Sue Chvirko
Born in Highland Park, Illinois, then moved to New Jersey, then to Connecticut, then to England, then to California, then back to Connecticut where she worked for 31 years as a head teacher for the State of Connecticut, Department of Developmental Services (and where she threatened to move to Australia off and on for a number of years while her children grew up), then to Arizona to teach on an Indian reservation, then back to Connecticut, then to Shanghai, and finally back to Connecticut, where she is currently cooling her heels for the time being. When Sue is not living other places, she is busy visiting other places, like Ireland, Scotland, France, Haiti, Antigua, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts. There's more, but my hand is starting to hurt from typing them all. She is a map whiz and a knitting fiend and can tell you all about the golden age of cinema, no matter what era you consider the golden age of cinema. She loves theater and books and volunteers so much of her time to various organizations it seems impossible that she should have time for either. She wanted me to mention that she also loves to sing.
Chris Chvirko
After growing up in the Eastford-Pomfret-Woodstock area of CT, Chris worked as a Registered Nurse for the State of Connecticut, Department of Developmental Services for a million years until he could cash out, give the old betty the one-fingered salute, drop the mic and get out of there. He now spends his time wasting time in book stores, magazine stands, and newspaper racks; dreaming about terraforming Mars; and following the rise and fall and rise and fall and rise, and inevitable fall of the New York Giants. He also spends his free time milking cows and petting barnyard cats and dogs at Buell's Dairy Farm in Eastford, CT. And on occasion, he and his son, Alec Chvirko, try to fly their drone without crashing it. They are mostly successful.
Darlene Stengel
Born in Milwaukee Wisconsin, Darlene married her soul mate at the age of 19. Over the following forty-eight years, she and her husband Joe raised a beautiful family together, first in Milwaukee where she had three girls, Laura, Amy, and Sheila, and then in Overland Park, Kansas where she had Paul. In 1979 she and Joe packed up the family and moved to South Windsor, CT where she has lived ever since. Darlene has spent 35 years perfecting the art of keeping four children from killing themselves and mostly keeping them from injuring one another (although there is some evergreen trauma involving a Sesame Street record that was colored over with crayons). As her children grew up, Darlene decided to be a licensed home daycare mother and Paul was her assistant. Today, she continues this valuable work as a grandma of five grandchildren. She is a one-woman cooking machine and could show Julia Child a thing or two. For eighteen years she served as chief baker for a craft show in South Windsor. A favorite at the craft show was Joe's fudge. After all her children were grown, she joined the private sector and retired from Walmart after 15 years of service. She loves to read and learn and is planning on one day going to Egypt to see the Great Pyramids, and to go to Germany, so she can drink real German lager out of "das boot".
Joe Stengel
Gone too soon, Joe was born in Antigo, Wisconsin, and like Paul he was the youngest of four children. After he graduate high school, he moved to Milwaukee where he met Darlene. He knew what he wanted early in life, and didn't waste any time talking Darlene into marrying him. As a young man he worked at Olsen's Electronics, where he enjoyed helping people with their electronics. In the Army Reserve, Joe taught radio communications and throughout his life he maintained his Ham Operator license. Joe retired from JCPenny after 25 years of service as an engineer. Joe could fix anything. He could turn a broken toaster into a VCR. He built the house in South Windsor, CT that this family of six shared, and he also built a reputation as a guy who wouldn't bother to go to the doctor, but rather would take his own stitches out with a pair of pliers if given half a chance. A hard worker and a loyal and devoted husband and father, Joe passed away in June of 2009. We all love him and miss him and will be lighting a candle in his memory for the wedding.
