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Canton Citizen's
2010 Valentine's Day Couple: Frank and Peg LaBollita
By Ruth Weiner
Citizen Staff
Frank and Peg
LaBollita open their hearts to all who enter their home. The
Gaelic sign above their kitchen door –
Céad Míle Fáilte, which means
“a hundred thousand welcomes” — reflects their hospitality.
With love and
mutual respect, Frank and Peg have devoted their lives to each
other since June 1962.
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Frank and
Peg LaBollita are pictured at right on their wedding day in 1962
and above in a recent photo. |
Frank likes to
say that he and Peg met in nursery school. In 1958, when the
preschool where Peg worked needed a driver, Frank was asked to
do the job. Peg accompanied him on the first week’s routes to
make sure the kids were comfortable.
Frank knew
then that Peg was the
one. “You know it when it happens,” he said, although
it took a little longer for Peg to come around.
“I was always
very comfortable with him,” she said, with her quick smile and
her animated eyes. “We still like one another,” she laughed.
With four
married adult children — Lisa, Mark, Steven, and David — and six
grandchildren, the LaBollitas celebrate the joys of family.
“The thing
that grows best here are kids,” said Peg, who beams with delight
as she shares family photos, especially a framed collage
showcasing the marriages of their parents, themselves and their
children.
Peg has
dedicated her life to children, first and foremost as mother and
grandmother, as well as having worked as a special needs aide at
the Kennedy School. “I loved seeing the kids thrive,” she said.
“I loved going to my job every day.”
Frank taught
industrial arts in the Canton Public Schools for 39 years and
ran the driver education program. He was also a member of the
Massachusetts National Guard and achieved the rank of full
colonel.
After
retirement, he became the director of veterans’ affairs and the
emergency manager for the town of Canton. Still active in the
National Guard, he is the liaison between the retiree groups and
the existing guard troops.
“The
experience in the military made me a better teacher,” he said
with a healthy balance of pride and modesty. “The experience as
a teacher made me a better officer. You’re in the people
business in both professions.”
Because of the
military, Frank was often away: “The higher up in rank you go,
the more you’re committed. The more responsibility, the more
time you have to devote.”
Peg was always
supportive of his decision to remain in the service. “It was
something he truly loved,” she said, adding that he also
encouraged her to do what she enjoyed. As if completing her
thoughts, Frank said, “We give each other our own space.”
The LaBollitas
have resided in the same house in Canton since 1972. “Ideal for
kids,” the neat white ranch was the last thing they had intended
to buy, but once they saw it they were sold. Frank recalls
summering in Canton as a boy. His grandfather owned two cottages
and he remembers buying ice for their iceboxes. “I always wanted
to live in Canton,” he said.
Asked for
advice about the success of their marriage, Frank and Peg became
thoughtful. “Be open and honest,” he said. “There’s a lot of
work to a good marriage,” she added.
Lavish
possessions are not a priority. As wedding presents, she gave
him a lawn mower and he gave her a chandelier. For Valentine’s
Day they exchange cards.
Not only are
they devoted to each other and their family, but they also
remain close with their childhood friends. They travel with
couples and colleagues whom they have known for decades.
Side by side,
Frank and Peg LaBollita take long walks — to the center of town,
around Castle Island, or through the North End. Afterward, they
might stop at the Sugar Bowl or at Kelly’s for an ice cream.
“Our days are
full,” said Peg, with a nod from Frank. Their lives have been
rich with love, happiness, and the realization of a rewarding
marriage.
February 11, 2010
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