of the greatest joys of my life. God Bless You All! I now look forward to another chapter in my life and hopefully another 20 years spent with family and friends doing anything I wish to do!