Occupation: I’m a retired senior engineer from Pitney Bowes, where I was for 20 years. My earliest occupation was with Lorenzo’s Restaurant in Sandy Hook, as pizza chef, from 1948 to 1963. I served in the US Army in Korea from 1952 to 1953, followed by seven years at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford as flight test technician. I graduated in 1970 from the University of Bridgeport with a bachelor of science, electrical engineering. I worked at AMF’s Research Center in Stamford as assistant engineer and engineer. At Veeder Root in Hartford, I was engineering manager, prior to employment with Pitney Bowes. While there, I was awarded 16 US Patents. With a personal US Patent, I started Computime Corp. Between 1972 and 1993, I attended several Creative Problem Solving Institute seminars at the State University of New York in Buffalo, and taught several classes there. I became a Red Cross CPR instructor, EMT, and passed the State Police Auxiliary Police course. While chairman of the Lake Lillinonah Authority, I started the Lake Lillinonah Safety Patrol in 1972 and became chief of Marine Police on a part-time basis for 20 years.

Family: I have five daughters, four — Gwen, Joan, Debbie, and Cheryl — with my first wife of 13 years, one — Joy— with my second wife of 16 years. After the second divorce, I didn’t want any more marriages, until I renewed a relationship with my Newtown High School [Class of 1949] sweetheart, Joyce. That marriage is now in its 21st year, is great, and quite successful.

Pets: I have had several large dogs : Tipper, a shepherd-collie mix; Rex, a German shepherd; Sam, a Great Dane; Bubba, a mix; and our last dog, Russ, a pussy cat of a giant Doberman, that died about six years ago. We now have two cats, an outside tri-color name Comfrey, and a large, inside, black Maine Coon cat, named Manaq (Eskimo for “something black”). Comfrey boards with relatives when we go to Florida each winter, but Manaq drives with us. He loves to hunt in the garden area on our lanai, a big, screened area.

How long have you lived in Newtown? Prior to our move to Southbury, I lived in Sandy Hook from 1935 to 1967. I attended Sandy Hook School from 1939 to 1945, and graduated from Hawley High School, now Newtown High. My father started Lorenzo’s Restaurant in Riverside, Sandy Hook, in 1926. I worked there every summer until 1963.

What do you like to do in your free time? I spend a lot of time on my computer working with photographs, investments, and correspondence. I enjoy taking my children and grandchildren water skiing. I like to play horseshoes with friends. Just this year, I became a speaker for LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition), an organization that advocates decriminalization, legalization, and control of drugs. As such, I have testified at a legislative hearing in Hartford, and made a presentation to students at UConn. In Florida, I like to kayak, swim, and bike on some of Florida’s beautiful bike trails. We also like to entertain relatives and friends. I dabble in winemaking, from kits now. I tried to grow my own grapes for 20 years, but I got tired of fighting the mildew, insects, and birds. My other hobby is designing and building my home on Lake Lillinonah, which I hope to complete soon.

Do you have a favorite author? For fiction, I like Tom Clancy and James Patterson. Presently, I am very much interested in Richard Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? Aside from our annual trek to Florida, I like to visit my cousin in Rockport, Texas. He is now in his 90s, but can still play a great saxophone. He inspired me to take up the saxophone in my early 70s, which lately, I have neglected. He played in the Army Air Force Band in the late 1939s and 40s and thrilled me when he played during our visits. For foreign travel, we enjoyed visiting a family, whose daughter we hosted three summers, in the Basque country of Spain and Paris. We also visited Italy in a successful search for our roots. We plan on more roots searching next year, in Ireland. Another favorite domestic destination is Lake Powell, on the Arizona/Utah border. We have done three trips there, renting a houseboat for a fantastic week on the beautiful lake.

What is the best thing about Newtown? My memories of high school football, and camping on and swimming in Lake Zoar.

What environmental practice would you most like people to embrace? Quit smoking!

Do you have a personal philosophy? I was raised strict Catholic, and became an agnostic after my Army experience in Korea. Now, I am an atheist, believing in people. I strongly believe that religion is, and has been, the root cause of most of the world’s problems and atrocities.

What makes you happiest? Hosting the annual Leaps of Faith and Wounded Warriors programs with Joel Zeisler, here on Lake Lillinonah.