granby-living-June2019

In the early 1990s, Sally took a job with the
Granby Public Works Department as the recycling
coordinator. She was there for 20 years: “We
really got the recycling program going. Our town
manager, Bill Smith, and the board of selectmen
were receptive to our vision. We had to be
creative with funding, of course.”
“After the inevitable learning curve, Granby
residents were very enthusiastic about the idea of
recycling, which made our job very rewarding,”
says Sally.
Sally and Rich continue to enjoy their 35-year
involvement at First Congregational Church of
Granby. Sally sang in her church choir as a child,
and she loves singing with First Church.
Sally and Rich with their grandchildren on Chebeague Island, 2018
“I went out on one date with Rich and that was about it,” says Sally. “We were married
within a year.”
The couple first lived in Rochester, N.Y., and next in Portland, Maine, following
Rich’s job with Aetna. Their two girls, Lindsay and Jamie, were both born in
Portland, and Bryce was born after the family moved to Granby. When Rich’s job
moved him to the Aetna home office in Hartford, the Crapser family discovered
Granby and moved here in 1983.
All three kids attended Valley Pre-School, which Sally calls a “unique and very
special place.” (In April, Valley celebrated its 70th anniversary in Granby!) The
kids completed their educations at Granby’s “top-notch” schools.
Once the kids were in school, Sally worked for several years for the Yankee Flyer
in Bloomfield, which she says was the most fun job she’s ever had. “I got to be
creative and the staff there was fantastic,” says Sally.
She also worked as a fitness instructor for Studio 202. She can still be found most
days of the week at fitness classes at the YMCA.
“Music is a huge part of my life,” she says. In fact,
she recently started violin lessons.
In retirement, Sally has enjoyed more time for
her artwork. For years, she’s done pen-and-ink
home portraits in addition to calligraphy, and
upon retirement in 2013, she started painting,
taking lessons with Laura Eden.
Asked how Granby has changed over 36 years,
Sally says, “Granby is still the friendly place it
was when we arrived. I appreciate that we’ve got
families that have been here for generations, in
addition to new, young families. We’ve got less
retail in the center now, but more restaurants,
which is great. Rich and I like to go to local
happy hours — and we always see someone we
know!”
Sally admits, “It is difficult from a tax perspective
to retire here. But we love this town and our
house, and we have so many friends here. I don’t
see us going anywhere.”
Sarah Merrill is a personal historian with Merrill Memoirs, based in Granby. She works with individuals and families to capture and record
their personal memoirs and family histories. Visit her website at www.memoirsbymerrill.com.
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