Life After Tappan Zee

Carla Grutzner Beck
   
1955 Graduation Picture
Recent Picture

After graduating from T.Z. in 1955, I attended SUNY New Paltz for two years. At the end of my sophomore year, I married a fellow student, Ed Beck. I was 19. One year later, my son Michael was born followed a year later by my daughter Lisa. We moved to Clinton Comers, N.Y. where my husband managed the family dairy farm and milk business (For those who don't know- Clinton Corners had many more cows than people back then). My 3rd child, Stacey, was born a few years later. We moved back to New Paltz in 1965. Ed sold the milk business and bought a college bar and restaurant. I was fortunate that I could stay home and be "mommy'' for ten years. When my youngest child began nursery school I went back to school again and earned my BS and MA in education. Ed and I divorced during this time.

I was hired by the Highland School District to teach 3rd grade which I did for 27 years. I loved it. It was a challenge to raise 3 children and their assorted pets, take care of the house and yard working full time and dating (?). We all survived. My children (in their 40's now), all college grads, married, and have wonderful children of their own ranging in age from 9 to 19 years. They are the joys of my life!!!

Stacey, my youngest, lives in Plaza del Rey, CA and I visit there often-usually when the weather is cold here. I'm grateful that my other 2 children and their families live nearby. I love to travel and have visited several countries in Europe, cruised the Caribbean, and have seen many US states and Canada. My sister has a great home on the gulf coast of Florida and I spend time there during the winter. No matter where I go though I'm happiest at a beach. I've lived in the same house for 40 years and I'm comfortable spending much time with my kids and grandkids. I like gardening, walking, biking, reading, eating in (cooking), or eating out (dining), going to NYC for theater, etc.

I can't believe that 50 years have passed since we all left Tappan Zee. When I received a phone call from Pat Trubiroha Vanderbeek so many good memories came flooding back. I am planning to attend our class reunion but it is a bit daunting because I have lost all contact with everyone. Plus, my yearbooks were destroyed in a flood so I don't even have them to use as a reference. I finally figured out how to open Jack Monnier's TZ web page and I'm so delighted by all the fine work he has done. My deepest thanks to Pat, Jack, and Robert Stanaitis for "finding" me.

Contact Information

EMAIL: beckcarla@msn.com

Snail-Mail: 4 Woodland Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561

Phone: 845.255.5674