01907 Winter 2025_compressed (4)

50
YEARS
LATER,
THE
MYSTERY
REMAINS
WINTER 2025 | VOL. 11, NO.4

OUR SHELF PRICE IS OUR WEB PRICE! NO ADDITIONAL FEES.
WINTER 2024 2025 | 1
VINNIN
LIQUORS

2 | 01907
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
TED GRANT
A publication of Essex Media Group
Publisher
Edward M. Grant
Chief Executive Officer
Michael H. Shanahan
Directors
Edward L. Cahill
John M. Gilberg
Edward M. Grant
Gordon R. Hall
Monica Connell Healey
J. Patrick Norton
Michael H. Shanahan
Controller
Susan Conti
Chief of Staff
& Art Director
Sam Deeb
Creative Director
Spenser Hasak
News Editors
Elizabeth Della Piana
Sophia Harris
Writers
Joey Barrett
Chris Carrigan Brolly
Zach Laird
Jackie Manno
Elizabeth Della Piana
Photographer
Spenser Hasak
Advertising Sales
Ernie Carpenter
Sam Deeb
Patricia Whalen
Magazine Design
Emilia Sun
INSIDE
04 What's up
05 Mahjong
08 Searching for answers
11 Ed Toner
12 House Money
16 Featured in France
18 Courting community
22 Archiving the voices
24 Redefining retirement
ESSEX MEDIA GROUP
85 Exchange St.,
Lynn, MA 01901
781-593-7700
Subscriptions:
781-214-8237
01907themagazine.com
A haunting memory,
50 years later
Every community has stories that shape it — tales that are passed down through generations,
retold in kitchens, classrooms, and on front porches.
Some of these stories are joyful; others are painful reminders of the past.
In Swampscott, one story continues to echo nearly 50 years later: the tragic death of Henry
Bedard Jr., whose unsolved 1974 murder remains one of the most haunting chapters in the
town’s history.
When Bedard's body was exhumed last month for further investigation, old wounds
reopened. For many residents, the news stirred questions that had long been buried along with
him: Why now? What might we learn after all these years? And perhaps most poignantly —
will there ever be closure?
Private Investigator Conrad McKinney, who has studied the case for more than a decade,
still remembers every detail. His commitment to finding answers speaks not only to professional
persistence but to the enduring human need for truth, justice, and understanding.
The story of Henry Bedard Jr. is, in many ways, the story of Swampscott itself — a town
unafraid to look back, even when the past hurts, because remembering is the first step toward
healing.
Yet while the past continues to ripple through our present, this issue of 01907 The Magazine
also reminds us of the many ways our town comes together — in hope, in service, and in the
simple joy of connection.
Take Amy O’Connor, School Committee Chair and Swampscott resident, who has turned
“Mahjong Mondays” into something more than a casual card table gathering. What began as
a small community recreation program has blossomed into a weekly ritual of friendship and
fellowship — proof that sometimes the best antidote to isolation is an open seat at the table.
We recognize the Nahant Historical Society, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary. For
half a century, the Society has preserved the artifacts, archives, and memories that keep the
town’s story alive. It reinforces for us that history isn’t just what happened — it’s what we choose
to remember and pass on.
Then there’s Libby Ritchie, a freelance video editor and filmmaker whose short film was
recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival, selected from more than 5,000 submissions. Her
success is a reminder that our small towns are filled with global dreams, and that creativity can
flourish anywhere — even along the quiet North Shore.
Then there is Ed Toner, who died in August. The longtime Swampscott resident played
professional football for the Boston Patriots, then remained active with the Patriots’ alumni
association until his death. On the field, he was a star. Off the field — a gentle giant.
We’re also highlighting the town’s Senior/Veteran Tax Work-off Program, which gives
retirees a chance to contribute their time and expertise in exchange for property tax credits. The
stories from this program — from volunteers in the library to helpers at Town Hall — speak to
a shared belief that everyone, at every stage of life, has something valuable to give.
And finally, we spotlight John Squires, a coach, teacher, and administrator who launched
the Tides Hoops Men’s Basketball Program. What started as a recreational league has now
brought together more than 70 players, ages 20 to 60, creating not only a place for fitness but
for camaraderie and belonging. These pickup games have become one of Swampscott’s most
uplifting weekly traditions.
As you read this issue, you’ll find a tapestry of Swampscott and its neighbors — stories of loss
and resilience, of community and compassion, of people doing their part to make their corner of
the world a little brighter.
COVER: On Dec. 18, 1974, the news of the day was the murder of Henry Bedard Jr. — which remains unsovled.

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4 | 01907
WHAT'S UP
Flow and Restore
Candlelight Yoga
What: Join certified instructor Mary
Katherine for a restorative yoga class,
designed to help people quiet their
minds and find relaxation. $60 for the
series, or $15 drop-in rate.
Where: Swampscott Recreation at
Clarke School, Exercise Room
When: Nov. 25, Dec. 2, Dec. 9 and Dec.
16 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Big Blue Hoops
Basketball Program
What: Several coaches from
Swampscott Public Schools will
lead the winter basketball program
alongside Swampscott High School
players. Admission fee is $155/$165 for
ten weeks, and includes a basketball
and reversible jersey.
Where: Swampscott Middle School
When: Start date is Dec. 6.
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Learn To Knit with Deena
What: Community members will get
the chance to improve their knitting
skills or, if they’re new to it, learn the
basics. The program is a Swampscott
Recreation event. Admission is $35 per
session.
Where: Clarke School
When: Dec. 2 from 6-8 p.m.
4-part Mindful Parenting
What: The Swampscott Health
Department has collaborated with
Christine Doucet to offer another
FREE 4-Part Mindful Parenting & Stress
Reduction Series to Swampscott
residents ages 18 and over. This series
is designed for Swampscott parents
or caregivers parenting children from
birth to 12 years old.
Where: Swampscott Town Hall
When: Nov. 21, Dec. 5, Dec. 12.

WINTER 2025 | 5
PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
Amy O'Connor teaches a bigger Mahjong class at Dockside Pub in Swampscott.
MAHJONG
IS MORE THAN A GAME
STORY BY ZACH LAIRD
For some, it’s a game. For
Swampscott’s Amy O'Connor,
mahjong is a chance to build a
strong sense of community through
a healthy, face-to-face outlet that
strays from the increasingly digital
elements of an age filled with social media and
cell phones.
Through collaboration with Swampscott
Recreation, O'Connor and her teaching
partner Lytania Mackey have created a
blossoming program: Mahjong Mondays. The
sessions aim to educate community members
about the game and to give them a chance
to step away from the worries of daily life to
make friends and learn more along the way.
Whether you’re a fresh-faced newcomer
who’s a complete stranger to the game — or
even a longtime player looking to polish
your skills — community members are in
good hands when it comes to O'Connor and
Mackey’s step-by-step approach to the game.
“When I was a new mother, I was looking
for a way to connect with other people and to
have interests outside my role as a mother,”
O'Connor explained. “It’s easy to become
single-focused, and we wanted to be something
more than moms.”
O’Connor remembered sitting by the pool
at the Jewish Community Center with a
group of moms, brainstorming new activities
to embark on, which brought them back to
childhood memories of seeing
women hang around the pool and
play mahjong together.
“I said, ‘I’d really like to learn how
to play (mahjong),’ and some of the other
women within earshot agreed. From there, we
found someone to teach us, and it became a
weekly ritual of getting together with friends
to be face-to-face, not having any technology…
It was really just a nice, old-fashioned way of
building community,” she said.
O’Connor added, “It’s really exciting.
Right now, my partner and I are running a
program through the Swampscott Recreation
MAHJONG, CONTINUED ON PAGE. 6

6 | 01907
MAHJONG, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
Department. We teamed up with Mexacali
(the restaurant in Vinnin Square) who gave us
space, and we had 20 people who signed up in
less than a day… It’s really social; it’s a great
opportunity to sit around a table with three
other people and have several hours together.”
Some of the classes have been held at
locations like the Dockside Pub or Mexicali
Cantina Grill, while other sessions have been
held in places like Reading and Chelsea,
O'Connor added.
She added that the game resonated with
her almost immediately. In the 20 years since
she’s learned how to play, she found that every
time she introduces the game to a newcomer
or group “that it has the same impact,” and that
“rarely is someone completely disinterested in
learning.”
“There will always be people who don’t want
to play, but I found that people are very quickly
drawn into the complexity of the game, but
also the socializing that happens along with
it… I think that we all play lots of games —
particularly with our phones — so, to have
something that’s so face-to-face is so tactile,”
she said. “I think it’s a powerful connection
between players.”
In order to make the classes appealing to
everyone from hardened veterans of the game
to fresh faces who have never played a round
before in their lives, O'Connor covers the
complexities of the game through a step-bystep
process to help ease people into it.
“The sense of community that you build
by sitting around a table and playing the
game with other people is really a strong
connection,” she said. She added that the game
can help keep the mind sharp and help stave
off cognitive decline.
She said the National Mahjong League,
which produces the cards players use to inform
them about the rules and way the game can be
played, donates the proceeds of card purchases
to Alzheimer's organizations.
O'Connor said what she loves about
teaching is that her community has expanded.
“There are people that I have known here
in town that joined my class that I’ve gotten to
know better… This has been a really wonderful
experience for me,” she said.
She continued, “I’m doing something that
I absolutely love. Both playing the game and
being able to make a business out of it is really
a dream come true. They say, ‘If you like your
job, you never work a day in your life,’ and
that’s how I feel.”
O'Connor said the program entails
her teaching almost every day to a group
that varies in size from eight to around 20
participants.
“I’m busy, but I love it,” she said. “It’s taught
me that you can really make a go at something
that you love, and that may have seemed like
idle time… One of the other things that I
love is that as I teach different people, there
are different things to help it ‘click’ for them.
There’s so many different ways to help them
learn.”
Sarah Laurello, of Marblehead, left,
and Heidi Luise, of Salem, quiz
eachother on what different tiles are
as they learn to play Mahjong.
Sue Meigs, of Swampscott,
smiles as she takes in
the Mahjong table.
Heidi Luise, of Salem, shows
off the different winning hands
someone can have while
playing Mahjong in 2025.

WINTER 2025 | 7
Susan Kelley, of Swampscott, talks with
friends as she learns to play Mahjong.
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8 | 01907
STILL
SEARCHING
FOR
ANSWERS
STORY BY ZACH LAIRD
Bedard's 1974
murder still unsolved
It’s no secret that the death of Henry Bedard Jr., who was murdered
in 1974, has left a scar on the Town of Swampscott.
After his body was exhumed from his grave at the Swampscott
Cemetery for further investigation into his death in early October,
speculation has continued to fester as to what could prompt the
action after so many years.
In fact, it’s much more than just being the first unsolved murder case
throughout the Town’s entire history of existence: It’s a case that has sent
ripples throughout the entire community, which are still felt by residents
to this day.
For Private Investigator Conrad McKinney, president of Hallmark
Investigations — who started investigating the case back in 2013 — he
remembers the case vividly.
He explained that the Licensed Private Detective Association of
Massachusetts established a pro-bono cold case investigative committee
unit. After being contacted by someone acquainted with the case, he and
his team of investigators began looking into it.
What struck McKinney when he first became involved with the case
was “the fact there were so many years that the case hadn’t been solved.”
He also noted people he spoke with in town during the investigation
process also shared the same sentiment. McKinney said they began their
investigation through what he referred to as “open source researching.”
“We obtained a lot of information through the newspapers, visited
the scene of the crime (behind the current Department of Public Works
building)... We interviewed classmates, teachers, and friends during the
investigation,” McKinney said.
He could not elaborate on any findings or results of the investigation.
“The work you have to do is groundwork. You dig, and dig, and try
to get any information you can, and you hope that someone will come
forward… As an investigator, my take is that doing something is better
than doing nothing,” he said. “That goes for every investigation that I
do.”
He expressed his optimism with Bedard Jr.’s body being exhumed for
investigation.
“That means something must have come into the Essex County
District Attorney’s office when they exhumed the body,” he said. “With
the advances in technology, they can look for DNA, anything like
sediment… The technology today is unbelievable.”
He described the case as a “very dramatic, sad situation.”
PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
Private investigator Conrad McKinney reflects on
investrigating the cold case of Henry Bedard, Jr.
BEDARD, CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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BEDARD, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
“You carry it forever… especially when you have
a situation like this, where nothing’s happened for
what's been going on for 50 years now,” McKinney
said.
When asked about the emotional or psychological
toll unsolved murders can take on investigators,
he said: “You always have it in your mind. I can
remember every case I worked on… You always
remember them, and you feel very bad for the families.
But, as an investigator, you try to do the right thing.
We wanted to help.”
He said, “I recently visited the crime scene, and I
pray for justice to be finally served after 50 years, and
(I) pray for law enforcement to develop new leads to
bring justice for Henry’s family.”
Former classmate of Bedard Jr., Dan Dandreo,
called Bedard Jr. “the All-American 1970s generation
kid.” Dandreo said, “He was happy-go-lucky, loved
and played every sport, fun to be around. Carefree. He
liked everyone and everyone liked him.”
“Before that awful day, it was an amazing town.
Safe no matter what, everyone knew each other, and
school was fun. Sports were fun; hanging out was fun.
There were no guns, no mass shootings; life was great
in the ‘70s,” he said. “After they found him, there was
a tragic blur for days. The new rules were to stay off
the dead tracks; we still walked to school and resumed
normal life, expecting the killer to be caught quickly.”
Dandreo added, “I think it was a town-wide
brain blackout for a few days after as we dealt with
the shock that a kid like Henry, the nicest kid in the
world, could be murdered in our town.”
Director of the DPW Gino Cresta, who lived
down the street from Bedard Jr., noted that before
his murder, “the town was nice and quiet; you’d never
expect something like this to happen.”
“My mother told me about it when it first
happened… She had a police radio and heard it from
there. I wasn’t home at the time, and she got nervous,”
Cresta said. “I was petrified when I heard what
happened. I was 12 at the time, and I remember the
whole town being on edge.”
Cresta said he hopes and prays that the Bedard
family finds closure.
“I know it would bring closure not only to his
family, but also for residents who were around back
in 1974… I really hope they solve this murder in the
near future,” he said.
Police Chief Ruben Quesada said, “When we lost
him, we lost a piece of our town's innocence. While
that time has passed, the look in Mr. Bedard Sr.’s eyes
still carries the loss of a son like it was yesterday. We
not only owe it to Mr. Bedard Sr. to bring closure,
but we also owe it to our entire community to find
answers that we have all been searching for over the
past half-century.”
Quesada added that he’s proud of the efforts made
by Swampscott detectives, State Police, and the Essex
County District Attorney’s office to come together for
“something that is bigger and more important than
all of us.”
“Until this investigation is solved, I can promise
you that our detectives will not stop searching
for the answers that robbed us — not only of our
innocence — but one of Swampscott’s first sons,”
Quesada said.
Teams from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the Essex County District Attorney's office,
Swampscott Police, and Swampscott DPW, could be seen exhuming the body of Henry Bedard Jr.,
who was killed more than 50 years ago, at Swampscott Cemetery on Oct. 1.

BIG-TIME PLAYER.
WINTER 2025 | 11
BIG-TIME PERSON.
STORY BY JOEY BARRETT
Swampscott’s Ed Toner assumed many
roles: teacher, coach, administrator,
professional football player, avid sports fan,
just to name a few…
But above all, Toner, who died Aug.
28 at age 81, was a family and community
man.
It was that simple for the former Boston Patriot
(1967-70), who played 26 professional games, wore
No. 75 long before Vince Wilfork, and played with
greats such as Houston Antwine, Jim Lee Hunt, Larry
Eisenhauer, Bob Dee, Gino Cappelletti, and Jim Nance,
whom Toner once called “a great friend.”
And to say the Toners were a football family would
be an understatement. Brother Tom played for the
Green Bay Packers, while son Ed Jr. suited up for the
Indianapolis Colts — Swampscott High and Boston
College before that.
Not bad, Toners.
Ed was born in Reading and graduated from Lynn
English (Class of 1961), where he was a star on the
gridiron. He then attended prep school for a year.
From there, Toner was off to Amherst to play
football for UMass. He played with Phil Vandersea and
Milt Morin, all three of whom played professionally out
of the Yankee Conference school. Toner was roommates
with Tom Iarrobino, a St. Mary’s graduate who called
Toner after hearing they were both attending UMass.
Toner impressed out west. One of his Redmen (now
Minutemen) coaches was Fred Glatz, who later coached
St. John’s Prep to more than 100 wins. Toner was
drafted by the Patriots (third round) in the American
Football League draft; Baltimore Colts in the National
Football League (18th round).
He chose the Patriots “because they played at
Fenway Park and Ted Williams was my idol,” he once
said, on top of family considerations.
With the Patriots, Toner (6-2, 250 pounds) started a
game in 1967 and recorded a sack in 1968, according to
ProFootballReference.com.
He was tough as nails and fast for his size.
Toner the player was special, but Toner the person
— a gentle giant — was on a different level. Through
optimism and belief, he influenced generations of
students through Lynn Public Schools.
On top of receiving recognition in Lynn, he was
also named the New England Patriots’ first Alumni
Volunteer of the Year in 2017.
He helped with Special Olympics, blood drives, and
other events. He’d appear inside of Foxborough’s Bass
Pro Shops, which neighbors Gillette Stadium, to assist
Christmas giveaways for foster homes.
On a side note, when Toner suffered a leg injury, the
Patriots’ alumni organization even set him up with a
personal driver.
“If there’s an event where a Patriots alumni is
needed, I usually go,” Toner said in 2017. “It could be a
Wounded Warrior event, a turkey giveaway, autograph
session — I usually go.”
He remained active with the Patriots’ alumni
association until his death.
Toner lived in
Swampscott and
was surrounded
by loving family
members before
his death.
74
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WINTER 2025 | 13
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SALE DATE: Sept. 30, 2025
LIST PRICE: $1,695,000
TIME ON MARKET:
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LISTING BROKER:
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SELLING BROKER:
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PROPERTY TAXES: $16,798
PREVIOUS SALE:
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YEAR BUILT: 1997
LOT SIZE: .46 acres (20,037 sq. ft.)
LIVING AREA: 4,000 sq. ft.
ROOMS: 14
BEDROOMS: 4
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14 | 01907
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WINTER 2025 | 15
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16 | 01907
FEATURED IN FRANCE
Libby Ritchie’s film captivates the big screen
This year's 78th Annual Cannes Film
Festival had local representation
in Libby Ritchie, whose short film
“Spread” was chosen to be shown at
the event.
Ritchie noted that attending the
festival was a unique experience, saying, “It’s
rare to have an entire city fiddle with people
who share a single passion. The energy of
fellow filmmakers was tangible as we attended
networking events and film screenings in large
theaters.”
When setting out to create the short film,
Ritchie said that she and her team knew there
was a chance of being selected to screen at
Cannes, but it was not a guarantee.
The film was created for the 48 Hour Film
Project, where teams produce a short film in a
weekend, with the opportunity to screen at the
festival.
“Spread” was selected out of more than
5,000 short films made for the 48HFP and was
written, shot, and edited from scratch in two
days. Ritchie was the editor of the project.
“We gathered a cast and crew of talented and
driven filmmakers with the shared purpose of
making something for purely creative purposes.
It’s amazing to see that a creative passion project
can be valued by fellow filmmakers
and screened to audiences far
and wide,” she said.
The film
STORY BY
ELIZABETH DELLA PIANA
was honored by the 48HFP’s “Filmapalooza” in
Seattle, Wash., where it was named a finalist in
the “Yes We Cannes Global Film Challenge.”
This earned them a place in the Cannes Film
Festival Short Film Corner.
Ritchie’s journey in filmmaking began in high
school when she took a video production class
where she had “one of those special teachers
who loves what they do and takes an interest in
their students.”
She took three years of video production
classes with him and fell in love with editing,
deciding that it was what she wanted her future
career to be.
“I’m still in touch with that teacher, and he
has championed my success from the same
teaching role, in the same school, until retiring
recently,” Ritchie said.
Ritchie said the best thing about her work
is that it supplies her with “a genuine variety
of tasks, creative concepts, teams to collaborate
with, and new ways of thinking.”
She said she’s never been bored at work, and
she finds satisfaction in the combination of
creativity and technical skills that she can use
every day.
When asked what inspired her, she noted
that part of working in the film industry is
getting to watch movies, TV shows, and even
TikToks and call it research.
“Any video media I see, including short
videos on social media feeds, is something
that I can draw inspiration from,” she said.
“Sometimes I watch a video that is so outside
the expected treatment that it really makes me
think about how I can continue to push the
boundaries of storytelling, while still adhering to
the tried-and-true of what works.”
Ritchie said she works on a wide range
of content, spanning from “silly TV spots to
trending social media posts to informative
pharmaceutical testimonies.”
She continued that she finds something
worthwhile in everything she works on, no
matter the subject.
“My favorite projects to work on are the ones
that have a specific story to tell and will have
a lasting impression on the target audience for
that specific piece,” Ritchie said. “Stories that
are especially heartfelt always feel particularly
fulfilling, and I also look forward to projects that
shed light on a niche subject that would
not otherwise be brought to
light for the general
public.”

WINTER 2025 | 17
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18 | 01907
COURTING
COMMUNITY
Pierre Louis, left,
drives around
Will Reardon
during their Tides
Hoop Basketball
League game
at Swampscott
Elementary School.
PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
Jesse Despo, left, and John Squires are the organizers of the Tides
Hoop Basketball League in partnership with Swampscott Recreation
at the elementary school.

WINTER 2025 | 19
STORY BY
ELIZABETH DELLA PIANA
John Squires is on the ball
This summer, Swampscott’s John Squires, with the help of the Recreation
Department, created the Tides Hoop Men's Basketball League. It was a
major success, with players showing up every Monday and Thursday at
Swampscott Elementary School for some fun competition.
“I’ve been involved in basketball my entire life,” Squires said. “I’ve
been refereeing for 53 years in high school, and I did some college for a
while, but this will be my 53rd year doing high school basketball at the varsity level.”
Squires’ basketball roots grew and expanded in town, from playing on a state
championship team coached by the iconic Dick Lynch to being a director at the
Don Nelson-Tom “Satch” Sanders’s basketball camp in New Hampshire for 30
years.
“I’ve had this passion since I was a youngster,” he said.
The league’s first session ended after nine weeks.
“We have 13 teams, 12 full and a traveling team that subs and fills in for the
week. I have three divisions of four teams,” he said.
Squires wants to continue to grow the league and get the word out to
other communities.
“It’s a program open for all men… The age level is from basically
21 to almost 60 years old. I have a place for everybody,” he said.
“My goal is to have three or four divisions of six teams. Then I
can really do it the way that I want to.”
Squires said he’s really pleased with the first session,
saying he’s gotten a lot of support from the Recreation
Director Charlotte Daher de Garcia and Superintendent
Jason Calichman.
Squires also noted that he and his wife, Deborah
Squires, started a program years ago for young boys
and girls.
“We started on Saturday mornings with 10 to 15
kids, and it turned into being almost 80 boys and
80 girls every Saturday back-to-back from 8 to 10
a.m. (and) 10 a.m. to noon,” he said.
While on the topic, Squires also gave major
credit to his wife, who came up with the name
Tides Hoop for the league and was also a big
part in getting it set up.
“She was instrumental in supporting me for
this program, too. She’s been a behind-thescenes
person I can bounce things off of as far
as setting this whole program up,” he said.
Squires was happy to see that most of the
teams will be back for the next session, which
will be starting in the winter, as it will be a
year-round league.
“It’s something I really want to develop and
get more and more community people involved.
That was the idea behind Swampscott Rec
trying to get people from the town involved. I
also got some gentlemen who had just moved
to town to join,” he said. “In fact, those two who
just moved here are actually in the finals.”
Squires has received great feedback, bolstering
his hope to grow the league.
SQUIRES, CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

20 | 01907
SQUIRES, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
The league plays on one court, split into three, which makes
the games run smoothly, allowing teams to get in and out in a
timely manner.
He also mentioned that he wasn’t the only one in the family
who grew up with a passion for sports, as all three of his kids
went on to play in college.
“I’m a big believer in sports. When I used to
be a vice principal and I talked to the different
parents, I’d say, ‘I don’t care what your sons or
daughters do, but I’m a firm believer, especially
at the middle school level, that they have to do
something,” he said.
This didn’t just mean sports. Squires
understood that some kids might find passion
in art, music, drama, the chess club, or the math
team.
“Anything. You need to be involved in stuff because
you see people from a different perspective, especially if
you’re somebody like me who was the bad guy with the
black hat. I was the guy who, if you got in trouble, you’d see the
assistant principal. But they got to see me in a different light as
a teacher, or a coach, or a mentor. That’s what education is all
about,” he said.
Squires and his wife were both teachers, which is how they
met, and their daughter also followed in their footsteps, while
his two sons went into other fields.
“My wife has a great quote that I follow. Her philosophy
about discipline is that it doesn’t have to be punitive. Discipline
is about educating others. It’s about learning from making
mistakes. And I think that’s just a great quote,” he said.
Squires continued that when he was in school, when you
were in trouble, it was always punitive.
“There was always a punishment for it. Well, my wife
brought this to light for me. She said, ‘It doesn’t have to be
punitive. It can be about educating and teaching somebody.
Yeah, they made a mistake. We all make mistakes, and we’re all
going to make more mistakes, but you don’t want to make the
same mistake more than once or twice,’” he said.
Squires said he keeps the same philosophy going into
this summer league, creating a space where the guys can get
a good workout, have fun, and enjoy some competition in a
safe space.
“I’ve been involved in basketball my entire
life. I’ve been refereeing for 53 years in high
school, and I did some college for a while, but
this will be my 53rd year doing high school
basketball at the varsity level.”
— JOHN SQUIRES
Jess Burton goes up with the
ball as he gets around Suraj
Krishnamurthi during their Tides
Hoop Basketball League game at
Swampscott Elementary School.
Tony Salcedo lines
up a freethrow
during his Tides
Hoop Basketball
League game.
John Squires, co-organizer of the Tides
Hoop Basketball League, keeps score
during one of the three games being played
at Swampscott Elementary School.

WINTER FALL 2025 | 21
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22 | 01907
ARCHIVING THE
VOICES OF
NAHANT
PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
Nahant Historical Society Executive
Director Julie Tarmy looks through a
book of illustrations created by Lydia
Bishop which is housed in the society's
private collection.
STORY BY CHRIS CARRIGAN BROLLY
Nahant Historical Society is
celebrating its 50th anniversary
this year, firmly stamping itself
into the framework of the town
as the keeper of stories.
“Despite Nahant being the
smallest town in Massachusetts, the town has
some significant events in its past that tell the
story of its remarkable history,” former NHS
Board member Tom Costin wrote. “The most
important work the Society does is to collect
and preserve the stories, events, documents,
and artifacts of the town’s storied history in
order to foster knowledge, understanding,
and community engagement for future
generations.”
Late Nahant resident Calantha Sears
(1921-2024) co-founded the NHS in 1975
while working to organize the Town’s 1976
Bicentennial Parade as part of her work
with the Nahant Historical Commission.
According to Bonnie Ayers D’Orlando, Sears’
influence remains strong in the NHS —
which befits the “First Lady of Nahant,” as
she was informally known.
When the NHS was first established, it
was headquartered in the Costin family home,
“one of the town's oldest homes, known as
the Whitney Homestead,” Costin wrote.
Past President Lynne Spencer explained that,
as time went on and the Costin clan grew,
sharing their home with the society eventually
became untenable. They moved to a rented
space in the Country Club, but a permanent
space was needed.
In 1996, Spencer was on the NHC with
Sears. As a historical building restoration
expert by trade, Spencer was asked to
participate in the process of salvaging
historical artifacts from the old Valley Road
School. It’s this building that eventually
became the NHS’s permanent home.
The Valley Road School was originally
slated to be sold for $166,000 and demolished
to develop two homes. Before that happened,
Spencer and Sears visited the building to
determine if the building or its contents could
be salvaged.
As she and Sears went through the
building, Spencer recalled being touched by
the two marble columns that were donated to
the Town Library by William Wood in 1819.
When the Town built the school at Valley
Road, the columns were moved there.
Spencer said, “I turned to Calantha and
said ‘I don't know about salvage. Why don't
we just save the building?’”
So began a campaign of phone calls
spearheaded by Stanley Paterson, thenpresident
of the NHS. Spencer said,
“Calantha was too diffident to ask too much
at that point, but Stanley was fearless.”
They then sent in a delegation to the
Board of Selectmen. With the support of
Bob Risch and Jeff Musman, the NHS
eventually convinced the Town to give it a
chance to raise the funds needed to prevent
the demolition, but it was a slim chance: one
week. Against the odds, $160,000 was raised
that week.
Spencer said that “people actually
understood there was more value than just
two house lots,” but there was still more work
to be done. Just raising the money wasn't
enough; they needed to convince the people

WINTER 2025 | 23
WINTER 2025 | 23
of Nahant that the building should be saved.
According to Spencer, it took a seven-hour
Special Town Meeting and two secret ballot
polls.
“There was a lot of emotion (at that Town
Meeting), and logic, but logic actually gets
diminished when there's a lot of emotion,”
she said.
According to the meeting minutes —
written by Town Clerk Diane Dunfee —
after three and a half hours of debate, the first
vote failed by just two votes, with the final
tally coming out to 214 to 110.
There is a provision in the Town bylaws
that a motion may be made to reconsider a
vote, so long as such a motion is made within
15 minutes of the original vote. After the
recount was done on the first vote, a motion
to reconsider was put forward and passed 175
to 94, Dunfee wrote.
By then, people had started to leave the
meeting.
“At that point, cell phones were about the
size of a shoe box,” Spencer explained. “But a
couple people went outside and started calling
out to people, (saying,) ‘Hey, you'd better get
back in there!’”
The second vote, also a secret ballot, tallied
to 212 to 105. There were 317 voters, twothirds
of which is 211.3, meaning this second
vote passed by fewer than one vote.
Once the NHS had secured the building, it
took about five years and $1.3 million dollars
to restore it, a “combination of investment
and sweat equity,” Spencer said. She added,
“Volunteerism is a huge part of what makes
this organization work.”
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24 | 01907
REDEFINING
RETIREMENT
PHOTOS: SPENSER HASAK
Artist Sheila Farren Billings is painting a mural of a large
wave along the side of the Swampscott Department of
Public Works building as part of the Swampscott Senior/
Veteran Property Tax Work-Off Program.

WINTER 2025 | 25
STORY BY
JACKIE MANNO
Seventy-five Swampscott residents
are supporting the town by taking
advantage of the Senior/Veteran
Property Tax Work-Off Program,
where homeowners over the age of 60
can work 133 hours at $15 an hour
to accrue up to $2,000 taken off their property
tax bill.
While the program is run statewide, Assistant
to the Town Administrator Jody Watts said
Swampscott has focused on it extensively due to
the amount of seniors in the area.
Applicants select options from various areas
of interest, and Watts later reaches out to assign
them tasks based on their strengths. Programs
include: record filing, gardening, cleaning,
classroom volunteers, library aides, painting, and
more.
“We get access to incredibly talented people
at a very modest rate of pay, so it helps us fill in a
lot of the gaps for different types of projects,” said
Watts, who runs the program.
Sheila Billings has recently completed murals
inside the library, on the DPW wall, and on two
utility boxes. The DPW yard mural is a big, blue
wave that was inspired by “The Great Wave of
Kanagawa,” a 1831 painting by Hokusai.
“I signed up for (the program), but they didn’t
have anything for art. So I made my own box and
checked off that I’d like to do art for the town
because I’m an artist,” Billings said.
Watts said that while the monetary benefit
is a bonus, most participants choose to enroll in
the program due to the community connection
aspect.
“It helps establish connections with senior
residents that we wouldn’t otherwise have. It’s a
win-win,” Watts said.
Mike Devlin, retired CPA, is currently
working on the accounts payable records
retention project at Town Hall with former
Salem Hospital IT employee Lori Jackson and
former Fidelity Brokerage Principal Mike Rubin.
The project consists of identifying and sorting
invoice records that need to be kept on file and
discarding the remainders.
“There’s a small financial part of it, but I
think the biggest part of it is socialization. As a
recently retired person, you’re always looking for
something to do, and this was a way of doing that
in a simple way,” Devlin said of the program.
Jackson said, “The monetary benefits are nice,
but this gives you a lot of flexibility, and you meet
a lot of people.”
Rubin said, “I get satisfaction from supporting
the community rather than just being an
observer.”
Devlin, Jackson, and Rubin said their former
jobs have given them skills that easily translate
into the records project, including computer
knowledge and attention to detail.
“I think we’ve organized it in a way that’s
pretty impressive,” Devlin said.
At the Senior Center, program participants
use their skills in various areas such as nursing,
cooking, bingo, card games, and group walks.
“It’s very rewarding; the people in the program
Mike Rubin sorts through the town's invoices to determine what
documents need to be kept, and which ones need to be shredded as part
of his Senior/Veteran Property Tax Work-Off Program.
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781-599-3411
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TAX, CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

26 | 01907
TAX, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25
all have so much in common. You meet so many
people,” said Susan Spooner-Turner, former
psychiatrist nurse, while taking community
member Cindy Pierce’s blood pressure.
While working in the kitchen, retired financial
advisor Olga Frezinskaya said cooking is a
refreshing change in pace from the demands of
her former job.
“I like to make food and to serve people,”
Frezinskaya said. “It's a pleasure to be here.”
Former hairdresser Mary Katsoulis was
already teaching canasta at the Senior Center
before she found out about the program and
figured she’d might as well join.
“It’s a great game; it's a fun passover, and you
make a lot of friends,” Katsoulis said.
Along with making social connections,
participants in the program also help local
organizations run more smoothly by easing the
workload for supervisors.
“It frees me up and helps me prioritize,” said
Heidi Whear, Director of Aging Services at the
Senior Center.
The participants at the Senior Center and
Town Hall agreed.
“Because I’m a nurse, I can see the caretakers
need a break sometimes,” Spooner-Turner said.
Devlin said, “It takes the burden off of people.
I’d rather have employees focus on the more
important aspect of government rather than
sorting through old files.”
Watts said the program has grown “quite a
bit” in the past five years, so it is starting to be
a challenge to find opportunities that best suit
applicants.
However, Devlin applauded Watts’ dedication
to the success of the program.
“She’s been a consistent, steady hand with this.
She gets to know people and their strengths,” he
said.
Retired nurse Susan Spooner-Turner checks the
blood pressure of Cindy Pierce at Swampscott Council on Aging.
Mary Katsoulis
teaches canasta
at the Council
on Aging.
Lori Jackson makes note
of the town's invoices.
Mike Devlin sorts through the
town's invoices to determine
what documents need to be
kept, and which ones need to
be shredded.
Olga Frezinskaya works in the kitchen serving lunches at the Council on Aging.

27 | 01907
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More Than Cars
The Family and
Gratitude Behind
Atlantic Toyota
Some members of the Atlantic Toyota family
As Thanksgiving approaches, we want to sincerely
convey our profound sense of family and gratitude.
We are thankful for the incredible team we have here on
the Lynnway. They are the engine of Atlantic Toyota,
driving forward our mission with a commitment to
value, integrity, and excellent service that makes us
proud every day. They show up rain-or-shine, and their
dedication to each other is what truly makes our
dealership feel like a family business. We are fortunate
to work alongside such a dedicated group of individuals.
This feeling of gratitude extends deeply into the Lynn
and Greater North Shore community. Your trust is the
single greatest factor in our continued success, and we
never forget that. Thank you for choosing Atlantic
Toyota for your sales, service, and parts needs this past
year.
As you gather with your loved ones this Thanksgiving,
we wish you safe travels, full tables, and a peaceful
weekend filled with everything you are thankful for.
Mike Brown, Operating Partner/General Manager
and David S. Rosenberg, Dealer Principal
From our family to yours,
David Rosenberg with children Amanda and Andrew
(781) 599-4922
671 Lynnway, Lynn, MA
ATLANTICTOYOTA.COM

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LynnAuditorium.com 781-599-SHOW