I’m still not sure why Michael Hauser asked me to contribute. I am in awe at some of the accomplishments and deeds of our classmates. It’s a testament to our town that we grew up in. I look back at the freedom we had as kids, hopping on a bike and just going… exploring in the woods or kickball game with the neighborhood kids. The only stipulation was to be home for dinner minutes after the six o’clock fire whistle.

I have many great memories of my time in high school. I was fortunate to play on several different sports teams. I know I wasn’t the best athlete, but I tried to make up the difference by working hard and giving it my best effort. Livingston was definitely a melting pot. I was lucky to find friends in many different social groups. I still have lifelong friends and have recently reconnected with several classmates.

After high school I went to college for a couple of years. It wasn’t right for me. A friend of the family suggested looking into the steamfitter’s union. I had no idea what a steamfitter was. While waiting to get in the apprenticeship program, I got a job working for a mechanical contractor as a job site clerk. This was a terrific opportunity to see behind the scenes of making a job work.

Steamfitting was a natural fit for me. I enjoyed the physicality and the mental application needed for the work. It was hard work, but very satisfying. I’m very proud of my 40 years in the union because through them I was able to provide for my family.

There were also hard times. At one point, I had to travel out of state for work. I spent nine months in Frederick, Maryland, coming home just every other weekend. It was hard on my wife and family; however, I do think the hardships made us stronger.

Speaking of family, I feel this is my greatest accomplishment. I consider myself the luckiest man alive when Susan agreed to marry me. She is the wisest and kindest person I know. I believe I’m a better person because of her. We were blessed with three daughters, Deirdre, Siobhán and Olivia.
I find it amazing that they’re all raised in the same environment for how unique they are in their own right. It warms my heart that they have all grown into such accomplished adults. They have also given me the title of Grandpa. I have a grandson, Aiden, who is fifteen and taller than me, and then there is Margaret, who is just over a year.

I loved my role as a dad and it definitely took me out of my comfort zone. At one time I was their soccer coach, though never playing a game in my life. They needed somebody…so it was me. I got books and DVDs from the library and did the best I could. The girls then got involved in a local theater group, so naturally I became part of set design and production. I eventually was cajoled onto the stage! It wasn’t pretty. I couldn’t sing or dance but took a tap and jazz course. I was discreetly moved away from the microphone for a time or two. It was a great bonding time for the family. The girls were in the productions. Susan was a stage manager, and I did what was ever needed.

We had our share of hardships. In 2005 we were having an addition put on our house. The contractor broke our foundation and the house was uninhabitable. That started a 10-year legal and insurance battle that left us with nothing. We could’ve not survived without the help of friends and family. We are forever in their debt. I also believe it made us a stronger family.

In 2021, I was able to retire at 62 ½. I truly enjoyed my work in the union. There was always something new to learn and the range of the jobs was fantastic. You could go from microtubing in a laboratory to work on a pipe that you could walk through at a refinery, and everything in between. There are so many different types of pipes and ways to put the pipes together. I enjoyed running a job with 150 men or working with a couple wrenches and a crate of fittings, and everything in between.

One of the best things about being retired is the ability to travel. I am truly fortunate to have a sister-in-law who is particularly good at planning, travel events with the families. These trips included a wedding in Montana. That turned out to be a 10-day trip from Calgary to the Canadian Rockies, down to Montana through Glacier National Park and back up to Calgary. Other trips included several trips to California. Multiple trips to Florida. And trips to Ireland, England, and Scotland.

We recently were surprised with a trip to Finland by my daughter and daughter-in-law. My daughter-in-law is Finnish and we met with her family above the Arctic Circle. It was truly a winter wonderland and witnessing the northern lights was a dream come true.

I’m very lucky to be able to travel with my best friend, my wife Susan. Our travels are less structured. We have an end point and we meander and look for anything interesting or historical on the way. One of our first open-ended trips wound up being a two-month exploration. We drove for two weeks to Texas making it up as we went along. Then we spent two weeks exploring Texas using Susan‘s sister house outside of Austin as a base. We then traveled to the most southern point on the Gulf Coast in Texas. We proceeded to follow the coastline all of the way around to Florida then made our way back home. We did the drive to Texas again to watch the F1 races at the Circuit of Americas and made our way back to New Jersey finding new routes along the way.

One of my favorite trips was a bucket list item for me. It was the Buffalo Round-Up in Custer, South Dakota. My daughters surprised us with booking a stay. Susan and I made a two week drive to South Dakota. We drove up and through the Great Lakes and then wandered through the Midwest. Our daughters and their families met us in Rapid City. We spent over a week exploring everything from the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and up to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. After the Round-Up, the girls flew home and Susan and I drove a different route home. Taking another two weeks just exploring.

Writing this has given me a lot to reflect on and I am grateful for the time to look back on memories. These days, I’m keeping busy babysitting Princess Margaret and preparing for a wedding this fall and looking ahead to our 50th. Thank you again to Michael and everyone who made this possible.