Life After Tappan Zee

Paul Raso

1959 Graduation Picture	Recent Picture

After graduation I attended SUNY at Morrisville, NY but decided this was not what I wanted in life. Joining Con Edison in 1960 I started with overhead distribution, then to transmission line construction and maintenance. Another transfer was to Electrical Engineering, finally ending up in the Energy Services Dept. and retiring in November 2000 after 40 years.

During this time I also served in the US Army, in the 173 rd Airborne Infantry and then transferred into the US Army Special Forces (Green Berets) serving with the 1st, 3rd, 16th and 19th Special Forces Groups.

In 1963 I married the love of my life and high school sweetheart Peggy DeMaio. We were blessed with two children, Paul, Jr. and Mary-Margaret Anastasia - a/k/a "Meg."

While working for Con Edison I returned to college earning degrees in Business Information and Programming and Computer Science.

My community service included coaching the Mighty Midgets Football, Little League Baseball, Assistant Scout Master of Troop 3 - Boy Scouts of America - Tappan, and Parish Council for our church. Also, I am an active member of the Volunteer Fire Association of Tappan. Having served as Chief of the department along with other various positions within the organization for 45 years, and recently appointed Fire Inspector for Tappan.

Being retired has given me the time to indulge in my favorite hobby - Watercolor Painting! Peggy and I travel extensively which allows me the opportunity to sketch, photograph and paint.

I only wish the students of today could have the same experiences I did while in high school. The friends I made back then remain my friends today . . .. I play golf with Charlie Bullock, John Streppone and Anthony Koza . . . . and somehow our conversations end up with us telling stories of our years at Tappan Zee.