Joan Martin
" Robinson "

JOAN MARTIN came to us from Madison in her Sophomore year. She has been a pronounced favorite of both departments and has made the grade as a professional photography model. Dee Dee is very easy to take. Despite her unusual popularity, she is an active busy beaver. Joan is an honor student, an usher, and a good song-and-dance partner. She plans to attend commercial art school. Wherever she goes, we know her presence will be welcomed. Good luck, Dee Dee.

After graduation I entered the business world and was employed in several fields over the years: office work, retailing, the printing business, hostessing, etc.

In 1958 I married a man who became a pilot for an international airline, and we lived in Berlin, Germany, in the mid 60's. While in Europe we enjoyed trips to Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, and England, and after returning to the states we went to Hawaii and New Zealand.

In the fall of 1969 after the breakup of the marriage, I returned to New England and was employed at the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company in Springfield.

While in this city I was an usher for the Springfield Symphony, and I began Alpine skiing, appreciating the proximity to several of Vermont's ski areas.

On Memorial Day weekend in 1971 I visited friends on the coast of Maine and ran into an acquaintance (Maine native) who was visiting from Mystic, CT, and whose wife had succumbed to cancer in 1969. In late summer the widower and I were married, I moved into his home in Mystic, and became the stepmother of a girl, age 12, and two boys, ages 16 and 19.

In Mystic I was a busy lady with a new husband, three stepchildren, a 10-room house and involvement in community activities. I began attending the Mystic Congregational Church with my husband, and after some serious soul-searching, I became a member of the church. I have been active in the life of the church ever since, serving on various committees: The Board of Deacons, Nominating, Hospitality, Interim Pastoral Search, Parish Care, the monthly newsletter staff as well as filling in for the vacationing church secretary.

The growing-up years with the kids were anything but dull! They were high-spirited and had vivid imaginations. They all matured satisfactorily; two are now RN's and one is an attorney.

In May of 1990 my husband was diagnosed with an inoperable, malignant brain tumor, and he died 10 weeks later. We had had 19 great years for which I was thankful as well as for my three stepchildren with whom I enjoy warm relationships. There are three grandchildren who were born while my husband was still living, and I will always be grateful that they got to know "Grampie."

I remained in our 10-room home for five years after losing my husband and then decided it was time to down-size. The house had been featured on a House Tour in late summer of 1994, in other words, it was "spruced up" for the Tour and was at its best for viewing by a potential buyer. Ten days before Christmas I had a buyer! No other Christmas "gift" could have pleased me more. I purchased a 5-room condo, and I serve on the Board of Directors here as Treasurer.

I am still active in the church, presently serving on the Parish Care and Mission Committees. Parish Care does "hands-on" work driving elderly church members to doctors' appointments, visiting shut-in's, preparing and delivering meals to those newly out of the hospital, etc.

The Mission Committee reaches out into this and surrounding communities which finds us currently serving in the Community Meal Center in New London, the largest city near Mystic.

I volunteer regularly at the Mystic-Noank Library, the Mystic Seaport Museum and at other one-time events that occur in the community.

I enjoy travel with widow friends, and over the past five years we've been to London, Paris, the Eastern Provinces of Canada, several places in the US, and in October we're going to sail through the Panama Canal.

My firstborn grandson, now a senior in college, convinced me five years ago that I should get a computer so that I could enjoy the convenience of e-mail.

He installed WebTV for me which I have indeed enjoyed! It is the least sophisticated of all systems, but it serves my needs ideally. It has its limitations, i.e., I can receive but cannot send pictures, but it has enabled me to submit this bio for John Bapst's 50th Reunion.

And there you have it! Warts and all!

I haven't done anything spectacular in the last 50 years, but my life has been satisfying and interesting. See you in September!