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Today's Featured Biography
Judy Austin Goff
After graduating from B-CC, I attended
Allegheny College in PA, receiving a BA in History after 3-1/2 years, Class of 1965. My husband, Peter, graduated in 1968, so I finished early, and we were married in February, 1969. Peter then enlisted in the US Air Force and served for 4 years, very fortunately being stationed at Andrews Air Force Base in MD the entire time. I worked for a large law firm in D.C.
In 1974 we moved to East Granby, CT, and
bought our first house. Peter worked for Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. I applied to UConn Law School and was accepted. I started in Sept., 1974, and graduated in January, 1979. Attending mostly at night, I had 2 of my children, Corey and Kevin, during that time. I began work with a small bankruptcy law firm and worked part-time until December, 1980, when my third child, Shannon, was born. I then decided that I wasn't really a career person and became a stay-at-home mom. By this time, we had moved to Granby, CT.
Thus began my unpaid career as a volunteer extraordinaire. I volunteered in the schools, joining the PTAs and the Athletic Boosters. I was elected to the Granby Board of Education and served for 8 years, the last one as chairperson. My family decided they had had enough of the long evenings, so I ran instead for the Zoning Board of Appeals, of which I am still a member. We joined a Congregational Church in East Granby where Peter and I served on just about every committee and ministry and both of us served as President, Vice President, and Deacon. My forte in all of these efforts was in fundraising. During the time that my children were growing up, I did jobs from home to make a bit of money. I worked for a small newspaper for 13 years after the kids were older.
Once the kids had graduated from college, Peter retired from CIGNA after 33 years, and we bought a candy store in 2001. We had a great time selling all the old-time candy and everything else from melting chocolate to fancy truffles. We added ice cream later, but the economy and location were not the best, so we closed Hugs & Kisses in December of 2008. We met a lot of nice people and learned many new skills, and I fulfilled one of my life's dreams.
As full retirees, we embraced the lifestyle of leisure - traveling, visiting the kids and grandkids (2), reading, playing many hours of bridge (I am going for my Life Master), playing Texas Hold 'Em, doing all types of crafts and needlework, scrapbooking,
entertaining, etc. We were also fortunate enough to buy a gingerbread cottage on Martha's Vineyard, MA, in 2013. We are still active in church, town, and other volunteer activities. The body is starting to deteriorate, but I am trying to hold onto my mind. Every day brings a new challenge, and I just hope God lets me meet them for awhile longer.
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