At 8 a.m. the Sunday before last, Kristin Mott Purcell was already hard at work.
The Soundview Summer Stroll was 2 hours away. In the months before, the Compo Beach resident had already arranged for permits and a police officer; served as a liaison with the Parks & Recreation Department; helped arrange bands and kids’ activities; posted signs, and taken care of dozens of other details that would bring smiles to the faces to a few thousand visitors to her neighborhood.
Now she was setting up tents, marking spots for 20 non-profit organizations, and troubleshooting music and food issues.
In between she found time to water the planters that brighten up (and slow traffic down on) the beach exit road a few yards from her home.
It was all in a morning’s work for the always-smiling, ever-volunteering longtime Compo resident. (Not coincidentally, she represents the area — and all of District 1 — on the Representative Town Meeting.)
Kristin Mott Purcell
The Compo Beach Improvement Association is one of the sponsors of the Soundview Stroll (along with “06880). But in reality, Kristin is the CBIA.
She’s been a stalwart of the 100-year-old organization, keeping it running at a time of diminishing volunteers. She serves as treasurer. She helps organize the end-of-summer party. And then there are those planters …
If a job needs doing, Kristin does it. And if she’s doing it, it’s done the right way. (But always with a smile.)
Kristin Mott Purcell (left), with Deborah Webb and Michelle Cardello, at the festive start of Soundview Drive. They help ensure it always looks good.
Kristin was an early and driving force behind the creation of the Lillian Wadsworth Arboretum, adjacent to Earthplace. She helped lead the drive to put holiday lights on the Cribari Bridge, when Al DiGuido stepped away after 25 years. She joined other RTM members planting tulips at the Minute Man monument.
All that is in addition to her full-time, “real” job. Kristin founded Amberlake Capital, an outsourced marketing and investor relations partner to emerging and established investment managers.
I’m sure I’m missing a few — probably more than a few — other activities that Kristin is part of.
That’s because she does not go around touting her work. She just does it — quietly, efficiently, effectively.
And always with a smile.
Those Soundview Stroll tents did not put themselves up. Or take themselves down.
It took Kristin Mott Purcell to do it. Which is why she is “06880”‘s Unsung Herof the Week.
And every other one too.
Last Friday, Kristin Mott Purcell’s (center) husband Terry, daughters and friends threw a surprise birthday party for her. The site was (of course) Compo Beach.
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com. “06880” is proud to honor them — and tell many other tales of town too. Please click here to help us do that, by supporting this hyper-local blog.)
As students head off to college, they pack many things: Clothes. Electronics. Favorite items from home.
And: Narcan.
Positive Directions offers a safety kit for students with the medication that quickly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, plus fentanyl test strips, a lock bag for drugs, info cards and more.
There’s also a 15-20 minute info session on mental health, substance risks and resources at college, including overdose signs and how to administer Narcan.
To celebrate, a proclamation signed by Governor Lamont will be read at 11 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday), at the Westport Farmers’ Market.
It’s all part of the weekly event — with fresh produce, breads, meats, ice cream, pizza, Thai food, dog treats, food trucks, knife sharpening, live music and more — at the Imperial Avenue parking lot. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., every Thursday through November.
Westport Local Press just posted several dozen shots, by noted event photographer JC Martin. Click here for those images — and to see if you’re included.
The Campaign School at Yale University is coming to Westport.
The event — just before Election Day (Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) — is a 1-day training program covering how to prepare to run for office, work on a campaign, or effectively lead on an issue in your community.
The curriculum includes speaking techniques, networking skills, and the components necessary to begin a political career, both personally and professionally.
Questions? Email Info@TCSYale.org, or call 203.734.7385.
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The Westport Rotary Club got a backstage look at the Levitt Pavilion yesterday — without leaving Green’s Farms Church.
Andy Fleischman, president of the Levitt board, spoke at the weekly lunch gathering.
A finance attorney with music industry experience, he got involved with the outdoor venue in 2018, to help improve its relationship with the town. He also was interested in the acts being booked, but did not want to interfere in what was already an impressive summer lineup.
He’s helped bring younger popular acts to the open-air theater. A few years ago, he contributed to the effort to book Wilton’s Goose. They recently sold out 2 nights at Madison Square Garden.
Up-and-coming jam band Eggy, which played at the Levitt this summer, also has developed a national profile.
Andy Fleischman at the Rotary Club. (Photo/Dave Matlow)
A few hundred StartUp Westport members ate, drank, socialized — and of course networked — at the group’s summer get-together last night, at Compo Beach.
StartUp Westport is the town’s public/private partnership for entrepreneurs and innovators. It sponsors general and special interest meetings, mentor programs, a pitch contest — and, like last night, an opportunity for creative, like-minded and very interesting people to hang out together, by the water in beautiful weather.
There was a lot going on here last night. Besides the National Night Out on Jesup Green, StartUp Westport’s summer social (above) and the Y’s Men’s regular hot dog event — both at the beach — there was an indoor activity at the Westport Library.
Author Chris Bohjalian spoke with CT Public’s Catherine Shen about his new novel, “The Amateur.” It’s a suspenseful, emotionally charged story about tragedy, privilege, secrets, and the devastating ripple effects of one split-second mistake.
Chris Bohjalian and Catherine Shen. (Photo/Susan Garment)
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We feature many fascinating creatures in our daily “Westport … Naturally” series.
But none are more intriguing than owls. Who knows why we have such a soft spot for them?!
Over 3,000 men, women and — especially — children took advantage of spectacular weather to enjoy the 3rd annual Soundview Summer Stroll, on the Compo Beach exit road.
Walking, jogging, bicycling, Rollerblading, and — especially — pushing strollers, they danced to 4 great musical acts. There was face painting, street chalking and water balloon tossing.
Old Mill Grocery by Romanacci and Oggi gelato served up treats. Nearly 20 non-profits handed out swag and signed up volunteers.
Old friends met up. Strangers chatted. Several families who moved to Westport within the past month got a great introduction to town.
And everywhere — up and down Soundview Drive — there were smiles.
The Soundview Stroll is a gift to the town from “06880,” the Compo Beach Improvement Association and the Hirani family. The Parks & Recreation Department provides invaluable help.
“06880” photographer Ryan Allen captured all the action. You can relive it — or, if you weren’t there, see what you missed — here. A second set of photos, from other Stroll-goers, will be posted tomorrow. Away we go!
Ethan Walmark wowed the crowd. Other musical acts were Owen Daniel, DNR and Drew Angus’ band.
Rick Benson promotes the Westport Rotary Club’s Lobster Fest.
(“06880” is all about community-building — online, at the Stroll, and everywhere else in town. Reader support keeps us going. If you’d like to contribute, please click here. Thank you!)
One final reminder: The 3rd annual Soundview Summer Stroll is today.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Compo Beach exit road is closed to traffic. In place of cars, it comes alive with music, food, face painting, other kids’ activities, and more.
Four musical acts — Westport favorites Drew Angus and Ethan Walmark, Weston’s Owen Daniel and the legendary DNR band — will set up halfway down Soundview.
On one side, Earthplace will run the kids’ zone. On the other, Old Mill Grocery by Romanacci offers food.
All around, nearly 2 dozen non-profit groups will have tables. They’ll run games and contests, and offer giveaways.
The Soundview Summer Stroll is a gift to the town from “06880” and the Compo Beach Improvement Association, with great help from the Parks & Recreation Department.
See you today from 10 to 2, on the beach exit road!
See you at the Soundview Summer Stroll! (Photo/Benji Porosoff)
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Surfing for Daisy rocked the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce Night at the Levitt Pavilion last week.
The annual event is both a social gather for Chamber members, and an incubator for rising local bands. Notable prior acts include Goose, Eggy and Moonrise Cartel.
Surfing for Daisy is an Asbury Park, New Jersey-based indie folk-rock act. Up next this week for them: Lollapalooza.
Surfing for Daisy: From the Levitt to Lollapalooza. (Photo/Matthew Mandell)
Then last night Desert Highway — an Eagles tribute band — brought that peaceful easy feeling to the banks of the river.
In addition to their parties, kayaking and Staples tour, several 50th reunion-goers enjoyed an early morning private tour of the Westport Country Playhouse.
Along with the usual history and “how we put on a show” details, they had a special chance to check out the set and backstage of the current show, “Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”
Tour leader and Playhouse archivist Bruce Miller took them down memory lane. Highlights from ’76 included movies (“Rocky,” “Taxi Driver”), Broadway shows (“Godspell,” “Oh! Calcutta!”) — and who was at the Playhouse that summer (Richard Kiley, Eva Marie Saint, Theodore Bikel).
The grads agreed: Arts a crucial part of a community. And they were thankful that those efforts were so evident in Westport, as they grew up a half century ago.
Class of 1976, on the Westport Country Playhouse stage.
As the sign says, dogs are not allowed at the Westport Farmers’ Market.
We’re not sure whether this guy is obeying the sign, trolling it — or preparing to pee on it.
(Photo/Sam Levenson)
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Staples High School Class of 1957 graduate Anna Frances “Fran” Pollak died Tuesday. She was 87.
The Brooklyn native moved to Westport at a very young age. After Berkeley Secretarial School in New York, she worked at Perkin Elmer Corporation in Norwalk, holding top secret security clearance with NASA’s space program.
Later, as an executive secretary at AMF in Stamford, she met her husband of 52 years, Philip.
While raising 3 children, Fran served as the Bridgeport Post arts calendar editor.
Fran loved books, and spent 37 years working for Mews International Literary Agency with Sidney Kramer, owner of the Remarkable Book Shop. She screened and circulated manuscripts, earning a spot in the Literary Marketplace Directory.
Fran and Phil traveled the world. But she was happiest gardening in her backyard, visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art or reading at Old Mill Beach.
Fran is survived by her children Philip Pollak, John Pollak and Linda (Louie) Wins; granddaughters Holly (Evan) Arsineau and Chelsea (Brandon) Lorah; great-grandson Leighton Lorah; sisters Palma (Bruno) Manes and Antoinette (Paul) Wrubel, and many nieces and nephews.
The Staples High School Class of 1976 reunion is in the books.
The weather last weekend was not great. But that was about the only bummer, for the 150 men and women who attended at least one of many events.
Each reunion is special. But the 50th deserves a shout-out. And — because organizers planned and documented it so well — it might serve as an inspiration for other classes.
And inspire any alum — of any class at any school, anywhere — who is on the fence about his or her own reunion, to put aside preconceptions and concerns, and go!
At least a dozen grads had never been to a previous Staples reunion. Many had not come to one for decades. This time, they traveled from as far as London.
In addition to the usual reunion activities like gatherings at the Black Duck and Compo Beach, they enjoyed a tour of the “new” Staples High School (they graduated just before the first “modernization,” and remember 9 separate buildings), as well as kayaking on the Saugatuck River.
Feedback was great. One alum said they felt like an outcast in high school, and never attended a reunion. But they came this year. After 50 years, they said, they felt totally welcome, and part of the class.
The money quote came from Chris Frey. He said:
Back then we were jocks, freaks, greasers and nerds. Today we are senior citizens, grandparents and (mostly) solid citizens….
Last night [at Compo Beach] we all identified as classmates who lived through our turbulent youths, sharing adventures, heartbreaks, learnings and successes together….
Old wounds were forgiven, or in most cases, forgotten. Silly, fun, uplifting stories were shared, and the chasm of 50 years seemed to almost be erased…
The rain didn’t dampen our enthusiasm for the moment, and I think I can speak for everyone present that a good time was shared by all.
PS: The class is donating to 3 local organizations, to “keep a small bit of the Class of ’76 alive in Westport”: Staples Tuition Grants, the Westport Country Playhouse, and (thank you!) “06880.”
Hanging out at the Duck …
… and Compo Beach.
BONUS REUNION NEWS: Staples Class of 1981 is celebrating their 45th reunion this weekend.
Among the festivities; a celebration last night at VFW Post 399.
From left: Class of 1981 alums Andre Lambros, Dave Arnow, Tony Eason, Patty Kondub, Sue Champagne. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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A reminder: The annual Soundview Summer Stroll takes place tomorrow!
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, the Compo Beach exit road comes alive with music, food, face painting, other kids’ activities, and much more.
Four musical acts — Westport favorites Drew Angus and Ethan Walmark, Weston’s Owen Daniel and the legendary DNR band — will set up halfway down Soundview.
On one side, Earthplace will run the kids’ zone. On the other, Old Mill Grocery by Romanacci offers food.
All around, nearly 2 dozen non-profit groups will have tables. They’ll run games and contests, and offer giveaways.
The Soundview Summer Stroll is a gift to the town from “06880” and the Compo Beach Improvement Association, with great help from the Parks & Recreation Department.
See you tomorrow, on the beach exit road!
One way to stroll, on Soundview Drive. (Photo/Benji Porosoff)
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What’s ahead for the Levitt Pavilion?
Plenty of free shows.
Tonight (Saturday): Desert Highway: A Tribute to the Eagles (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, July 26: Lulada Club: New York City’s All-women Salsa Orchestra (7 p.m.).
Tuesday, July 28: Amelia Day (7 p.m.)
Wednesday, July 29: Hopalong Andrew: Children’s Series (7 p.m.)
the other day, Rozanne Gates interviewed State Senator Ceci Maher, for The Legacy Project USA.
Afterward, the retiring legislator received a Distinguished Service proclamation from the town of Weston.
It was part of the “This Is Your Life” Legacy Project USA series at the Westport Center for Senior Activities.
State Senator Ceci Maher, with her proclamation. She is flanked by Weston 1st Selectwoman Sam Nestor (left) and State Representative Dominique Johnson.
Westport resident Robert Aldrich died peacefully at home on July 19. He was 91, and had been diagnosed with cancer.
The New Rochelle, New York native earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering at Princeton University, while starring in football and playing goalie for the varsity hockey team.
He, his wife Sandra and young son Bobby moved to San Rafael where he began his career at Standard Oil of California. Their daughter Nancy was born shortly before Bob joinedUnion Carbide in New York, where he spent nine years in project development.
The family moved to Rowayton, where they lived for the next 50 years. Sons Ted and John were soon born.
In 1970, Chase Manhattan Bank CEO David Rockefeller recruited Bob to lead the first environmental banking initiative undertaken by a major financial institution. As a pioneering executive, he helped integrate environmental stewardship into banking practices decades before sustainability became part of the financial mainstream. He spent the remainder of his Wall Street career working for Chase and other financial institutions, helping finance companies and projects that delivered environmental benefits.
At 66, Bob embarked on a second career doing something he always loved: teaching. Through Teach for America, he taught science for 5 years in the South Bronx, which he called his most rewarding role.
After moving to Westport in 2005, he became a substitute in the Westport Public Schools. He often surprised his grandchildren and their friends as their teacher for the day. He did this into his late 80s. He also worked as an adjunct professor of chemistry at Norwalk Community College.
Bob and Sandra’s 70-year marriage was celebrated in June of 2026, surrounded by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Bob served as Chairman of the Norwalk Board of Education during the turbulent, teacher-strike-filled 1970s. and was twice elected to the Norwalk Common Council.
After moving to Westport he served on the Flood and Erosion Control Board. He participate in meetings just days before he died.
Bob loved tennis and pond hockey. He was happiest when he was outdoors and in motion.
He is survived by his wife Sandra; children Robert, Nancy (Brien), Edward (Susan) and John (Margee); grandchildren Farley, Jack (Astrid), Ben (Greer), Tommy, Seixas, and Farrell Aldrich, Will Haskell (Katie) and Annie Kenworthy (Tristram); and great-grandchildren Gaël and Mathieu Aldrich-Parenty.
A service will be held on August 8 (11 a.m., United Church of Rowayton). Memorial donations may be made to the Norwalk Education Fund, 125 East Avenue, Norwalk CT 06851.
The Staples Classes of 1976 and ’81 graduated a couple of decades after the Class of ’57. (The second to last, interestingly, to go through all 3 years at the Riverside Avenue high school.)
There were no songs written about those 2 “recent” classes. And though the Statler Brothers’ tune is about a generic class — not Staples’ — it’s still the best reunion song ever.
(If “06880” helps you stay in touch with your time at Staples, please click here to support our work. And if you never went to Staples, but still enjoy this blog — you can click on the link too. Thanks to all!)
Soundview Drive — the Compo Beach exit road — is a Westport gem.
With water on one side and handsome homes on the other, it’s a great place to walk, jog, bike, Rollerblade, or just hang out on the seawall. The only drawback is the traffic.
This Sunday, the road is all yours.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, the Soundview Summer Stroll takes over. Instead of cars, the street will be filled with live music, food, face painting, other kids’ activities, and much more.
Strolling on Soundview Drive. (Photo/Luca Caniato)
This is the Stroll’s 3rd year — and the street festival will be bigger and better than ever.
A couple of thousand Westporters of all ages will meander up and down, meet neighbors and friends, dance in the street, and watch their youngsters race around. It’s 4 hours of community fun, enjoying the town and each other in a unique summer way.
The 4 musical acts — Westport favorites Drew Angus and Ethan Walmark, Weston’s Owen Daniel and the legendary DNR band — will set up halfway down Soundview.
Drew Angus (left) will be back, for an encore performance. (Photo/Benji Porosoff)
On one side, Earthplace will run the kids’ zone. On the other, Old Mill Grocery by Romanacci offers food.
All around, nearly 2 dozen non-profit groups will have tables at the street festival too. Win prizes at the Rotary Club’s “guess the ducks” contest; get tattoos and play beach games with the Cub Scouts; enjoy snacks courtesy of the Westport Woman’s Club and Westport Swim Club, and discover other surprises.
What kid doesn’t like decorating the street? (Photo/Benji Porosoff)
The Soundview Summer Stroll is a gift to the town from “06880” and the Compo Beach Improvement Association, with great help from the Parks & Recreation Department.
The Soundview Summer Stroll returns Sunday, July 26.
And this year’s Stroll will be bigger, more kid-friendly, more musical and more festive than ever.
The annual event — a gift to the town from “06880” and the Compo Beach Improvement Association — is a community-wide celebration.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Soundview Drive — the beach exit road — is closed to traffic.
The street will be filled with Westporters strolling, Rollerblading, jogging, biking — and meeting friends, eating, listening to music, and watching their kids have a blast.
The musical lineup includes Westport’s own Drew Angus, Weston favorite Owen Daniel, the fabulous Ethan Walmark, and the very popular “doctor” band DNR.
This year Earthplace will run the children’s activities, offering games and other fun, along with the traditional face painting and more.
New this year too: booths for non-profits. The Cub Scouts will have tattoos, stickers and beach games; Sunrise Rotary Club offers prizes for a “guess the ducks” contest; the Westport Woman’s Club provides snacks and kids’ items; Earthplace hosts seed bomb making and a “microscopic mystery.”
More than a dozen other organizations are on hand too, from the YMCA and Mo\CA CT to Sustainable Westport and the Levitt Pavilion.
There will be plenty of food, and some surprises.
Mark your calendar. Spend a few hours on Soundview on Sunday, July 26, See you at the Stroll!
To contact Pierce Brown for grill cleaning, text 203-228-2293.
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The Soundview Summer Stroll returns Sunday, July 26!
For the 3rd year in a row — with the support of “06880” and the Compo Beach Improvement Association — the beach exit road will be closed to vehicles.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Westporters can enjoy live music, food, kids’ activities, and a chance to stroll, bicycle, Rollerblade or otherwise enjoy one of the town’s crown jewels.
New this year: non-profits are invited to set up information booths, all along the road.
Earthplace, the Westport Weston YMCA, MoCA\CT and the Westport Swim Club are already in. If your non-profit would like to participate, email 06880blog@gmail.com.
Just a few days after being harassed while leaving The Blondinit — and posting about it on social media — Jonny Daniels returned to the Israeli restaurant on Monday.
This time, he heard no epithets about Israel from across the street. Instead he met the owners — who had closed briefly, after the incident went viral — and wrote:
“Today we had the privilege of meeting an extraordinary couple who proudly embrace and display their Israeli and Jewish heritage. Their warmth, resilience and unwavering pride were truly inspiring.
“The Blondinit serves exceptional Israeli cuisine in a beautiful setting. While the restaurant is not kosher, it offers an authentic and unapologetically Israeli dining experience that deserves to be celebrated and supported.
“Moments like these remind us that hatred and intimidation will never dictate where we go, who we support, or how proudly we live our Jewish lives.
“In the coming days, we will be announcing a very special evening at The Blondinit, where our community will have the opportunity to come together, support this incredible business, and send a clear message: we do not back down, we are not afraid, and we will always stand proudly as Jews.”
Police are conducting SWAT training today at 6 Coleytown Road, near Temple Israel.
There will be increased law enforcement in the area. Don’t be alarmed — it’s for training purposes only.
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Preliminary work is already underway on the Cross Highway bridge replacement, near the entrance to Wakeman Town Farm and the Wakeman fields.
The road will close on or around June 19, through approximately August 20.
Access to Wakeman and Bedford Middle School will be through North Avenue only.
Residents of Cross Highway, Silent Grove North, Half Mile Common, Woody Lane and Whippoorwill Lane will continue to have access, but there will be no through traffic.
Gruel Britannia and Christie’s Service will remain open and accessible.
Questions? Call town engineer Keith Wilberg: 203-341-1128.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport’s “upcycle online” auction ends tonight, at 7:45 p.m. A reflection of their commitment to reduce, recycle and reuse, it’s a chance to share with others, and keep landfills down.
Sports fans (Patriots, Bayern Munich), college grads (Northeastern, Cal), shoe aficionados (Ferragamo, Sperry), china and crystal (Limoges, Wedgewood), clothing (Talbots Liz Claiborne), toys (Lego, Nintendo) and more (Thule luggage rack, live ficus tree) — there’s something for everyone.
For many neurodivergent teenagers, school provides social connections and routine.
That can be tough to replicate in the summer.
NeuroMind — a Westport-based hub for neurodivergent individuals and their families, offering coaching, counseling, support groups workshops, and resources — can help.
Their in-person social group for 15-19-year-olds meets Fridays at 2 p.m., from July 10 through August 28. Led by a licensed social worker, it offers an opportunity to make new friends, find a community, feel supported and judgment-free, and “be yourself!”
The next Veterans Benefits Luncheon is tomorrow (Thursday, May 28, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), VFW Post 399).
It’s open to all veterans as part of an ongoing effort to check in on all veterans’ welfare, and connect them with the benefits and support they earned.
Representatives will answer questions, and provide information on services and assistance available to veterans.
RSVPs are encouraged (but not required). Email vfw399ct@gmail.com, and include the number of attendees, or call (203) 227-6796.
PS: If you’re not a veteran, but know one: Please pass the word!
Speaking of lunch: Emmy Squared just launched a new promotion.
From Monday through Thursday, they’re selling cheese slices for $1, and pepperoni for $2. That’s “cheaper than gas,” they say — a lot cheaper. (For one gallon, anyway.)
Also on tap at the Church Lane restaurant: Trivia Nights.
They run every other Thursday (June 8 and 22, July 6 and 20, August 3 and 17).
Drinks are happy hour prices all night, on those days.
Though if you drink too much, you might not remember all those factoids. (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)
Longtime Westporter George Manchester turns 95 in June.
His son Jeff — now raising his own family, in his home town — has planned a special gift. He hopes at least 95 “06880” readers will send his father “Happy Birthday” cards.
George spends summers in Maine. Going to the post office is an important part of his day. Let’s inundate him (and the PO) with cards!
Send to: George Manchester, PO Box 202, South Bristol, ME 04568. And feel free to pass this on to others!
George Manchester in 2017, just before the old Saugatuck Island bridge was torn down after damage from Superstorm Sandy. Decades earlier he was involved in the construction of that bridge, as president of the Saugatuck Shores Island Association (now the Saugatuck Island Special Taxing District).
Elizabeth “Betty” Auber died Sunday in her Westport home, with her family by her side.
She was born and raised in Queens, the child of immigrant Irish/German parents.
After graduation from high School she married her sweetheart, Dick) Auber, and raised 5 children.
She went back to school and obtained a degree in nursing from Norwalk Community College in 1981, then graduated from Fairfield University 4 years later with a psychology degree.
Betty was highly respected for her nursing expertise and compassion. She ended her career as a psychiatric nurse providing compassionate care to vulnerable patients.
Betty retired when she was 76 years old, but continued to be a medical consultant to family and friends, always willing to listen and offer advice.
She and Dick loved traveling with friends, and enjoyed hosting social activities. She was also an active Senior Center and Westport YMCA participant. She volunteered at St. Luke Parish, beginning in 1976. Until very recently, she hosted weekly bridge and canasta games in her home.
Betty is survived by her children Patricia (Tom), Richard (Tatyana), Ron (Cheryl), Judy (Ferdinand) and Christine (Michael); grandchildren Abby, Steven, Jordan, Anastacia, Matthew, Kevin and Mary; great-grandchildren Colden, Keegan, Beckham and Eleanor; sister Patricia Casey and brother Joseph Schick. She was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Richard.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday (May 30, 11 a.m., St. Luke Church).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to he Parkinson’s Voice Project or The Westport Center for Senior Activities.
Elizabeth Auber
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It arrived late. But some of this spring’s colors — like today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured photo, from Joann Circle — make the wait absolutely worth it.
And finally … Sonny Rollins, the saxophonist who was a giant of the post-war jazz age, died at his home in Woodstock, New York. He was 95. Click here for a full obituary.
(And finally … if you’re in a sentimental mood — or any other kind — please consider clicking here, to support this hyper-local blog. These daily Roundups, and so much more, don’t just fall from the sky 😎)
Brief showers chased away some of the midday crowd, at yesterday’s 2nd annual Soundview Summer Stroll.
But the folks who were there before noon — and the ones who came (or returned) after the quick rain — had a great time.
The beach exit road was closed to cars. So kids and parents (and people without children) enjoyed a relaxed amble up and down the street.
There were fit 20somethings on Rollerblades, and youngsters on bikes. One woman said, “This is the first time I didn’t worry about him riding in Westport.”
Four bands and one solo artist played for 7 hours. Rock, funk, alt, disco, new wave, pop, classics … Owen Daniel, Deep Valley Road & Friends, Core, Not My Problem and Rock Paper Soul covered it all, perched on a porch.
(Photo/Dan Woog)
Old Mill Grocery by Romanacci served up plenty of pizzas, and hundreds of gelatos.
At the end of Soundview, kids painted rocks, got their faces painted, threw water balloons, mugged in a photo booth — and chalked the street.
The Soundview Summer Stroll is a gift to the town, from “06880” and the Compo Beach Improvement Association.
Westport’s Parks & Recreation Department offered invaluable help. So did music director Dana Gordon, volunteers who helped with children’s activities, and organizers Kristin Mott Purcell and Sunil Hirani.
“You should do this every Sunday!” one woman said.
Well … it’s quite an undertaking. But we’re already looking forward to next year’s Soundview Summer Stroll.
We will try to pick a date with better weather.
People and dogs enjoy the Soundview Summer Stroll …
… and a child …
… and politicians too.
Music from Deep Valley Road & Friends …
… and Owen Daniel.
Yours truly, in the photo booth.
Rock painting …
… and rocks on the seawall. Pick yours up today! (Photo/Jay Petrow)
One more crowd shot.
Chalk it up to a great experience. (All photos/Luca Caniato unless otherwise noted)
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