The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.
Sharing the man who taught me all I know about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness with you all is such a privilege. Getting to know him never gets old and it has been one of the greatest joys of my life to sit down with him and ask him about his life story.
Meet my grandfather, also known as “Poppy.”
The interview takes place in my grandfather’s home, a luxury condominium in Connecticut on the shore of the Long Island Sound. It’s adorned with coastal knick-knacks that could only be found at a vintage country store or in the basem*nt of your grandmother’s home. Sentimental photos of family members line the walls and childhood memorabilia lives in frames.
Poppy reclines his rocking chair, kicking his feet out and straightening out his glasses. He pauses his Investigation Discovery special and brings his eyes to me.
Tell me about your childhood. What did your parents do for work? What was a trait you admired in your father and in your mother? Who do you find yourself more similar to?
“I grew up on Haverford Street in the Spring Glen section of Hamden, CT and went to Spring Glen Elementary School. I went to Saint John the Baptist school for grades six through eight, and then to Hopkins Grammar School for my high school years. My father owned a shoe store and my mother worked at the store and at other retail establishments. My father was a hard worker and a quiet person. My mom was a good mother and working as a woman during this time was a rarity, so I give her a lot of props. Both provided well for myself, my brother and my sister. All three of us went to private high school and to college and were otherwise provided a good childhood by our parents. I am more similar to my father by being a hard worker.”
What is your favorite childhood memory?
“Riding my bicycle around the neighborhood after school.”
What was your first job and what did it entail?
“My first job was working at the Box Shop, which was a small company in New Haven. My job was to provide supplies to the women on the assembly line. The company’s main job was the packaging of Bic pens.”
Tell me a bit about your high school years. I know you loved sports. Which sport was your favorite and why? What do you think sports taught you?
“Hopkins Grammar School (HGS) was a small, private, and at the time all boys school, with many very smart, intelligent boys. My outlet and favorite part of HGS was sports. I participated in football, basketball and baseball. My favorite was basketball.I was captain of the basketball team in my senior year. That team was in the New England Prep School tournament.Sports taught me discipline and teamwork.”
Who was your high school best friend? Did you stay in touch as you got older?
“My closest friend in high school was Don Ferguson. He also lived on Haverford Street. He was killed in the Vietnam war.”
How did you meet Nana? Did you know she was the one when you met her?
“Nana was the daughter of my HGS basketball coach. While we knew of each other, we did not become a couple until after I graduated from high school.I must have known she was the one as we were married after a very short courtship!”
Did you want to go to college? Did you enjoy your college experience? What did you study?
“I went to college because it was the thing to do at the time. It turned into a very enjoyable experience. Studied accounting and spent time playing intermurals — touch football and basketball.”
How did you juggle being a husband, father, and a college student? Where did you and Nana live during your college years?
“We were married right before the start of my senioryear of college. We rented an apartment on Smith Street in North Providence. I studied and played intermural sports while Nana worked at an insurance agency. Nana became pregnant during that time and your mom was born several months after graduation.”
Do you remember buying your first house in adulthood? Where was it?
“We purchased our first house on May 26,1969. It was at 269 West Rock Avenue in the Westville section of New Haven.”
Who is/was your favorite influence? Why?
“The person with the most influence on my life was Jack Peters. He was my mentor in my early working years and my partner in T M Byxbee Company CPAs. We played softball together for many years. We socialized together. We were friends!”
What are you most proud of?
“I am most proud of being a successful accountant and being able to provide for my family.”
Obviously, I got a tattoo of your handwriting that reads “love you.” How did you feel when I got it?
“I was proud that you asked me to be part of something that means a lot to you.”
What values do you hope you instilled in your children and grandchildren?
“Love of family.”
You’ve lived a lot of life. What is one piece of advice you’d give me as I enter adulthood?
“Save money. Live within your means. Be financially responsible!!”
Sitting down with my Poppy and asking him about who he was as a child, a teen, a husband, a father, allowed me to better understand one of the most important people in my life. He shared stories with me that I will share with my own children, that they will one day share with theirs, and so on and so forth. Curiosity and conversation are what keep stories alive so I encourage you to sit down with your loved ones and just ask away. I can guarantee you’ll walk away with a fuller cup and all sorts of fun facts about your family tree.
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