At age 79, Quail Hollow Senior Living Community resident Sarwar Kashmeri has achieved stunning success in his career and gained not only national recognition, but international acclaim, as well.

Sarwar Kashmeri is an international relations specialist, author, and commentator, noted for his expertise on U.S. global strategy and national security. He is the host of Polaris-Live, featuring 30-minute live conversations on the business and geopolitical impact of China’s rapid rise to superpower status. 

He is the author of the Foreign Policy Association report The Telegram: A China Agenda for President Biden (2021). China’s Grand Strategy: Weaving A New Silk Road to Global Primacy (Praeger) – his third book – was published in July  2019. It is a centennial book of the Foreign Policy Association where Sarwar is a Fellow. He is also an Applied Research Fellow of the Peace and War Center of Norwich University in Vermont. 

The above is a short list of Sarwar’s background. At this point, he shows no indication of slowing down for the conventional role of retiree. 

“I am far from retired in the sense of playing golf. I will continue to teach an annual spring course in the Dartmouth’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, an organization that I believe is an incredible asset to the Upper Valley. How they do so much with a limited staff is a miracle. They have spoken to audiences virtually around the US about my thoughts on the most consequential relationships of our time.”

Sarwar was born in Bombay, India. His father was a screenplay writer in the Indian movie industry, also known as “Bollywood,” and scripted over 75 films. His mother was a social worker. His wife of 40 years, Deborah Ellis, was a renowned watercolor and fiber artist who had displayed her work in several galleries including Manhattan, Briarcliff Manor, Woodstock, and several other venues and was a juried artist at the N.H. League of Craftsman. Sadly, she passed away in 2018. Sarwar now shares his condo with his best friend and companion, a three-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback named Gazi.

It is a long way from Bombay to West Lebanon, but Sarwar and Deborah completed the journey in style. He explains how they settled in Quail Hollow. “Deborah’s parents had left us their farm in Reading, VT. We lived then in Mt. Kisco, NY and came to the farm as often as we could. After I sold my business in New York City, we moved up full time to the farm. Deborah was a full-time water colorist and we had animals on the farm. Easy commute to NYC and Washington DC or from Boston to longer distances. The internet made it all possible. As my wife got progressively sicker, the 200-year-old farm got to be too much, and we moved to Quail Hollow.”

Sarwar noted that the lifestyle in the Upper Valley proved to be a great fit for the couple. “Here, we are close to nature, pretty villages, an easy drive to Boston (where Deborah was from), and to New York (where my professional associations are), quite intellectual and friendly people, and of course the organization Osher.”

Sarwar is adapting to a new world that arrived with the pandemic. His mission in life is to continue going forward.

“If there is one message I’d like to leave for your readers,” Sarwar said, “it is that they have a competitive asset that their younger colleagues don’t – the perspective of longevity and all the dots that they can connect to add perspective. In Robert Frost’s words: And miles to go before I sleep; And miles to go before I sleep.”

Eugene Chabot, 102 Receives Lebanon’s Boston Post Cane

The day following Mr. Chabot’s birthday (Thanksgiving 2020), representatives of the Lebanon Historical Society called upon him at his residence on Lily Lane in the in West Lebanon to present him with the City’s Boston Post Cane in recognition of his becoming the City’s oldest resident.

Chabot was born November 26, 1918 in Paquette, Quebec which borders Pittsburg, NH. He was raised on his family’s dairy farm where he worked until 1936 when he moved to Berlin, NH as an employee of the Brown Paper Company mill for the next 24 years.

The next move brought him to the Upper Valley with his bride, Theresa Dube, whose Berlin family relocated to Hanover, then Lyme and Plainfield. Eugene and Theresa roosted in Hanover, where he landed a job as the baker for Mary Hitchcock Hospital while they began their family in 1948. They were blessed with three children; Delores, Lorraine, and Donald. They crossed town lines to settle on Peabody Street in Lebanon in 1949.

The ever-active Eugene decided he enjoyed mechanical work and commenced working in a series of local Lebanon garages (one was Thompson’s) before being hired by the Town of Hanover’s Highway Department where he worked from 1957 to 1981 and where he retired as a foreman.

What do you do when you’re youthful and active? Well, you walk (at least two miles a day) and grow food, leading him to the obvious solution: go back to farming at Edgewater Farms in Plainfield, a long-time source of the fresh vegetables that kept him healthy. He became a virtual member of the farm family till age 89 when he suffered major loss of eyesight. Several operations didn’t help. Not only did it curb the work in the gardens he so enjoyed, but hunting and fishing were out as was his other hobby of making quilts (some of which were sold in the Edgewater store). He proudly calculates that he made 117 quilts.

In 2012, Eugene and Theresa moved into a senior living apartment where she passed away in 2016. His pleasures in life were reduced to walking and spending time with his family. Slowly, the walking has been curtailed. But, his wonderful sense of humor, friendly banter, and fond memories remain. Heck, he remembers the day he was born – and his mother bundling him up and walking him over to the church to be baptized the next day – and then her going off to work and leaving him to care for a younger sibling when he was six. That’s when he learned to cook – she taught him and he’s loved it ever since.

They can’t take those recollections away. Nor can they remove that of which he is most proud: his US citizenship which he earned back in 1968. And that wonderful sense of humor.

 “Did you ever stray across the border into the USA before you became a citizen?” “Why, of course! If I were chasing a moose you don’t think I would let a little thing like a border get in the way!”

And when he was politely asked to relinquish the gold-headed cane he had just been presented so it could be returned for the safekeeping of the Lebanon Historical Society, it had to be teasingly wrestled from his hands. A man for all seasons doesn’t lose his grip just because he’s turned 102.

If you were to write the autobiography of Lebanon resident Gene Yeates and take it to a Hollywood film producer, you might be met with a bit of skepticism.

“How can one individual accomplish all that in the course of one lifetime?” they would ask. The truth sometimes is indeed stranger than fiction! In the case of Gene Yeates, he leaves a legacy of incredible service fueled by patriotism and dedicated service to this great country we can call home. Just saying “thank you for your service” may not be sufficient in Gene’s case.

It will take a bit of time to dive into Gene’s incredible contribution, so read carefully. Gene was awarded the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal by the Director of Central Intelligence in 1995. He was born and raised in Minneapolis and was a resident of Orford, NH since 2000 before moving to Lebanon in 2017. He is a graduate of the Blake School, Harvard College, George Washington University, and the National War College. He worked nearly 50 years in the fields of intelligence and national security, including 30 years with the National Security Agency (NSA).

Gene with President George H.W. Bush in the Oval Office

In 1992, Gene was appointed by President George H.W. Bush as Executive Director of the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board in the White House and was asked to stay on in that position by President Bill Clinton where he remained until 1995. Some key positions he held at NSA included: Chief, Office of Legislative Affairs; Director of Policy; and Associate Deputy Director of Operations. He also served with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon and the Director of Central Intelligence’s staff in Washington, DC.

With all that behind him, how did this dedicated servant end up living in Lebanon? That is also an incredible saga by itself!

“I had an old friend who had graduated from Dartmouth College and he had first exposed me to this area,” Gene explained. Both of our wives were also longtime friends so when retirement arrived, we purchased homes ironically right next to one another in Orford, NH. Mine had been the former parsonage of the Congregational Church. We had to completely restore that before we moved in. Even though I came from Minnesota, I had always thought about retirement in New England to be close to our two daughters.”

At that point, life took a sadden detour for Gene and his best friend. Within a relatively short period of time both gentlemen lost their wives to lingering illnesses.

“There we were,” said Gene. “Two widowers living side-by-side in these beautiful homes. I finally put mine up for sale and moved to an apartment in Lebanon. I simply love the Upper Valley and all it has to offer. I currently serve as Chairman of Governance Committee for OSHER at Dartmouth College. This area has so much to offer!”

Gene as a young Naval officer

While reviewing Gene’s incredible career, one particular incident in American History stands out above all the others. On May 1, 1960 a U2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defense while performing photographic reconnaissance for the United States deep in Soviet territory. That incident caused great embarrassment to the United States and marked deterioration in relations between the two countries. Gene saw the historic moment first-hand while serving as a Naval Officer at NSA.

“I was one of the very few Americans who knew what was going on while the event was actually occurring,” Gene said. “I participated that night in the preparation of the report that informed the CIA, the mission’s sponsor, along with the Defense Department, the State Department and the White House, as to what was happening. This was a heady and very educational experience for a young naval officer!”

These days, at the age of 84, Gene shows very little sign of slowing down, and he is known for his welcoming, warm smile that is capable of lighting up an entire room. He also has the reputation of a superb tennis player who loves the game with a true passion.

It is approximately 3600 miles from London, England to Lebanon, New Hampshire, but 83-year old Derek Sturges has covered that distance with ease and added that number of miles ten fold during his absolutely incredible lifetime. After a visit with Derek, you may conclude that
perhaps he hasn’t completed that journey quite yet.

Derek Sturges, ever a student of the world

Derek was born in Southgate, England, a suburban area just North of London but has spent most of his working career in the United States as a highly sought after Electrical Engineer. The well-traveled gentleman now resides at the Quail Hollow Senior Living Community in West Lebanon and after visiting exotic locations worldwide, he explains how this area was his choice in retirement.

“I have a son, David, who lived in Grantham, N.H. and has recently moved to Lebanon. I had other options with family to seek a retirement community in Atlanta, GA or Boston, MA. After looking at the pace of life in Atlanta and Boston along with the insane traffic and congestion involved in those areas, I came to the Quail Hollow community in West Lebanon. Once I looked at this area, I breathed a huge sigh of relief! This suited me very well.”

Derek is known to his fellow Quail Hollow residents as that nattily dressed gentleman with the soft English accent who will spend countless coffee hours sharing his fascinating stories about his life experiences. Here are some of the reasons why those tales have gained so much interest.

After graduating from high school in England, Derek was drafted into the Royal Air Force and

Derek as a student at Oxford

served from 1953-55. That proved to be a fortuitous move. “I always had a vested interest in aviation so that move suited me. Fortunately for me, England at the time was not at war with anyone so it was very peaceful tour of duty!” he added with a chuckle.

From there, Derek began his educational conquests by enrolling at the University of Oxford in his native England which is considered one of the most prestigious Universities in the world. He acquired what was termed a Bachelor of Arts in those days studying Physics. From there he moved to the United States to take a teaching assistant position at the University of Minnesota from 1958-1965.

“I really enjoyed everything about the University of Minnesota very much. I especially loved the atmosphere surrounding the community. I then went on to get my MS Degree in Physics and later my PHD in Electrical Engineering. I consider myself very lucky to have the connection with the University of Minnesota.”

From there Derek returned to native England to take a teaching, testing and research position at Birmingham University. After a three-year stint there he faced a difficult decision for his future.

“I was married and with family considerations. You have to realize the standard of living in England is much lower than here in the United States. The difference in earnings was considerable so I kind of ‘sold out,’ if you will, and returned to America. I was very happy with that decision, especially financially.”

Back in the USA, Derek took a position with the General Electric Corporation in Lynn, MA to tackle non-destructive engineering. He was then transferred to the Aircraft Division and was named as a Traveling Consultant. That position literally took him all over the world to such countries such as Australia, Germany, Sweden and Italy to name a few. His visit to Italy had a huge impact. “There was a gentleman in Milan, Italy who traced my English family history and, to my shock and amazement, I discovered I had an Italian great grandfather and, in addition, I met a living cousin in that village that I had no idea I had. What an experience!”

In addition to his incredible life story, Derek is an avid photographer and has acquired working knowledge of the French, Italian, German, Danish, and Swedish languages. Stop by and chat with him sometime, but allow ample time, as his stories will keep you mesmerized!

With everyone living longer, healthier lives these days we often quote that old cliché that “age is just a number.” That bit of wisdom is quickly becoming a way of life for many seniors and George Beals Schaller provides a shining example.

Mr. Schaller is a German-born (Berlin, Germany) American mammalogist, biologist, conservationist, and author. His complete résumé runs about six pages long and is recognized by many as the world’s preeminent field biologist, studying wildlife throughout Africa, Asia and South America. He has published countless books and articles dealing with wildlife conservation, and is particularly recognized for his studies of the Mountain Gorilla. He currently resides with his wife Kay at the Quail Hollow Senior Living Community in West Lebanon, N.H.

National Book Award winner:
The Year of the Gorilla

Here is a list of some of the awards garnered in his distinguished career: National Geographic Lifetime Achievement Award; Guggenheim Fellowship; World Wildlife Fund  Gold Medal; International Cosmos Prize (1996); Tyler Prize for Environment Achievement; National Book Award and Indianapolis Prize.

At the age of 84 and all those prestigious accomplishments behind him, George shows little sign of taking a breather or slowing down. Currently, his travel plans to more exotic locations have been placed on a temporary hold as he explains.

“On a recent trip to the Himalayas mountain range in India, the driver of my vehicle was going too fast over a rough stretch of road and the bouncing around gave me a bad bone bruise on my hip,” he stated with a grimace. “Now I have to delay my plans to travel abroad until next year and that is most disappointing.”

Those who know him realize his zest for life and working with others in the field of world-wide conservation remains a burning passion and that his injury will not block his path for long. It would be difficult to calculate the number of miles he has traveled over the world.

“I don’t care for the actual traveling part of my work. That is tedious. I prefer to just be there, thank you! The actual traveling makes it difficult to stay mentally and physically sharp. Again, traveling itself is no fun. I also do not care for ‘adventures.’ If you are on what they call an adventure, that means you have screwed up somewhere! I like things precise and organized.”

George’s research and work with Mountain Gorillas has served to be one of his favorite endeavors over the years. That research has gained him high praise from fellow conservationists. His book, The Mountain Gorilla: Ecology and Behavior published in 1963, first conveyed to the general public just how profoundly intelligent and gentle gorillas really are.

Mark, Kay, Eric and George Schaller, circa 1970, near
Ryegate, Vermont

“No one who looks into a gorilla’s eyes and can see the intelligence, gentlest and how vulnerable they are can remain unchanged for the gap between ape and human vanishes. We know that the gorilla still lives within us. Do gorillas recognize this ancient connection?” George asks.

He has also gained somewhat controversial notoriety for his research in the very popular search for Bigfoot. George is one of the few prominent scientists who argues that Bigfoot reports are worthy of serious study.

What appears to be a Bigfoot imprint acquired in India

“It is very difficult to prove something does not exist,” George explained. “There is no short term solution. It takes a very long time to study. It has been proven, however, that there are still unknown big animals roaming remote regions in the world.”

With all that he has accomplished, George was hard pressed to rate his favorite memory of his travels and experiences.

“How do you determine what is more enjoyable, sitting on a ledge with a Mountain Gorilla in the Himalayas or watching a 1000 Wildebeests cross the Serengeti plains?”

George and Kay moved from Connecticut to West Lebanon to be near their son Eric who is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College. They have another son, Mark, who is a Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C.

Former Lebanon History Teacher’s True Passion

Art Pease taught History for 36 years at Lebanon High School from 1971-2007 and now at the tender age of 70, he has entered the world of retirement. He has never shaken his passion for the events that make up our history, however, especially history related to Lebanon and its surrounding communities.

You might say that Art went full circle in his lifetime from teaching history to becoming a student of history. Researching tidbits of information of an historical event and sharing what he discovers with future generations has become an obsession. Art was born in Orford, N.H. and credits his mother with introducing him to the intriguing world of reading and history.

“We lived on a farm in Orford in those days, and my mother was an avid reader and very interested in history. She was also a dedicated collector and I recall going with her to the dump and scrounging around looking for bottles and other collectibles. You might say scrounging is in my genes!” Art explained.

These days Art has discovered that “scrounging” for historical memorabilia has become a lot easier with today’s sophisticated research tools including computer access to the entire world. Research on any subject is just a key tap away.

“There are so many resources available these days that it is incredible. I have used about every possible method including the census reports, books, an atlas, the computer and even a detailed map collection done by Dave Miller that not only lists the past Lebanon streets, but the names of the families that lived in each house. It is all there if you do your homework. Ed Ashey, the Lebanon Historical Society curator, and I often cross paths when seeking out historic memorabilia and we often bid on the same items at auctions.”

When Art looks back on his days of teaching Lebanon High School students, he points out that he took various approaches to getting the message across to young minds.

“To me, the study of history should be like a trivial pursuit contest. It should be just plain fun and entertaining at the same time. Back in 1971, I used to teach nine-week courses, so I tried to keep the students interested and I adopted a style based on story telling rather than just roll out facts. I told them to be skeptical about historic facts. Skeptical, but not cynical. I reminded them that sometimes we don’t learn the right lessons from history. What could I learn from studying an historic event?”

Art admits that reading is another of his established passions and, true to form, historical publications top the list… or fiction that is based on history.

“I love to read everything, but non-fiction is my favorite, and always has been. I read fiction novels with a historic background or theme and find them interesting. American History has also been my primary focus, as well. When it is said and done, one thing about studying history is that specific facts are critical and these days you can look them up faster than someone can make them up!” he exclaimed with a hearty laugh.

A self-proclaimed Civil War “buff” as well, Art is right at home in Lebanon where the Soldiers Memorial Building on North Park Street is located. This beautiful structure was built from 1886-1890 by the Civil War Veterans as a memorial to their fallen comrades and as a free public library.

Art will remain on his mission to reveal facts and articles from Lebanon’s history, and currently he has been donating many priceless artifacts to the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce and the Lebanon Historic Society. He has the past well covered, but how does he feel about the future of Lebanon?

“Well, as far as physical expansion of Lebanon, that will be limited by the current layout without room to expand acreage. However, Lebanon remains the hub of the Upper Valley and going forward I see surrounding communities benefiting from increased employment created by expanding and new businesses settling in the area. That will be a key factor in the future.”

At age 80, West Lebanon resident Robert Camarra, who lives at the Quail Hollow Senior Living Community, can sit comfortably by the fireplace and reminisce about a sterling career that saw him not only protecting the United States of America faithfully, but also making the states of Vermont and New Hampshire safe places to live and raise a family.

As a young man right out of high school at the tender age of 17, Robert enlisted in the United Sates Army and was assigned to a Military Police unit to receive full training in that field. Upon his discharge 12 years later, he returned home to New Hampshire and, following a few stints as a police officer for local municipalities, he was accepted as a New Hampshire State Trooper. That was only the beginning of an incredible career in law enforcement.

Robert Camarra as a New Hampshire trooper

“After three years as a New Hampshire State Trooper, my wife was offered a very attractive position in the St. Johnsbury, Vermont, area,” Robert explained. “She really wanted that job, so I put in a call to a Commander in the Vermont State Police organization, and after a lot of calls and paper work, I was accepted by that organization and we moved to Danville, Vermont. As far as I can, tell I was perhaps the only person to have served as a State Trooper in both states to this day.”

Robert was born in Watertown, Mass., but moved to Tilton, N.H., when he was three years old. After serving a three-year stint in the Military Police as a young man, his journey took a twist.

“For whatever reason, I asked to transfer from the Military Police to go into an infantry unit based in Hawaii.  Still don’t know why I did that! Anyway, one day they asked for volunteers to take an Ocean Life Guard course. I raised my hand and found myself training and becoming a lifeguard. That did not turn out so badly however. I found myself working right on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii! That wasn’t too bad, as I said.”

However, when Robert returned state side and assumed his New Hampshire State Trooper position, the island paradise was a distant memory. He was quick to point out that back in those days a Trooper’s duties and work conditions were a far cry from these times.

Robert in his Army uniform in Hawaii

“Back in those days a Trooper was assigned to cover a vast area, and there were very few of us. We were spread out over rural countrysides as well as the main highways. We were based out of our home and dispatched from there. I recall one time when the dispatcher called me and indicated that, due to illness, vacations, etc., I would be the only Trooper on duty for a massive part of the North Country. I didn’t feel completely alone. If I put out an ‘Officer Need Assistance’ call, local police and even a Game Warden would respond. Once I even had a truck driver stop to see if he could help.”

Robert explained that early in his career he learned to adopt a philosophy that would enable him to enforce the law while avoiding violent confrontations. That paid lasting dividends in his chosen profession.

“During my career I recall only having to draw my gun on about three occasions,” Robert indicated. “I had met a State Trooper Lieutenant who I liked and respected very much. He told me that talking was the major tool that a Trooper could use when confronting law breakers. He told me that talking to them and showing respect would play a key role. I have always adopted that tactic with success.”

Robert today

Of course Robert had another ace up his sleeve, as well, that gave him a feeling of confidence. He is a martial arts expert and holds a third-degree belt in karate.

“Yes, I found those skills very helpful,” he said. “At one time, I taught karate right here in Lebanon and other local communities. I also held classes for many local police departments.”

Today Robert looks back at the old days with a smile on his face. An interesting man who has served well. Oh, did we mention that once during his career as a Military Police Officer he served as a personal body guard for an American singing icon named Elvis Presley? Just one of his incredible experiences he gladly shares in his retirement.

I’d no more than joined the Lebanon Historical Society when they appointed me curator,” says Ed Ashey, who is also Lebanon’s City Historian, the man in charge of fielding questions about Lebanon’s past. Though not formally trained in museum work, Ed says, “I have gone to museums forever. I knew you needed accession numbers on things, records of the donor, condition, and so forth.” He’s worked hard going through piles of photos and other records, often posting pictures on the group’s website, LebanonNHHistory.org, or on the Facebook page “You know you grew up in the Upper Valley if…”

Ed’s interest in history started when he was “just a little kid. I read books on Greek and Roman history but I knew I’d never go over there,” so his interest in that region faded. The taste for history remained and became an interest in the early days of New England. Ed became good friends with Robert Leavitt and his grandfather. “They had museums in their own home! Old muskets, Civil War things like uniforms, photos, and diaries.”

Back in his childhood, in the 1940s, Ed says, “there was an open dump in West Lebanon. If someone dumped something like a box of photos, or scrapbooks, or even photo albums, people would pull it out and take it to Leavitt because they knew he was interested. Now stuff like that is just gone.” Much of what the Lebanon Historical Society now owns was collected by the Leavitts.

Ed was born in West Newbury, Vt. His father worked as a farmhand, but it was a poor way to make a living. After a period at the Haverhill town farm, the family moved to a transient camp in Lebanon, but they didn’t need to stay there long, thanks to the local woolen industry.

Ed’s father found a job in a woolen mill off Mechanic Street. Ed and his two younger brothers grew up in a big apartment building on Mechanic Street where Kleen Laundry is now. Sometimes Ed would take his father’s lunch down to him, walking among the huge looms. “They wouldn’t allow that nowadays!” he laughs, but he was careful to keep hands and clothes away from the busy machines.

In some mills, the machines were powered by belts that ran off one long drive shaft. If one of the bearings supporting the shaft needed replacing the whole operation had to be shut down; the shaft was slid out as far as the bad bearing, and then slid back through again. It was a time-consuming and tricky operation. A local person came up with the idea of a bearing that could be opened up to fit over the shaft, a “split ball-bearing,” enabling major savings in maintenance.

The Mascoma River provided power for many of the mills in the early years, but in the 1940s and ’50s they were coal-powered. Ed remembers how his mother would hang sheets out overnight to dry and find them tinged with soot in the morning. Railroad engines also spewed soot.

Ed himself worked from an early age, with a paper route as a young boy and then a part-time job in a department store. Later he worked at the Baltic Mill in Enfield, but found the workers a very tight-knit group. It was hard to get along, being an outsider. Finally he quit. He was getting ready to apply for unemployment when he was offered a job selling clothes. “I can’t even buy my own,” he objected, and instead found a position doing sales, delivery, and repairs with Western Auto, a hard-goods department store.

Eventually Ed decided to go out on his own with Ed’s Bike and Sports Shop, which was located next to the now-closing-but-for-many-years-a-local-landmark store, Hirsch’s. The advent of big box stores—themselves now struggling against internet sales—made running a small specialty store untenable. Ed returned to Western Auto and then moved to Wilson Tire, working as a manager. He’s a little hazy on the dates of some of these endeavors, admitting “my hard drive is overloaded.”

Ed with his brothers in the 1940s; David Pardoe taking the tour with Ed Ashey; Ed as a youngster on the town; the Marion Carter House, view from the main entrance.

A major trauma in Ed’s life was the loss in 2006 of his wife, Beverly. Her parents may have been less than thrilled when Ed first appeared. “I had a license, and I was driving around picking up girls,” he reminisces with a sly grin. “She lived over in White River Junction, what we called ‘White Town.’” A point of contact with the older generation was Beverly’s grandfather, who was a railroad man. Ed had always been interested in trains.

The couple were married more than 50 years, and Ed tasted despair with her death. His children swung into action, keeping frequent contact. “They got me going again, so I could take an interest again,” he recalls with gratitude.

One of the changes Ed brings up when talking about Lebanon and environs is the loss of farms. “I remember when there were farms everywhere,” he says, “but now they’re smaller—farmers can’t afford the huge parcels they’d need to compete. The Patch family sold their herd this year,” he adds in a tone of regret.

Still, anyone as deeply knowledgeable about the city’s history as Ed is knows that the only constant is change. He would love to see a larger and more active membership in the city’s historical society, which is small “even though dues are amazingly cheap—$10 a year.”

Ed shows a visitor around the Marion Carter house off Colburn Park near the AVA Gallery and Art Center. Marion was the wife of H.W. Carter, the hugely successful 19th-century manufacturer of sturdy work clothes who gave his name and support to various community ventures. “He was known as ‘the Prince of Merchants,’” says Ed.

The AVA Gallery building was his factory. The house still displays Marion’s furnishings, including mementos of her travels, which included a trip to Europe and travels in the American West, where she admired and ordered Asian furniture and artifacts.

Nifty items abound in the house, where the historical society holds its monthly meetings. In a shed off the kitchen are the large doors where the ice deliveryman loaded the icebox; inside that same icebox displays dressier doors for the household staff. The second floor includes display cases of Lebanon historical items. A very large framed hair wreath shows the artful weaving of flowery designs that Victorians developed into an art for memorializing dead relatives. Myriad other items catch the eye and the imagination. The Carter House is the property of a trust. It’s not practical to open it as a museum. Even student groups cannot be guided through; many rooms are too small for the usual class size, with fragile items in open displays.

The historical society would love to have a building of its own to use as a museum, but lacks funds or personnel for such an undertaking. For now, discovering Lebanon history can best be accomplished by joining the enthusiasts conversing online and at the historical society.

Laughter is indeed the best medicine

George Bernard Shaw and West Lebanon’s Margaret (Maggie) Tangway may have never crossed paths during their lifetime, but the legendary Irish playwright, critic and polemicist wrote a quotation that was tailor-made for the incomparable 93-year-old diva.

“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.”

A sense of humor and making others laugh have been a mainstay for Maggie who has resided at the Quail Hollow Senior Living Community since 2010. Those traits carried the lively lady through a stint as an Ensign in the United States Navy during War World II. It also guided her through the painful loss of her husband and soul mate Jean Tangway, who had also served during World War 11 and had survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Later she would suffer a parent’s worse nightmare, the tragic loss of her son Phillip, to a cancerous brain tumor. Through it all, it was her love of humor that served as a crutch over that rough terrain.

“Yes, I am 93 years old and proud of it!” Maggie exclaimed. “I am not ashamed of it in the least. I have a love of life and especially love to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine I know. I have always looked at the humorous side of life. It’s who I am.”

These days Maggie continues to practice what she preaches. She is well known for her performances where she plays the organ and dishes out one-liners that bring the house down. In addition, every Wednesday afternoon she opens her home to fellow Quail Hollow residents (and anyone in the vicinity) for a concert of favorite melodies from days gone by.

“I would not like to live next door to me, would you?” she asks with a devilish grin.

Recently she and a few of her cohorts staged a comedy routine entitled “Maddie and Paddie” playing the part of a married couple dining out for the evening and encountering a surly waiter. The skit had the audience roaring with laughter and Maggie was in her element.

“I love to entertain. I think it’s good for me and good for them. Sometimes during my concerts, I’ll have them dancing in the hallway. It’s such a great feeling to see them laugh and smile.”

Maggie simply has a fascinating background that possesses a solid connection with Lebanon, N.H. She was a graduate of Lebanon High School with the class of 1940. Originally born in Boston, MA in 1922, her parents moved to the Upper Valley and bought a farm in East Plainfield.

“After we made that move, I had to ask myself, What have my parents done to me? Here I am a city girl now living on a farm with no electricity, no running water and an outhouse! You want to talk about a culture shock. But, then again, my life has always been a bit different.”

After graduating from high school, Maggie was accepted at the Peter Brigham School of Nursing affiliated with the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston which was founded in 1913. From there she was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and served a three-year stint during World War II.

“My husband Jean had been discharged before the end of my service commitment so we had a different arrangement. While on active duty, I would come home on leave to visit him. Usually it was the other way around with couples.” she chuckled.

The Tangways’ military service made a lasting impression.

“Every year Jean and I would return to Hawaii and visit Pearl Harbor. He lost many of his shipmates during the Japanese attack and it was always a very tearful experience for us. But it was a trip we tried not to miss.”

After leaving the Navy, Maggie continued her career in nursing which had always been one of her passions.

“I worked at many different hospitals specializing in geriatrics. I have always enjoyed helping others and nursing made that possible. The nursing profession offers the most compassion.”

Maggie and Jean were married in 1946 and had three children, Nancy, Barbara, and Phillip. The two girls are now in their 60s while Philip was recently lost to a brain tumor. Jean passed away in 1995.

To get a proper perspective on Maggie’s 93 years on this earth, consider this… The year she was born (1922) the following events took place: The first edition of the Reader’s Digest was published; Mussolini became the leader of Italy; Construction began on Yankee Stadium; Joseph Stalin was appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party.

To Maggie, those are only facts in a history book. Age is only a number and it has become irrelevant. If you need a good laugh, stop by her home or take in one of her concerts. The conversation will usually start by her declaring, “Stop me if you’ve heard this one.”

A Photographer to the Music Legends

Photographer John Lee

At age 71, professional photographer John Lee is now retired and living at the Quail Hollow Senior Living Community in West Lebanon, NH. When he sits down to reminisce about his fascinating career as a professional photographer, musician and graphic designer, he not only invokes fond memories, but shares stunning photographs of some of the giants of the music industry.

After working in Nashville, Tennessee for 37 years John had established himself as the “go-to guy” when it came to photographing the national music scene and its giant super stars. Who else could state that they had lunch with the late Elvis Presley and his manager Colonel Tom Parker? How about the ability to call Country Western music legend Willy Nelson a personal friend? It was a breath-taking career that often took more turns than a Vermont scenic back road.

“I always had an interest in photography and considered it a real art form,” John explained. “I completed Art School at the New Phoenix School of Design in New York and got hired as a graphic designer by IBM at their corporate headquarters in Armonk, N.Y. While doing that, I got drafted into the United States Army where I was assigned as photographer for their various publications. While stationed in Germany, I was assigned five photographers to oversee.”

Upon completion of his military obligation, John’s love of music and photography took him straight to Nashville. It was a solid decision.

“While in the Army, I had been doing some freelance work with my photography and established contacts in the music business. I would photograph concerts and contribute to music publications. It wasn’t just Country Western performers that I concentrated on, but Rock ’n Roll, as well. I had the opportunity to photograph the Rolling Stones and The Who in concert, among others. That started to open doors.”

Once John became a fixture in the Nashville music scene, he quickly discovered that reaching out to the management of these famous entertainers was a formidable task with numerous obstacles. Basically, it boiled down to who you knew and how connected you became.

“The funny thing about the people who managed these music stars was the fact that they didn’t always put a lot of emphasis on the actual talent of a photographer. They would have friends that knew someone who took photos to do the work as a favor. Frankly, a lot of that work was terrible. I got established by selling my work to musical publications like the Country Music Magazine or the Vintage Guitar Magazine. That made all the difference in the world. People got to see my talent published and would ask specifically for me.”

There is a saying in life that “timing is everything.” John can relate to that old axiom. His arrival on the Nashville music scene coincided with the rapid rise in popularity of Country Western Music and the Rock ’n Roll scene as well.

“Things were happening so quickly in the music business that the demand for photographs for magazine articles and publicity purposes was staggering. Frankly speaking, a lot of the photographers on the scene were not very well-trained. My work had become established and it spoke for itself.”

John’s photographic skills were not restricted to music personalities. Auto racing had always been a passion, as well, and he allowed his camera to lead the way. He had the opportunity to record on film some of the legendary early NASCAR drivers and his pursuit of “the need for speed” helped him capture a memorable portrait of the incomparable Formula One driver, Jackie Stewart, who hailed from Dumbarton, Scotland. Stewart had set a record for Grand Prix wins with 27 before he retired.

John Lee photographed Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, among many other music stars.

“I had a love for auto racing for a long time,” John explained. It was an exciting sport to photograph. Most of the events took place on weekends so that allowed me to travel and photograph these events. Again, my work started to get noticed in this field, as well, and opened up many more doors.”

While John’s photography speaks volumes about the man, it does not paint a complete picture of his overall talents. He is also an accomplished musician, and living in Nashville only fostered his love of music.

“I played the drums and also taught myself to play the five-stringed banjo. I got pretty good on the banjo. But remember now, I was in Nashville, the center of Country Western music! I was surrounded by people who were making some pretty good music at the time. I still really enjoy music, but I think my photography carried me a lot further.”

After talking with John, one comes away with the impression that, without a doubt, the talented photographer and musician completed a fascinating career that many would envy. The burning question that arises quickly, how did he end up living in the Lebanon, NH area? He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and his work carried him on a long journey.

“I have always loved New England and the lifestyle it offers. I often came up here on my own just to soak in the atmosphere. My son John moved to this region and I followed so I could be near family. I’ve been here 15 years and absolutely love the Upper Valley and what it has to offer. This is a great place to call home.”