Tag Archives: Jenny Costello

Local Life, Schools Scene

The Stokes Connection

Half a century of Stokes! Today marks the milestone for Fair Haven students, parents and Knollwood School staff.

They’re homeward bound, satiated with 50 years of it all.

Some stalwart traditions have changed in the evolution of the trip, but one thing has remained the same — lifetime connections forged and pranks aplenty pulled.

One such classic story is that of Knollwood teacher and Stokes organizer Andy Dougherty and Jenny Jones Costello.

The two grew up as Fair Haven neighbors whose parents were best buds. They, of course, went to Stokes in the 80s. They forged a friendship, as their siblings also did, from the time they were babies. And they were mighty cute babies, as only their babysitter would know for sure (ahem). Call it another kind of family tie. Best of neighbors and second string siblings. It all started more than 40 years ago.

They both graduated from RFH. Still on the block. They spread their wings and flew the neighborhood coop for a bit. Eventually Andy ended up becoming a teacher at the very same school, though not on the block where his parents stayed until they passed away. Jenny and her family ended up back on the same block.

She ended up volunteering year after year to be a parent counselor at the camp. And, two of her children have already been indoctrinated into the Stokes tradition. Andy has become an anchor in the annual trip.

This year, Jenny was back for the 50th with her son Nick, like Mom, a pretty happy camper.

The kids have their own little pranks going on at Stokes. Hey, it’s a tradition. We’ll just pretend for now that such things no longer happen with the young ones. But, since the statute of limitations is up for the “elders,” or something like that, they got right back to it.

In the interest of keeping with tradition, Andy and Jenny revisited an old prank. It all has something to do with a swim suit and a case of botched identity … or not, Doug Herty. And laughs. Lots of laughs.

Hey, that’s what friends and Stokes are for!

So, raise some frozen underwear up the flagpole, put some itching powder in a sleeping bag (well, maybe not) and remember the good ol’ days.  Tradition!

What was your Stokes prank?

 

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Remembrance of a Friend: RFH’s Suzanne Warren

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Suzanne Warren, RFH Class of 1993, died in 2004. Photo/courtesy of Jenny Costello
Suzanne Warren, RFH Class of 1993, died in 2004.
Photo/courtesy of Jenny Costello

By Elaine Van Develde

There’s nothing quite like having a friend to take the journey from childhood through adulthood with you.

It’s cherished time. And when the journey ends for one, it leaves the other to carry on with a weary, but enriched heart, for having had that time, and many milestones in between, with that person.

That friend for at least one Fair Havenite was Suzanne Warren (Cavigliano), honored in our Retro Pic of the Day.

Warren, a Class of 1993 RFH grad, who died 11 years ago, on June 4, 2004, is remembered by her forever friend Jenny (Jones) Costello, as “smart (so smart), funny and always the best dressed.”

Suzanne grew up on Briarwood Road, after coming from Indiana to live in Fair Haven in the third grade. She ended up becoming a social worker, yet, Costello said, cheated by death from being able to realize her full potential.

While her journey through adulthood was cut short, her friends still carry her spirit and many memories with them.

It’s a light, sweet load to tote on the rest of a friend’s journey.

RIP, Suzanne. You are remembered. Cherished.

Share your memories of Suzanne.

 

Local Life, Opinion

Retro Stoked Up Neighbors at Stokes

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By Elaine Van Develde

This little crew grew up together. And years later they ended up reliving a sixth grade tradition as adults.

They are Jenny Costello (Jones), Dwayne Reevey, now a Fair Haven police officer, and Andy Dougherty. The three lived on Parker Avenue in Fair Haven across and down the street from one another.

Their parents were all friends and they all had the Stokes experience as Fair Haven schools students. This time around, they were counselors, with Andy Dougherty pretty much running the show from the schools’ end.

Much has changed about the annual trip right after Memorial Day to learn and camp out in the state forrest, but some things never do change — like childhood friendships and memories that connect for a lifetime.

So, our Retro Pic of the Day captures just that. Call it a little time capsule.

Get in for a little trip back …

This editor not only took the trip, way back in the early 1970s, but was also CAT at Stokes. I forget what the anagram stood for, but CATs were RFH seniors who were chosen to take the trip as sort-of junior counselors.

The RFH administrators chose leaders, who had to have above a certain GPA and a expertise or talent in a specific area.

I, along with my acting compadre, Kevin Carpenter, were sent to entertain the kids. We had to spearhead the dancing (poor kids) — and, yes, there was square dancing (yikes) — sing songs around the campfire, like Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley (so uplifting) and tell stories about the Jersey Devil and scare the bejesus out of the kids.

We were a pretty well-behaved lot of semi-nerds, but we did like to have some fun that I’m confident would have gotten us banned nowadays — like raising one poor girl’s bra up on the flagpole for the morning wake-up bugle call and capsizing one another’s canoes.

Oh, there were more pranks, but the mention of them may tarnish some respectable RFH parents’ reputations, so I digress.

Did you go to Stokes? What was your favorite memory?