Guttenberg residents Paul and Florence Friedman tell us that they both love the town of Guttenberg and the Hudson River views. Mrs. Friedman does most of the telling of their story:
Both lovebirds were born in Brooklyn. Florence achieved bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Brooklyn College and always wanted to be an English teacher. She received certification as a teacher of secondary education in English. She began teaching English at George Gershwin Junior High School in Brooklyn, and then went on to James Madison High School, also in Brooklyn, and retired from there. Her teaching career spanned 31 years. She taught an average of 34 students per class and sometimes even more. She said that she found it harder to work with the Board of Education in New York than with the students.
Florence said she met her husband Paul on a blind-date in 1977. A secretary at her office set her up on the date, making this a double-date, and things went well for them. Paul was a widower of 4 years when he met Florence. Paul has a daughter from his previous marriage named Barbara, and she lives in Sedona, Ariz. Florence tells us that she is the daughter of Belle and Irving Wernick, now deceased, and that she has a sister Lois who lives in Westchester County, New York.
The Friedman’s moved to Guttenberg in 1997 wanting to downsize their living space. They chose the town and the Galaxy because its quiet nature, and having Mayor Gerald Drasheff as a neighbor is a plus! Thus, choosing housing along Hudson County’s Gold Coast ended out as a wise community move, and they are both active in Condo Association activities.
Florence tells us her husband Paul was a travel agent for cargo before retiring, and now finds time to work as an artist/painter in his retirement. Her husband has achieved a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Fine Arts from Pratt University in New York. Paul also achieved a PHD in Fine Arts from Columbia University. An out-going person, Paul enjoys giving lectures on art.
They both like the opera, Broadway, plays, museums, travels up the Hudson River, classical and Dixieland jazz, along with the Big Band Sound of the 1940s, Broadway music, and Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and The Rat Pack days of music.
Their last wedding anniversary was on March 22, 2011. So next spring, 2012, is their next anniversary. To the Friedmans: All The Best!
The Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church’s Christian Foundations for Ministry Program in Secaucus has graduated Kim Meyer-Zoon, Linda Meyer, and Patricia Woeppler, and has expressed their appreciation to Archbishop John J. Myers of the Archdiocese of New Jersey for his support and encouragement. Congrats to all!
Yoandri R. Franklin, a past graduate of Emerson High School in Union City, has now graduated from Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, in Columbia, South Carolina. Best wishes to you!
Harsh Shah of North Bergen has enrolled at Rutgers University in New Brunswick as a Rutgers Presidential Scholar. Good wishes to you!
Latino college students Yaillen Hernandez and Wilson Martinez of North Bergen, Johan Zafra Lopez of Secaucus, Carlos Paniagua of Union City, and Joanna Rodriguez and Lucrisleyda Taveras of West New York, have all entered into the Latino Leaders Fellowship Institute sponsored by Rutgers University/Camden Campus. Best of luck to all!
We hear that former Mayor Stanley Iacono of Weehawken and former Hoboken Mayor Steve Cappiello were both seated along with Union City Deputy Mayor Nicholas Mastorelli during the induction of the Honorable William V. Musto Cultural Room, now housed in the Union City Free Public Library, quite recently! Great memories I’m positive!
Which leads us to some history. Before legendary mayor and State Sen. Bill Musto took the position of Hudson County Democratic party leader with Hoboken Mayor Steve Cappiello as the Hudson County Democratic Party Chairman in a “bloodless coup,” state Sen. Wally Shiel lost his party primary fight for senator in Jersey City, and had to give it up as well as his hope of becoming mayor of Jersey City. However, hesitantly, the Old Master Bill Musto called in Congressman Frank Guarini and asked him if he would support his congressional aide Neil Carroll of Bayonne for the party chairmanship as North Hudson County always did well with Bayonne pols.
For some reason, things could not solidify. Thus, the field was wide open for Musto, Cappiello, and even West New York legendary Mayor Anthony M. DeFino. But now, History Fast Forward, and you have Neil Carroll as the father-in-law to current Hudson County party chairman and Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith. It is amazing how history can in many ways almost repeat itself. However, a strong North Hudson Party really lies with the new mayor of West New York Dr. ! Will the “Smithsonians” and Mayor Roque come to some terms for a better party apparatus! Two Babes in the Woods, they are growing, and listening, more than you’ll know!
And so it goes … until next time …see you around town …MATT.
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