New neighbors and newlyweds in our fair city
By: Merle Citron
G-o-o-d morning, Lambertville, USA!
After too many years without "Chit-Chat" in The Beacon, this column is once again up and running, bringing you "all the local news that’s fit to print, and then some.
"In honor of the many "Chit-Chat" columns, which have appeared in The Beacon during the last 50 years, this one is dedicated to the memory of Jack and Joe Hazen, Lew Okenica and "Ducky" Matthews of gigantic tomatoes fame.
Since "Chit-Chat" last appeared in the Beacon, many new people have moved into our fair city. For example, Joan and Herb Spiegel bought a house on Clinton Street. From her backyard on the towpath, Joan told me, "I love living in Lambertville. We moved here a year ago from Yardley, and it’s great."
Joan ate her lunch as we spoke while her exhausted husband lay on the chaise lounge, resting after having built, installed and even painted his backyard fence. Nice job, Herb, and welcome to town.
A few blocks away live Lisa and John Allen, who bought the Huchet house located on York Street. Like the Spiegels, Lisa and John love living here.
Lisa was busily working around the yard when we spoke.
"John and I kept looking for the right house for three years before we finally found this one. It’s a great house in a great community."
Lisa, who travels a great deal for her job, and John, who is an architect, are working hard redesigning their new home. From the looks of things, they’re doing a great job.
Welcome to town, Lisa, John and Pepper, their ever-faithful dog.
Lots of Lambertvillians never leave town; they just move to new quarters. Mark Spencer and Andre Pourbaix have been living in Lambertville on North Franklin Street for nine years. Because they would never think of moving away from Lambertville, they recently sold their house and moved into another on North Union Street.
So did Catherine and Jim Mastrich, who grew out of their house on Clinton Street and are living in their newly renovated and much larger home on North Union Street.
Sarah Jane Burns is moving from North Union Street to her own home on Brunswick Pike. Sarah wants "Chit-Chat" readers to know that she is accepting contributions of garden and lawn equipment as well as mortgage payment help!
Since home buying can be a very stressful experience, Sarah is lucky to have Gaye Greenwald of North Union Street as her friend. Gaye is a great cook, serious gardener and proudly noted she is presently in charge of Sarah’s sanity.
Karen Ferry has lived in Lambertville for 10 years and last year, she bought a house on Swan Street. Karen is happy to report, "It’s been a great year with great neighbors!"
Marc Reed, Lambertville artist, and his wife, Michelle, have made the big move from renting an apartment in town to buying their first home on North Main Street. Congratulations and lots of luck!
Some folks don’t move, they just remodel like Dan Scanlon on Clinton Street or Penny White on York Street. It all boils down to living in a town that we love.
Speaking of love, since I haven’t mentioned one word about marriage, it’s time to do so. It’s going on everywhere, right under our noses.
Shaaron Warne, who recently bought a house on Coryell Street, is engaged to be married to Bill Mueller, who gave Shaaron a beautiful engagement ring, which, to my way of thinking, is a suitable offering. Shaaron and Bill plan to be married Oct. 7.
Marriage fever has spread to Bridge Street, too. It is especially powerful at Sneddon’s, affecting quite a few members of their great staff. Maybe it’s something in the water.
Tuesdee Sneddon Fleming, daughter of Jackie and John Sneddon, got married last January to Bob Fleming. Now Terry Smith and Scott Kintzel are getting married Oct. 21. Scott is Joyce Kintzel’s nephew.
And if that’s not enough to make the wedding band industry shiver with glee, Claire Stra and Sam Jefferis, who have been together forever, tied the knot under a football goal post July 22. Sneddon’s staff were all in attendance at the wedding with the women dressed as cheerleaders, doing their special cheers for the newlyweds.
Around the corner at Ennis’s, Mary Catherine Gaspari, who has patiently waited on everyone for more than 20 years, just got married to Timmy Smith. Mary Catherine and Timmy have been in love since the seventh grade, and, 16 years later, they finally said, "I do."
Mary Catherine has decided to keep her name rather than change it to Smith.
The fever continues, and this time it’s the doctors marrying each other. Well-known Lambertville artist/psychologist Dr. Ed Adams will wed Dr. Marilee Goldberg, psychologist, in Sienna, Italy, this September. Ed and Marilee fell in love with Sienna when they vacationed in Tuscany, and they know that this medieval Italian city is the perfect place for their wedding. It all sounds very romantic. Best of luck to all the newlyweds.
Some folks have lived in our fair city for quite a while, and they remember "Chit-Chat" with fondness, especially Annette Tillett and Mary McLoughan, who now work at the Cherry Street branch of United National Bank. After working in the banking industry for more than 15 years, we won’t see Annette’s smiling face cashing our checks anymore. From now on, she’s going to be a part-time secretary for the Lambertville Police Department. Sounds like a pretty safe job, Annette.
While we spoke, Mary was very quiet, then she let me know in no uncertain terms that she wouldn’t tell me anything for fear I’d print it. She’s right!