Life After Tappan Zee

Lynn Haring Ciganek
   
1961 Graduation Picture
Recent Picture

Born...well, we all know. May I say, tho, that I was a baby of 17 1/2 when I graduated TZ. Many of us were. December cutoff means many students aren't ready when they enter.

Born at Sloane Hospital in Manhattan.
Sloane torn down shortly thereafter.
Baptized at Dutch Reformed Church, Piermont.
Dutch Reformed Church burned down shortly thereafter.
Educated at TZHS, Piermont. TZHS torn down shortly thereafter.
Married at St John's R. C. Church, Piermont.
St John's R.C. Church burned down shortly thereafter.
Not dead yet, but LOOK OUT!!

1961 - Left college to marry. Moved with Bob to Bowling Green, Ohio where he was a student at BGSU.
1963 - Our son, Robert Paul was born.
1964 - Moved to Walden, NY where Dr. Moran was Superintendent of Schools. He hired Gene Martin, Joe Campoli and Bob that year. John Schmoll, Matt and Ed Rechtorovic and his wife, Ellen and Jim Becker followed. We soon had George and Adele (DeCarolis) Coates, Betty Lou Becker and her husband, Rod Clune and James Lignori with his wife, Geraldine Maiella . Bob became an English teacher at $5,000 per year.
1967 - Feb. bought an acre on Brown's Road.
1967 - Summer: Bob was given a grant to study at SUNY Oneonta. So beautiful, decided we needed to live there. Remembered that my parents would die without grandson. Stayed in Walden.
1968 - Second son, Brendan Frank was born.
1969 - Built Cape Cod style house on Brown's Road.
1973 - Sally Haring died. Horrible.
1976 - Frank Haring died. Horrible.
1979 - Bought 11 acres on mountain near Oneonta (20 miles from Cooperstown!) and commenced camping there.
1981-2001 - A series of campers on the property, besides tents.
1986 - We were able to go away for 5 weeks to the British Isles and the Netherlands. While in Scotland we discovered we were in time for the British Open and attended one day there, at Turnberry. I've never been so cold in July in my life. Loved every minute.
1990 - Photography became serious.
2001 - Built home in Oneonta. Now we can't move because of our own grandsons! Still most of the time in Walden.
2002 - Grandson Trevor Aedan Gray born. (Rob's)
2003 - Grandson Gavin Michael born. (Brendan's)
2004 - I'd say Photoshop is my first love but maybe not. Aedan and Gavin are the light of our lives. A reason to live. Bob is semi- retired, still working for the school. We run away to Oneonta when we can. We're there all summer and vacations. Usually one trip to coastal ME and one trip to Williamsburg happen, too.

Our high school years were some of the best of our lives and keeping in touch with friends from that time has been enriching. It's amazing what we retain from those years. Who knew we'd still be thinking about the teachers and friends we had, so many years ago. Obviously we kept in touch with Dr. Moran (Bob's boss!) And I kept in touch with Dr. Levesque, whom I so admired and felt close to for 4 years. What a great lady she is. And I still greatly prize the yearbook where Coach McMahon wrote that I was the best runner at TZ!!

Thru the years in Walden we always had 2 kids, 2 cats and 2 dogs. We're down to 1 cat and that's just right.

It's been great to grow old with Dr. Moran (Mrs. Moran hasn't grown old yet. Beautiful as ever). Seeing them and their beautiful family thru the years has been just wonderful. Bob, as Valley Central's Golf Coach had the Moran boys on his teams for a few years. We always won Section IX Golf during those years.

So we look forward to seeing our TZ buddies now that the kids are grown and gone. We got together in April 2004 with John and Maris (Holmes) Duggan and Sheila (Tumulty) Simpson and plopped ourselves on Morans' doorstep! What a great reunion that was. Sheila and Maris grew up together but hadn't seen each other since Maris' wedding. John and I grew up together and get to see each other once in a great while, which I enjoy immensely. He was the best brother a girl could have. Still is.

Best thing my parents did for me: Raising me in/on the Hudson River. Best gift they ever gave me (besides life): my slalom water ski. Man, was I cool with that. Wow, a place to put the other foot when skiing on one ski...nuthin' better than that on the whole river.

Best things I have now: Bob, Aedan and Gavin. What a life.

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