Delights of Christmas Present and Past

on

In the absence of flowers and leaves, let there be lights! Strung around trees and shrubs, wound around railings and arbors, adding sparkle to this special season.

            Lights are the most vibrant part of holiday apparel, filling the dark, empty void and making everything a lot less gloomy. Variations on the theme are as diverse as the gardens out there, ranging from a plain spotlight shining on a tree to the soft candle glow in a window to colorful extravagant shows that blink and pulsate into the night.

            As a kid, I was drawn to the latter style of holiday decorating – large and plastic and alive: Santa in his sleigh with his team of reindeer, Nativity scenes, snowmen, gingerbread people. … Let’s face it, these were the ones that you could see out of the steamy, rear car window! My parents’ sedate setup of a spotlighted wreath and colored bulbs on the shrubs paled in comparison. Of course, my tastes migrated in that department as they did in other things, softening to the point where I have a tendency to keep things simple.

            Maybe not as simple as my husband. Years back when I deigned to let him string the lights on the Christmas tree, I couldn’t help noticing that he began at the bottom, draping it with a certain caprice, and ignored the section that ran along the wall. “Er, aren’t you going to clip the light to the branches?” I asked. “And you can’t just leave the back naked!” Needless to say, I took over and did it my way. He didn’t seem to mind, relieved to go back to his football game. Since then, I am the stringer of the lights, something I rather enjoy.

            My children, over the years, have been wowed by Christmas lights – dating back to when I put up colored lights on a hemlock tree in the backyard each Christmas season. Until alas I recalled how the ladder sank into the mud one March as I de-strung them. Thenceforth lighting was scaled back of indoor candles, tree lights and a splash of lighting on the shrubbery out front that remains in place all year.

            Once when they were probably too young to appreciate such things, I brought my children to the shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro. Volunteers work through the year to put the impressive Christmas Festival – which today is even more impressive – 400,000 to more than 1 million lights including over 100 new displays for the 2025 season, over 10 acres. That display is open until January 4, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The core experience of seeing the lights and the Nativity Museum costs nothing, making it a popular, accessible holiday destination.

            Even as we are carried along by the torrent of the present moment, in the midst of some perfunctory activity, memories surface unexpectedly, offering moments of joy… as I place the Santa Claus doll with the wonky arm (by now an antique) on the model sailboat as I do each Christmas, my mind goes back to our annual pilgrimage to the city of Boston (where the doll was first gifted to me.) I, perhaps 8 years old, joined my grandmother, great aunt and mother for our highly anticipated Christmas shopping spree in Boston.

            We would head from my grandmother’s in Uxbridge following the back roads through towns that included Holliston, Natick, Sherborn, Wellesley – through town centers, past old historic churches and town commons so much the fabric of New England small towns. We followed Route 16 and then onto Route 9 to Huntington Ave. and Copley Square. I would vividly remember the stretch up Commonwealth Ave. up to Boston Common where we would park before embarking on the stores that included Filene’s and Jordan Marsh. The three women were armed with their handwritten lists, and I was barely counter height, but very observant, watching as the lady salesclerks would assist the polite hordes of shoppers. The displays within the stores dazzled, and the crowds of people in their winter coats cast an indelible impression on this small-town girl. (At the time I of course had no idea that I would one day live and work in this same city.)

            I recall the drive through the small towns going in and the utter majesty of Commonwealth Avenue Mall with its elegant Back Bay brownstones set against the parklike backdrop. On the ride home, everything glistened prettily with lighting – streetlights, shop windows, residences, even the trail of taillights added to the beauty of the scene. By then I was tired of being dragged from store to store, but I carried the magic of having visited Santa’s Village and enjoyed a special lunch surrounded by my matriarchal womenfolk. Looking back, I see that it was a time of bonding, and our relationships only grew stronger. It was a special closeness – female, caring, and warm.

            As Christmas draws near and the days fill with hurried shopping and festive preparations, let us remember to pause. In the midst of the noise and motion, make space for stillness, reflection, and quiet moments of introspection, for these are the gifts that carry the deepest meaning.

            “And Mama in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap” – from Clement Clarke Moore’s “’Twas the Night Before Christmas/A Visit from St. Nicholas”

The Seaside Gardener

By Laura McLean

Academic Achievements

on

Calder Eaton, Mattapoisett local, was among over half of Belmont University’s undergraduate students named to the fall 2025 semester Dean’s List. Approximately 55% of the university’s 6,934 undergraduate students qualified this semester.

Jean “Jeanie” Rose

on

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Jean “Jeanie” Rose, who left us peacefully on December 23 at the age of 75. She was a beloved mother, family member, friend, community activist and will be profoundly missed by all who knew her.

            Jean was born on March 9, 1950 in Wareham to Henry Benjamin Tavares and Bertha (Pires) Tavares. She grew up in Rochester, MA and graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School in 1968 where she was voted Class Clown of her graduating class. She also completed several certificate courses including paralegal studies at Fisher College and a Clemente Course in Humanities at UMASS Dartmouth.

            Jean dedicated her professional life to a nursing/caregiving career, working at various agencies and for individuals for over 25 years. In her early career she worked for New England Telephone as an operator. In 1981 she drove her family across the country to Colorado for a fresh start. There she was employed by the Arapahoe County Sheriff Department, Intrawest Bank of Denver and worked additional jobs to support her children as a single parent. Upon returning to Massachusetts in 1987, she worked in the fast food business, Department of Revenue, and with women in a domestic violence center. In the early 90’s she moved to Washington DC to work as a paralegal. She returned to Massachusetts and began working in the healthcare industry as a CNA and ultimately retired as a PCA. She was a foster parent and a big sister for a number of years as well. She was a strong advocate for child support enforcement laws. She had the opportunity to testify to the US Congress and was present when Governor Weld signed into legislation strict enforcement around child support (specifically aiming to track down absent parents and making child support a priority). She will be remembered for hardworking nature, diligence, dedication to her family and her social justice nature.

            Beyond her professional achievements, Jeanie volunteered as a baby nurse to babies born with an addiction. She was a radio host on WBSM. Jean was a long time volunteer of the Onset Cape Verdean Festival Association and a member of the $100 Club. She was an active member of the Calvary Baptist Church where she would cook food, volunteer time to food pantry, bazaar and travel with her church community on several site-seeing trips to the Mid-Atlantic. She was happiest cooking or baking for family and friends.

            Jeanie was known as the family ambassador. She was the go-between for the numerous clans in our vast family. She travelled to Mexico and the Caribbean and on her first cruise with Liz and subsequently with Christine earlier this year. She travelled with Eddie to Florida several times as well. Jeanie was happiest in her kitchen or at the beach. She has always been active from bike riding until her hip replacement in 2014, jazzercise, water aerobics and in these most recent years, yoga and pilates.

            Jeanie is survived by her loving children: Christine Rose and Courtneay Small (partner) of Mattapan, MA; Elizabeth Siggers and David Siggers (husband) of Milton, MA; Marla Rose of New Bedford, MA and Edward Rose Jr of Rochester, MA. She was also a cherished sibling of Barbara Sullivan of Marion, MA and Maryellen Gomes of Marietta, GA. She was the beloved grandmother to Mikel, Marquise, Ominique, Alexis and Ronae (great niece) and stepdaughter Ashley (Stevie) Hailey. Jeanie, fondly known as Yayee to the following great grandchildren Markel, Kyh-el, Pharaoh, Cameron and Chloe Hailey. She was the mother/grandmother figure to many others.

            She was preceded in death by her siblings Julieanne Lopes of New Bedford, MA and Benjamin Tavares of New Bedford, MA.

            A funeral service will be held at Calvary Pentecostal Church, 33 Braley Rd., Freetown, MA on Saturday, December 27, 2025 at 12 pm. The repast will be held at Marion Social Club, Marion 44 Pumping Station Rd., Marion, MA at 2 pm.

            The family requests that donations be dedicated to Jean Rose’s memory at https://gifts.mdanderson.org/ and directed to James P. Allison Institute. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center P.O. Box 4486 Houston, Texas 77210-4486.

            Arrangements by Chapman Funerals & Cremations – Wareham. For directions or to leave a message of condolence visit: www.chapmanfuneral.com

ORR Sweeps Swimming Opener

on

Old Rochester Regional High School’s boys and girls swim teams faced Brockton on December 18 for their first meet of the season, and both of the Bulldogs’ teams won. Kate Young was named a swimmer of the meet, in which she swam the 50 freestyle with a time of 30.47 seconds. On the boys side, Lazaro Rosa made sectionals in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:01.79 and was also named a swimmer of the meet. Jacob Iappini qualified for the state meet in the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.42 seconds. ORR’s next meet will be at Bishop Stang on Monday, January 12.

Boys Basketball

            The Bulldogs played at Apponequet on December 16 and won, 66-54. Grady Oliveira was named the player of the game, scoring 25 points and making 5 steals, while Brody Hiles added 16 points of his own. The Bulldogs took a 2-1 record into Tuesday’s home game against Bishop Stang.

Girls Basketball

            Old Rochester hosted Seekonk on December 19 and won, 58-32. Sadie Hartley-Matteson scored 20 points, Sydney Bosma had 10, and Hannah Thorell had 9. The Bulldogs move to 2-1 on the season and will play Cohasset on Saturday, January 3.

Sports Roundup

By Aiden Comorosky

Town Meeting, Election Dates Set

on

The Mattapoisett Select Board met on December 17 at Town Hall and approved aquaculture licenses but said there might be fewer licenses this year because weather the past year has made shell fishing more difficult.

            The board decided to waive the $200 fee this year because stormwater management has been an issue. Board members also said they have reached out to the state legislature and the federal Environmental Protection Agency to make shell fishing more accessible.

            The board set Mattapoisett’s Annual Town Meeting for Monday, May 11, and the Town Election for Tuesday, May 19. Board members have asked town departments to maintain a level budget and would like to meet sooner this year about planning for the Fiscal Year 2027.

            Last year, budget deliberations began in March. This year, they would like to meet with Police, Fire and Highway departments, as well as Water and Sewer budgets in February, considering those are the biggest budgets. Members noted that with the rise of health insurance costs, town officials are dealing with leaner budgets.

            Eric LaBrode of East Coast Inflatables LLC on Industrial Drive has been selling boats for a while; however, he now needs a license because he plans on selling boats and boat trailers 14 feet in length. LaBrode says he now needs approval from the Select Board, which unanimously approved his license and applauded his business venture.

            The board also made a handful of new appointments: Luke Mello to animal inspector, as well as Noah Motta, Zachary Ribas, Heather Lopes and Joshua Burgo as probationary firefighters.

            Officials also discussed changes to the water management plan, revising it in accordance with state guidelines. The revised plan designates recreation areas as well as official uses of docks and piers. The board asked for a public-comment period before accepting the new plan.

            Board members directed Marine Advisory Board Chairman Carlos DeSousa to highlight what is new with the plan, as opposed to the previous plan. The new document also details responsibilities of the harbormaster, police and other officials.

            The board also discussed that an engineering firm reviewed Town Hall but noted that significant improvements need to be made, especially raising the building’s elevation because it is in a velocity zone.

            The town’s Capital Planning Committee will hire a professional to determine costs for renovating the existing building versus building a new facility.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13.

OHS Fourth-Grader Wins Feinstein Foundation Golden Ticket

on

Superintendent Michael S. Nelson and Principal Stephanie Wells are pleased to share that Old Hammondtown School fourth-grader Ayda Medeiros was recently selected as a Feinstein Foundation Golden Ticket winner.

            The ticket earned Old Hammondtown School a $2,000 grant and an additional $500 for Ayda to donate to a charity of her choice.

            Ayda, a student in Beth Valliere’s class, chose to donate her prize to Globe Santa, a nonprofit program run by The Boston Globe that provides toys and books to children in need during the holiday season.

            “I sincerely thank the Feinstein Foundation for their commitment to teaching the younger generation the importance of kindness and compassion,” said Principal Wells. “Their generous donations enable students to give back to the community through a charity that reflects their own values, and I’m proud that Ayda has decided to spread holiday cheer to children in need.”

            Superintendent Nelson congratulated Ayda on being selected and thanked the Feinstein Foundation for its continued partnership with schools.

            “This program gives students a real opportunity to connect kindness with action,” said Superintendent Nelson. “Ayda’s decision to support Globe Santa shows compassion and generosity, and we are grateful to the Feinstein Foundation for making experiences like this possible for our students.”

Wharf Project Receives Conditioning

on

The long-awaited repairs to Long Wharf at Shipyard Park received conditioning on this night, December 22.

            Coming before the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission remotely was Brian Post of Childs Engineering. The issue of flowable fill had previously been questioned by the commissioners, who pressed the engineering firm to come up with another solution. The Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board has also been instrumental in working with Childs through many technical matters, and the type of fill to use has been a major issue. All agreed that pea-stone mix is a better material to use. Cost estimates can now be firmed up, as this piece of the construction puzzle has been locked in.

            A draft of conditions will be prepared by the conservation agent and forwarded to the Childs team.

            Continued were Notice of Intent applications filed by Nepo Reality LLC, Ned’s Point Road, Lot 103 and Lot 104 for the construction of single-family homes.

            Also continued until January 12 was a Notice of Intent filed by Deborah Chapman living trust, 0 Nashawena Road, for the reconstruction of a single-family home but not without considerable discussion. Abutters voiced concern over stormwater drainage. David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc. was asked to provide additional details on the possible installation of a swale to assist in water control.

            The commission also granted a continuation until January 12 for a Notice of Intent filed by the town for the repair and reconstruction of the culvert located on Water Street.

            Receiving a green light in terms of moving forward was a Notice of intent filed by Derek and Kylene Gregoire, 2 Goodspeed Island Road, for the construction of a single-family home.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for Monday, January 12.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

on

When future historians look back on today, they may well call this “the age of the screen.” Certainly, our screens have made life easier in many ways, but we’ve also lost a sense of an actual shared community. On one hand, it’s easier to watch even new movies on our home screens, but that means we may never experience that moment during a scary movie when the whole theater gasps as one or sighs together during a romantic interlude of a love story.

            One of the great things about belonging to the Rochester (or any) Historical Society is the chance to step back to the days of joining together to sing carols, tell stories brought to mind by the songs, eat Christmas cookies and enjoy a sense of community. Those who attended our holiday organ concert on December 14 were able to do just that on a day that even came with snow. Sheila Perry played our Vocalion organ, and Tom Perry led the group in singing along to well-loved carols.

            Mack Phinney, who attended the East Rochester Congregational Church (now our museum), remembered practicing “Away in a Manger” in the church basement and then performing with the other children during the Christmas service. At the end of the night, Santa Claus arrived with a small gift for each child. He said that it wasn’t until much later that he realized Santa had been his own father. Good job, Santa.

            I have to confess that I was in junior high before I got the joke inherent in the line, “If Daddy had only known that Mommy was kissing Santa Claus.” I was always a believer, and in later years when one of my third graders sidled up to say that he thought he was the only one in the class who believed in Santa Claus, I was able to reassure him that he was not alone. I too believed.

            Best Wishes for a happy holiday season, and may Santa Claus be good to you.

By Connie Eshbach

Forest Bathing

on

Sippican Land Trust will host Forest Bathing with Forest Therapy Guide Diane Pienta on Saturday, January 3, at 10:00 am at the Osprey Marsh, Point Road in Marion.

            Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku to mitigate stress of modern-day life, this guided experience offers the opportunity to interact with Nature in a way that invites a deeper connection with the land and ourselves.

            “Forest Therapy broadly means taking in, in all of one’s senses, Nature’s atmosphere. Not simply a walk in the woods, it is the conscious and contemplative practice of being immersed in the sights, sound, smells and space of the forest. Of being in a deep relationship with the Earth Herself.”

            Diane is a certified Forest Therapy guide and is passionate about connecting people and the land. She has guided numerous walks for private groups as well as larger institutions.

            The event is limited to 10 participants. To register or for more information, visit our website: Sippicanlandstrust.org.

Suzanne M. (Zajac) Whitehead

on

            Suzanne M. (Zajac) Whitehead, 79 of Rochester passed away peacefully, December 21 at Saint Luke’s Hospital surrounded by her loving family. Suzanne was predeceased by her loving husband of 47 years, Paul B. Whitehead.

            Born in New Bedford and raised in Acushnet, Suzanne was the daughter of the late Thaddeus J.H and Doris R. (Dupre) Zajac. In 1978, she moved to Rochester where she resided until her passing.

            Suzanne earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Bridgewater State College. She worked as a teacher in the Acushnet Public School System for 37 years, spending almost all of those years in the third grade, which she loved.

            Suzanne was a loving wife, sister, mother, aunt, and grandmother. There is nothing she wouldn’t do for her family. She cherished the time spent with her grandson, Lachlan, and always had a huge smile on her face when they were together. Sue and Lachlan enjoyed baking and decorating gingerbread cookies. Lachlan always knew that a visit to Grandma’s house meant that he would be waited on like a prince and showered with delicious treats.

            Suzanne shared an extraordinary and loving relationship with her sister and best friend, Paula, which was a constant source of happiness for her. Sue looked forward to their nightly phone calls. These conversations were filled with care, humor, and support that reflected the deep connection they shared.

            A devout Catholic whose faith was the foundation of her life, Suzanne was deeply involved in her parish over the years, serving in many capacities including eucharistic minister, lector, and parish council member. She also volunteered at the annual barbeque, first coordinating and making the children’s games, and later working at the auction table and helping wherever it was needed. Suzanne’s quiet dedication, strong sense of community, and willingness to serve reflected her deep love for her faith and her parish family, leaving a lasting impact on all who worshiped and served alongside her. In 2018 Suzanne was honored with the Cheverus Award, given by the Archdiocese of Boston to recognize individuals “for their quiet, humble, and significant service to the Church and its people.”

            Suzanne was blessed with many dear friendships, which she deeply cherished. She loved to reminisce about the happy times spent with each of them, sharing memories from her youth, such as times at the Cape house and ski chalet with friends who remained close to her throughout her life.

            Suzanne was also a wonderful baker, who enjoyed sharing her homemade treats with those that she cared for, each as beautiful as it was delicious. Her brownies, lemon squares, chocolate cake, frosted lemon cookies, and cranberry bread are just a few of the delicious creations that came out of her kitchen over the years. Each year her friends and relatives looked forward to her elaborate basket of Christmas baked goodies, which she would gift to those she cared for most.

            She is survived by her daughter, Stephanie Cyr and her husband Tyler of Lakeville; a sister, Paula Lambalot and her husband Charlie of Carver; her sister-in-law Joan Pepin and her husband David of Rochester; her brother-in law, James Whitehead and his wife Joanne of New Bedford; a grandson, Lachlan Cyr, and 8 nieces and nephews.

            Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, January 2nd at 9 am at St. Rose of Lima Church, 282 Vaughan Hill Rd., Rochester. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Visiting hours are omitted.

            Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. For full obituary and online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.