CLASSMATE UPDATE: JOHN LEWIS

I was born in Jackson Heights, the oldest of 3 boys.  When  I was 6, the excellent reputation of the Massapequa School District lured my parents, and we moved to a house on Smith Street, right across the street from Hawthorne Elementary School.

Smith Street was a great place to be a kid; there were so many kids to play with, we had the playground right across the street, and we all enjoyed walking to town for pizza or a treat from Di Monda’s bakery.  The summers found us biking to the woods (Massapequa Preserve) where we could fish or swim.  My parents put a pool in our yard, and as a result, my house was a popular summer hangout.

I come from a large Italian family, and part of the Italian tradition is Sunday dinner at Grandma’s house.   My Grandma lived out in Hauppauge, and we referred to her as “Grandma in the country” because at that time, Hauppauge really was the country.  She had a large piece of property with a chicken coop and chickens and she was an amazing cook!  There were 28 cousins on that side of the family, and we were all close, so it was so much fun being there.  We used to laugh when a guest was invited for the first time to one of Grandma’s dinners.  They would invariably fill their plates when the pasta, meatballs and sausage was passed around the table, no doubt thinking how great this meal was.  Little did they know that this was only the first course, and that soon a roast, potatoes, vegetables and salad would appear!
 

I enjoyed High School and made some good friends, many of whom I am in touch with today, like Lori Barclay, Ann Marie (Colletti) Noone, and Bob and Leslie (Lemmelbaum) Insalaco.  After graduation, I did not know what I wanted to do, so I enrolled at SUNY Farmingdale to study Liberal Arts.  I also worked part-time at Bohacks in Massapequa Park.
 
While at Farmingdale, I found that I enjoyed Environmental Science, so after achieving my Associates Degree at Farmingdale, I ended up at SUNY Plattsburg as an Environmental Science major, and I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1977.

In between Farmingdale and Plattsburg, I took a year off to concentrate on self-improvement.   I had always been a bit heavy set as a child, but while at Farmingdale, my weight grew to 250 pounds.  I made a decision to get my weight under control, joined Weight Watchers and lost 85 pounds, which I have kept off ever since.  During that time, I also developed an interest in physical fitness and found myself teaching aerobics, running 10K races, and even a half marathon.  I am still a fitness enthusiast and working out is an important part of my day.
 

This picture appeared in Aerobics Guru Jackie Sorensen's book

With my freshly awarded BA in hand, I realized that my interest in Environmental Science had waned, and so, I wound up answering a Classified Ad for a position as an Insurance Adjuster.  The ad was particularly alluring because it offered college graduates $700 a month plus a company car.  In 1977, it didn’t get much better than that.  I was hired by Crawford & Company and went to Atlanta for a 5 week training program.  I worked out of the Carle Place office for the next year, while still living at home.  Working as an Independent Insurance Adjuster appealed to me because I wasn’t stuck in an office all day, I had a lot of freedom to make my own schedule, and I met lots of people.

My life changed significantly in 1978, when I ran into our classmate, and my good friend, Brian Sibley.  Brian had moved to California, and was in Massapequa for a visit.  He invited me to visit him in California, and I took him up on his offer.  He lived in Orange County, and I found that I loved it there so much, that during my vacation, I found a new job and went home to give my 2 week notice to Crawford & Company.  My parents were very supportive of the move, and I knew that if things didn’t work out for me on the West Coast, that they would rescue me.  I was off to California!   

In Palm Springs with Brian Sibley

For the next 26 years, I worked for Carl Warren & Company, retiring as a Vice President in 2004.  My early retirement came about as a result of a battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma that left me unable to work.

I was diagnosed during a visit to Long Island, when I went to the emergency room with severe stomach pain. I flew back home to California for treatment, and over the next six months, I was in and out of the hospital 6 times, had multiple surgeries and chemotherapy, and had more than one night where they thought I might not make it.   It actually took me several years to fully recover, but I beat cancer and I am healthy today.  During my treatments I found out what a truly amazing group of friends, co-workers and neighbors I had.  I never would have expected people to be so generous and so supportive, and I know I am truly blessed.

While I was working, I lived all over the Los Angeles area, but enjoyed visiting Palm Springs on weekends.  After I retired, I moved there full time.  Palm Springs is a beautiful desert resort city and is known for its mid-century modern architecture, great restaurants and lively night life.  It has become a popular retirement destination for gay men of a certain age.   

I met my partner, Craig, in Palm Springs at an informal Men’s Discussion Group.  We have been together for 7 years now, and we have a large circle of friends that we love to entertain.  Craig and I have become known for our large dinner parties (we can seat up to 20 at one table!) and in our way, we are continuing the Italian tradition that was part of my childhood.

Thanksgiving 2013

Christmas 2013

Craig and I have our dinner parties down pat now.  I love to cook and I have managed to pretty much duplicate Grandma’s famous potatoes!   Craig’s background is in Art and Design, and he decorates and sets a lavish table.  Our friends look forward to a holiday dinner with us, and no one has to sit at a kid’s table!  And even though none of my family lives out here near me, when I look down the table as we raise our glasses, I am reminded that families don’t always grow up under the same roof.  

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

Even though I am retired, my days are busy.  I am an active volunteer with the Desert AIDS Project, which has a national reputation for providing the most comprehensive support services for people living with HIV/AIDS.  I have acted in various volunteer capacities like fundraising and serving on committees, but currently, I am one of the volunteer editors of their weekly electronic newsletter with about 1600 subscribers.  Each week we search the web for articles that would be of interest to people living with HIV/AIDS, including treatment news, health news, advocacy opportunities, etc., and summarize those articles for the newsletter. I also serve as Secretary of the Men's Discussion Group.

In addition to working out at the gym, I am an automobile enthusiast and I enjoy going to the movies.   I also love to experiment with new recipes and I am always thinking about the next dinner party.  I travel a bit and I still visit Long Island at least once a year.  My youngest brother bought the house we grew up in and my Mom lives in Snug Harbor in Amityville.  I am always amazed at how green and lush Long Island is during the summer.  I enjoyed attending the Look Who’s Turning 60 Birthday party in June, though I am still dealing with the reality of turning 60!  (I am sure our cruise to Mexico in October will help with that!)  Looking back, I have no real regrets.  All of my experiences both good and bad have made me the person that I am today and have led me here to my life in Palm Springs, and that is exactly where I am meant to be.