Carol Diamond — for decades one of Westport’s most active volunteers, and with her husband Ted, our town’s most noted centenarian couple — died of pneumonia on March 10, at Norwalk Hospital. She was 100 years old.
Her obituary calls her an “ad agency CEO, public housing advocate, writer, book editor and human rights activist.” It continues:
A gifted writer, she used her abilities and great intelligence to make the world and her community better and fairer. She mentored younger women, and served as a patient escort at a women’s health clinic.
Carol was as curious as she was compassionate. She loved books. and was constantly learning and exchanging ideas through book groups and clubs that she helped to organize. Fascinated by words — their meanings and origins — she was known to read the dictionary for pleasure.
It was a life of activism, engagement and connection. A former president of the Y’s Women, an organization that serves as a social and career network for women in Fairfield County, she also was a past vice president and treasurer of the Westport Library.
Carol and Ted Diamond on Veterans Green before the 2014 Memorial Day ceremony.
An active canvasser on the state and local levels since the early 1950s, she received the esteemed “Silver Donkey” award for her years of service to the Democratic Party.
Carol was born on Nov. 13, 1921, in New York City. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Smith College in 1942. As president of the political action committee, she brought Eleanor Roosevelt to campus to speak.
In 1944 she obtained employment with the Newark Local Housing Authority, surveying impoverished housing conditions in that city. Later that year she joined the Federal Housing Administration, working to create affordable living facilities for veterans.
In 1946 she married Theodore Diamond, to whom she would be devoted for the next 75 years. The couple moved to Westport in 1955, where they remained throughout her life, and where their sons went from kindergarten through high school. She loved Westport, and said. “I feel I have always lived here.”
In the 1950s and ’60s,Carol found a way to balance work and family life that could have been an early model for the women’s movement.
She worked for Westport radio station WMMM, broadcasting programs that highlighted community activities. She then served as a deputy director for a Bridgeport anti-poverty agency, before starting her own advertising firm. But she found time to attend every parent-teacher conference and recital — and to worry about (and check) her children’s homework.
Her marriage to Ted was legendary. They politicked together (when he campaigned for local government, she edited his speeches), protested together (demonstrating against the Iraq war and composing letters of outrage during the Trump years), and traveled the world together (visiting 120 countries on 60 trips).
They were inseparable; they were utterly engaged with each other, and as Carol said recently, the enforced isolation of COVID only brought them closer. “I fall in love with the same guy every morning of my life,” she said.
Ted and Carol Diamond in 2017, at a Bedford Middle School “town hall” meeting with Congressman Jim Himes.
In addition to her husband she is survived by her sons William and Jonathan; daughter-in- law Harriet; grandsons Theodore and Noah, and great-grandchildren Peter, June and Beatrix.
A celebration of her life will be held at the Westport Library on Sunday, April 3 at 10:30 a.m., followed by a reception at the Westport Woman’s Club.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Westport Library.
But when it comes to restaurants, you know your onions.
Last week’s image — of a weathered, wooden finger pointing to an entrance — hangs (of course!) at Little Barn. It’s one of our town’s most popular dining spots, and one of our most iconic signs. (Click here to see.)
Ken Runkel, Rich Stein, Patti Brill, Lynn Untermeyer Miller, Seth Braunstein, Arthur Hayes, Janice Strizever, Pete Powell, Susan Yules, Jilda Mankas — and probably many more of you — nailed it.
So it’s back to a tough one this week. If you know where in Westport you would see this, click “Comments” below.
A full house at Toquet Hall enjoyed yesterday’s Triple Threat Academy workshop production of “The Breakfast Club.”
The cast — a mix of old and young — nailed the iconic (and now 37-year-old) movie.
Highlights included Michael Sharits — a professional actor and Triple Threat student — who jumped in as Claire’s dad with just 2 hour’s notice when a cast member had COVID exposure.
In addition, there were 2 Staples Players parent/child duos: Nick Sadler (Principal Vernon) and Cooper Sadler (John Bender), plus Jean Pitaro (Brian’s mom) and Josy Pitaro (Claire).
Triple Threat founder (and Staples High School graduate) Cynthia Gibb was in the audience, watching acting teacher/Juilliard grad Keith Contreras-McDonald’s production.
Cynthia’s mom Linde was there too. She’s in Triple Threat’s adult acting class.
For more on Triple Threat’s acting and improv classes for youth, teens and adults, dance classes, audition workshops, private voice lessons and more, click here.
The Westport Library gives so much to Westport. Here’s a chance to give back.
There are vacancies on the board of trustees. The Library seeks candidates with previous board experience. and expertise in finance, fundraising and development for non-profits; knowledge, expertise and understanding of trends in media and information technology, and entrepreneurs with experience in business, economic development and innovation.
Trustees must be Westport residents, and serve for 4-year terms beginning July 1. There are 20 members; half are appointed by the Representative Town Meeting, half by the Library Board itself. For more information about trustees’ roles, click here.
The Staples High School rugby team is ranked 9th in the nation, by Goff Rugby Report. Georgetown Prep of Maryland is 8th.
But the Wreckers traveled south, and demolished the Hoyas yesterday 45-7. The livestreamed match was watched by dozens of Staples parents, siblings and fans — and plenty of ex-pat former ruggers from South Africa and Australia — at Little Barn restaurant.
Congratulations to 1st-year head coach Neil Seideman and his excellent team on their 2nd win in 2 games. They opened the season with a 38-3 trouncing of Xavier-Middletown. (Hat tip: Terry Brannigan)
Speaking of sports: This weekend marks the return — after 2 canceled COVID years — of the Westport Soccer Association’s WIN tournament.
Over 160 teams from throughout the tri-state region compete indoors and outside, at Staples High and Bedford Middle School, and Wakeman. In 40 years of existence, the event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Coleman Brothers Fund. It honors former Westport athletes Scott and Keith Coleman, who were killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Boys teams ages 9 through 19 played yesterday. Girls play today. Congratulations to the Wreckers of Westport, who won the U-19 championship yesterday, including a 6-0 thrashing of Dynamo in the final.
U-19 champions (front row, from left): Avery Mueller, Ben Tanen, Aidan Mermagen. Back row: Thomas Corridon, Brewster Galley, Bruno Guiduli, Jaden Mueller, Jesse Sanchez. Missing: Santi Alfageme, Jacob Greenberger. (Photo/Barry Guiduli)
Speaking still of sports: Chad Knight — for the former Staples High School and Little League World Series star — leads the Duke University baseball team in hitting. The 6-0, 220-pound catcher/designated hitter has a .350 average for the 11-8 Blue Devils. (Hat tip: Steve McCoy)
Bistro du Soleil is not just a great restaurant. It’s also an inspiring art venue. Westport artist Karen Silver Bloom — known for her unique collectible shadow boxes — is next up, at the popular Riverside Avenue spot. An opening reception is set for March 27 (4 to 7 p.m.). The shadow boxes will be on display at Bistro du Soleil on weekends through May 8.
Just announced: an interesting CNN+ and HBO Max project focusing on Westport’s own Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
Ethan Hawke is the director. Martin Scorsese is the executive producer. Deadline says, “The Last Movie Stars will celebrate the enigmatic personas, incandescent talent and love story of the 2 actors, who occupy a unique space in the Hollywood pantheon.
“Central to the film is a long-abandoned project that Newman, who died in 2008, commissioned…. (Stewart Stern interviewed) Woodward, Elia Kazan, Sidney Lumet, Karl Malden, Sidney Pollack, Gore Vidal, Jacqueline Witte and others for a planned memoir.
“He also interviewed Newman…. They discussed his youth, first marriage, romance and life with Woodward, personal demons, and the loss of his son Scott.”
Click here for the full story. (Hat tip: Dick Lowenstein)
Congratulations to Staples High School’s March Students of the Month.
Senior Olivia Marshall, juniors Lucy Dockter and Mirian Hurley, and freshmen Perrin Root and Ocean Banska were selected, principal Stafford Thomas said, for helping make their school “a welcoming place for peers and teachers. They are the ‘glue’ of the Staples community: the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students who keep the high school together, making it the special place it is.”
Staples Students of the Month Perrin Root, Miriam Hurley, Lucy Dockter and Olivia Marshall. Missing: Ocean Bansak.
March is National Disability Awareness Month. Which means it’s a great time to let the “06880” community know about New Canaan Mounted Troop.
Executive director Sara Tucker — a Westport resident for 33 years — sent information about the non-profit youth development and therapeutic equestrian center.
Founded in 1939, it serves lower Fairfield County. Over that time, hundreds of Westporters have benefited from their time with the organization’s volunteers — and its horses.
Here, from the NCMT newsletter, is a story about one of those young people.
When Super Trooper Devin Sussmane, 27, started coming to New Canaan
Mounted Troop about 5 years ago, she was so shy she yanked her jacket over her face so no one could see her.
Now, she loves being at the barn so much she cries when it’s time to leave.
Devin lights up around animals, says mom Elaine Zapfel, and the horses “accept her without judgment.” They also don’t mind her enthusiastic embraces, which often scared the smaller rescue cats and dogs at another program she attended,
her mom said.
Devin Sussmane
The COVID pandemic has been hard on Devin, who doesn’t understand why beloved activities are interrupted. Although she doesn’t enjoy participating in most Zoom calls, she never missed a chance to see the horses at Troop — even if it was only through a screen.
Still, quarantine left Devin largely stuck at home with nothing to do unless her mom came up with reasons to leave the house. So when restrictions eased and NCMT offered Devin the chance to attend one-on-one equine care lessons during the summer, it was everything, her mom said.
“Having something like New Canaan that she can look forward to every week is more than I can say.”
Zapfel also calls Super Troopers instructor Stacy Gendels (a longtime Westport resident) “sent from heaven.” The two are so close that Devin visits Gendels at her home to play with her dogs.
“Certain people just get it, and Stacy is very good with Devin. She understands that Devin can be anxious and cranky, and she doesn’t treat her like a baby,” Zapfel said.
“Devin has a lot of anxiety, but when she is at Mounted Troop her anxiety is so much less — she’s able to function.”
Metro-North is expanding service and restoring some express trains — including adding 34 new trains on the New Haven line.
Weekday service will be restored to 89% of pre-pandemic levels, and new train service will reduce trip times for a number of commuters (the railroad says).
All week long, donations for Ukraine have poured in to Wakeman Town Farm.
Medical and emergency supplies, sleeping bags, boots, socks, sweaters, gloves, radios, hand warmers, binoculars — all were sent or dropped off by Westporters.
Similar collections took place all week long at Weston’s Lechat Town Farm, and Wilton’s Ambler Farm.
Tomorrow, they’ll be sent overseas.
As soon as they arrive, they’ll be put to great use.
Christy Colasurdo of Wakeman Town Farm, in front of some of the donated items. (Photo/Ted Horowitz).
The expected opening for the Longshore golf course is this Friday (March 25) — weather permitting, of course. The halfway house concession opens April 1.
Click here for the course website. The pro shop phone number is 203-221-0900. For day of play tee times, call 203-226-9785.
Westport residents can purchase or renew a handpass online at www.westportrecreation.com or in person weekdays (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at the Parks & Recreation office, across the parking lot from the pro shop.
The18th hole. (Drone photo/John Videler for videler.com)
Jane Green — Westport’s favorite international best-selling author — has just released her first novel in 3 years. “Sister Stardust” is also her first biographical fiction.
Green re-imagines the life of troubled icon Talitha Getty, in this unique story from a forgotten chapter of the “Swinging ’60s.”
Though Talitha’s life seemed perfect, in her 20s — already a famous model and actress — she moved from London to a palace in Marrakesh with her husband, oil heir Paul Getty. She presided over an ex-pat scene filled with music, art, free love and a counterculture taking root across the world.
When Claire arrives in London from her small town, she never expects to cross paths with a woman as magnetic as Talitha Getty. Yearning for adventure and independence, she’s swept off to Marrakesh, where the two become kindred spirits. But beneath Talitha’s glamourous façade lurks a darkness few can understand. As their friendship blossoms and the two grow closer, the realities of Talitha’s precarious existence set off a chain of dangerous events that could alter Claire’s life forever.
The epilogue: Because Jane is as clever a person as she is a writer, she’s bringing out a range of caftans and jewelry inspired by the book.
Speaking of trains (as we were above): Got something to say about Wheels2U and/or the Westport Transit District?
Director Peter Gold and others will be at the Westport train station this Wednesday (March 23, 6 to 10 a.m., near the elevator on the westbound side), to meet commuters. In case of rain, they’ll meet inside the station house.
Gold says, “We want commuters to let us know what’s right with Wheels2U, what’s not working, and what we can do better. We also want to talk to commuters who don’t take Wheels2U [the on-demand, group ride, platform shuttle service] to make them aware of it.”
Russell Oost-Lievense has been named only the 4th head coach in the 64-year history of the Staples High School boys soccer program.
A former Staples captain (2007) and player at Hartwick College, Oost-Lievense has been a member of the Wreckers staff for 6 years. He is a special education teacher at Darien High.
He succeeds Dan Woog — hey, that’s me! — who retired in January after 19 years. I’m happy to quote myself:
“Russell is a spectacular choice. He has the total respect of players, parents and other coaches. He breaks down a match — both by teams, and individually — better than anyone I know. He is a master at creating game plans, and the training sessions leading up to them. He is a true student of the game.
“Russell is passionate about soccer at all level. He understands Staples’ tradition, our legacy, and the importance of passing that along to current and future players.
“Our program is in good shape. I am confident Russell will kick it up many more notches, in the years ahead. It will be great to see.”
Russell Oost-Lievense, in front of the Staples High School boys soccer trophy case.
The Artists Collective of Westport’s pop-up exhibit has announced a new date for its artists’ talk, at the Westport Country Playhouse barn. The new date is Saturday, March 26 (4 p.m.).
There’s an opening reception March 23 (6 p.m.). The exhibit is then open from March 24 through 26 (2 to 6 p.m.).
Tons o’ submissions this week — including several from first-time artists. (Of course, this is not their first work. It’s their first time featured on “06880.” You understand.)
We appreciate everyone’s submissions. This gallery is open to all readers. Whatever your age and level of experience — professional or amateur, young or old. In every medium. On every topic.
All genres are encouraged. Watercolors, oils, charcoal, pen-and-ink, acrylics, lithographs, macramé, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage and needlepoint — whatever you’ve got, email it to dwoog@optonline.net. Share your work with the world!
“Variations on the Theme: The Eternal City by John Blume,” oil on canvas (Norm Siegel)
“La Donna,” Carrara marble (Alan Goldberg)
“Island Sunset” (Werner Liepolt)
“Together in Pieces,” mixed media (Joyce Landon)
Untitled (Sophia Livecchi, Staples High School Class of 2017)
“Not Just a Building” — exterior in Fairfield (Karen Weingarten)
“Thinking of Ukraine” (Suzanne Goldstein)
“Pink & Green” (Ken Runkel)
“A View of Assumption Church” (Steve Stein)
“Hoping for Harmony in Ukraine” (George Bullwinkel)
“You Can’t Get There from Here” (Lawrence Weisman)
In early March of 2020, Staples High School’s Jazz Ensemble placed first at Darien High School’s festival.
The young musicians were excited. So was Phil Giampietro. It was his first year as director; he’d taken over just 6 months earlier, from longtime leader Nick Mariconda.
Less than a week later, COVID struck. School was closed. Stuck at home, students rehearsed virtually. It was a dark, sad time.
When Staples reopened in the fall, nearly every aspect of education changed. But Giampietro kept his Jazz Ensemble together.
The group — 20 or so young musicians, out of the many dozen in the band program — rehearsed every Thursday.
Sure, they were spaced 12 feet apart in the (fortunately) large band room. They wore masks, and put bell covers on their instruments. But being together, playing jazz, was a highlight for every member, in those long, lonesome days.
They were good. This year, they got even better. Giampietro submitted a recording to the National Jazz Festival. A Staples combo placed first.
That led to an invitation to the Connecticut Music Educators Association conference April 1 — their first in-person meeting in 2 years. Staples shares the stage with Hall-West Hartford, one of the most revered jazz programs in the country.
The Staples Jazz Ensemble. Director Phil Giampietro is in the first row, far right.
The Staples students are excited. Four do double duty, having also been selected for All-State honors.
The Jazz Ensemble will play a range of music, from the likes of Duke Ellington, Thad Jones and Craig Skeffington. Influences include swing, Latin, rhythm and blues, and hip hop.
“This group has taken their music very, very seriously,” Giampietro says. “They’re doing it their way, and they’re really, really enjoying it.”
Staples jazz musicians, performing earlier this winter. (Photos/Allison Ginzburg)
Educators from around the state will be impressed by the Staples musicians. You can see them too. On April 7 (7 p.m., Westport Library, in-person and Zoom), they’ll join Bedford Middle School, Ridgefield High and saxophonist/University of Connecticut assistant professor of jazz studies John Mastroianni at the town’s first Night of Jazz. Click here to register for the in-person show. (free!). If you can’t be at the Trefz Forum, click here for the livestream.
But you don’t have to wait. For a taste of what Staples’ jazz musicians can do, click below.
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“Having something like New Canaan that she can look forward to every week is more than I can say.”
