Pam Waesche, 76, Died; former Housing Authority steward, Avid Gardener, Beloved Mother
Pamela Vuillemenot Waesche passed away peacefully surrounded by family on December 1, 2023. Obituaries generally provide a timeline of the individual’s life and accomplishments, but Pam’s emotional contributions of love and kindness are much more indicative of the life she led.
Pam and her husband of 53 years, John, shared a love that transcended all life’s struggles and hardships. She was smart, loving, empathetic, and together, she and John raised three daughters they could not be prouder of. Her children and their families are the legacy she leaves behind.
Pam was born September 30, 1947, the daughter of Robert and Leontine Vuillemenot. She attended Oradell public schools in New Jersey where she met John at a 6th grade square dance and is where he first fell in love with her. She graduated from Skidmore College in 1969 with a BA in American Studies. Pam held professional positions at the Guggenheim Museum, Time Life, and The Library of Congress, but her greatest achievement and focus was always on the care and support of her family and others. In Westport, CT, where she and John raised their family, she worked with Au Pair in America and the Westport Housing Authority helping those in need find a home, spent her summer mornings tending and harvesting vegetables for local soup kitchens as a member of the Greens Farms Garden Club, and cared for any animal in distress.
She is survived by her husband, John Waesche, of Westport, CT, her daughters, sons-in laws and nine beloved grandchildren: Wendy, David, Kate, Lucy and Matthew Lavallee of Southport, CT; Dana, Jamey, Jackson, Toby, and Kiley Gifford of Hillsborough, CA; and Erin, George, John, Charlie, and Lily DiGuido of Fairfield, CT. And, a multitude of cherished friends who all provided constant camaraderie, love, and support. They will all miss her presence, laughter, and guidance in their lives. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation to a charity of your choice be made in her name.
A Look At Bankside House: Westport's Premier Riverside Luxury Residences
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Bankside house, on the west shore of the Saugatuck River overlooking downtown Westport is the newest upscale residential offering from award winning Westport developer David Waldman. Many Westporters are familiar with the work of his company David Adam Realty which was the developer of another premier project, Bedford Square, the beautiful residential and commercial development which has transformed Church Street into a "go-to" location for many folks in town and those visiting from the area and beyond.
Nestled along the Saugatuck River, Bankside House is a collection of twelve refined, private homes designed by critically acclaimed architecture firm Roger Ferris + Partners headquartered in Westport and with offices in NYC and Bridgehampton, NY. The project is being developed in partnership with Urbane New Haven which describes itself as "an effervescent pile of creative talent. Simply put, we are a team of builders."
The 45,000 s/f masterpiece uses negative space to provide each of the 12 luxury residences with 4 walls of floor to ceiling glass allowing light to filter through every inch of the units. Comprised of 10 two bedroom, 3 bath units and two, 3-bedroom 4 bath units, all with views of the Saugatuck river. The building’s exterior is designed to be low maintenance in order to keep future capital expenses low for the unit owners. It uses a sustainable corn husk infused siding called Resysta as well as ACM panels. Each unit also comes with ample outdoor spaces in the form of large patio’s, roof decks for the penthouses and balconies at each corner of each unit.
Substantial expense was spent providing quiet living inside the units since they sit in an urban environment. The creative design and use of negative space meant that no unit shared a wall with its adjacent units and the only connection between units comes in the floors and ceilings, all of which were acoustically designed to mitigate sound. Double Insulated windows as well as double insulated exterior walls added to the soundproofing qualities.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
No expense was spared in constructing this development from the infrastructure to the finishes. Each unit has a Level 5 finish on all walls and ceilings, engineered white oak floors bring warmth into the modern designed units and heated marble floors in the primary bathrooms provide warmth on a cold day.
David Waldman proudly describe the history and process of creating Bankside House as well as his other Westport projects:
Bankside House and the Bankside at National Hall office building began in 2013 with the purchase of the old Save the Children office building. For me, it was a full circle purchase since in 1982, my late father owned a portion of the property which he eventually sold to Save the Children. My father also built the three-building office complex at 57-61 Wilton Road, a portion of which is home to my company, David Adam Realty.
The project had many iterations in its quest for town approvals, a process that unfortunately spanned 6 years, as well as having a new development partner, Urbane New Haven, when my first partner decided he did not want to proceed in 2019.
Waldman told WestportLocal, “I am proud to have Bankside House as part of my development resume in Westport. I pride myself on providing beautifully designed properties to the town I have lived in since I was 1. Never have I created a building using cheap materials. My firm has won 7 preservation awards as well.”
Waldman’s contribution to Westport’s downtown are highly visible and always top-notch projects.
Bedford Square is one of the highlights of the David Adam Realty portfolio which includes properties totaling over 800,000 square feet - from historic downtown street retail, modern office complexes, upscale lifestyle centers to mixed-use developments. In fact, you cannot walk around downtown Westport without passing some of DAR's properties such as the Spotted Horse and Urban Outfitters on Church Lane and Post Road East. The building occupied by Mrs. Londons, also on Church Lane, is a bakery and cafe and has three apartments as well. Sconset Square with it's curated collection of home and boutique retailers was developed with another noted Westport real estate developer, Roger Leiffer of Leiffer properties.
David Adam Realty also manages properties such as the Gap on Main St. and the former Westport Bank & Trust Building a historically significant "flat-iron" building, a Westport landmark currently home to Patagonia, which was painstakingly renovated by Waldman's firm to preserve as much of the character of the original property as possible.
It was only because of COVID that Westport’s residential market changed creating a more favorable environment to sell such a luxury product. We retained Roger Ferris and Partners to design a one-of-a-kind landmark building anchoring the west bank of the Saugatuck river and complementing the now completed, Roger Ferris designed office building. Roger was also the architect for the redesign of National Hall and their adjacent buildings.
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas In Saugatuck
As has happened every holiday season for more than two decades, the Cribari Memorial Bridge becomes a tunnel of Christmas lights which has delight both children and adults entering or leaving Saugatuck. This cherished holiday tradition is the work of Al DiGuido and Al’s Angels, who along with A.J. Jenna & Sons strung the festive Christmas lights and keep them glowing year after year.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge.
The Festive Holiday Look Continues At Rizzuto’s Restaurant
The popular Saugatuck eatery continues to offer outdoor dining in their “igloos” The COVID crises inspired Bill Rizzuto to create a safe place to dine by constructing clear "Igloos" in the parking lot of his restaurant and they are still a big hit with guests long after the pandemic. Each igloo can seat up to 8 people who can control the temperature by setting the two electric heaters to their comfort level up to about 90º. Two windows allow for fresh air to enter creating the opportunity for the perfect temperature regardless of the weather outside.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Great Day At Compo Beach For Dogs, and People Too!
The recent milder temperature days, as they always do, bright together people and the four-legged friends at Compo Beach. There was swimming, ball chasing, canine meet & greets and much running and jumping and playing. For the human visitors there was a spectacular sunset to enjoy as the strolled the water’s edge.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Fisherman looking for a catch and Canada geese passing by.
SPIN! SPIN! SPIN! Stamford Downtown Parade Spectacular Ushers In Thanksgiving Holiday
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The beloved event marked it’s 30th appearance this year better than ever. Thousands of people from all over Fairfield and Westchester counties lined the streets of downtown Stamford to marvel at 15 giant, 30' high balloons, listened to marching bands and enjoyed a variety of performing artists.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The parade is acknowledged to be one of the largest of it's kind in country. There were, as always several excellent marching bands, various entertainers including talented dance performers from area dance schools, the high energy clowns and of course The Grinch and Whoville and closing the parade were Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Westport was well represented by Westport volunteer EMS including Nancy Surace and crew chief Brian Crane who patrolled the parade route on bicycle, and even rendered aid to one youngster with a minor issue.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Golfin’ With The Geese At Longshore
Sunday’s beautiful weather brought many golfers to Longshore’s Golf Course. They had to maneuver their way through a couple of large flocks of geese which have gotten larger and more pervasive on the course. One golfer seemed a little amused as we captured the scene, perhaps feeling as though she had a gallery to applaud her sinking her next putt. While the geese didn’t do much to make the links more inviting, the beautiful splashes of color that remain made for a stunning backdrop indeed.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
It does seem as though the golfers are intruding upon the activities of the geese rather than the other way around. We did not see them interfere with play however.
Indian-American Community Celebrates The Diwali Festival In Stamford
Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, was celebrated by the Connecticut chapter of GOPIO (Global Organization of People of Indian Origin) in partnership with the Ferguson library and the Stamford Mayor's Multicultural Council (MMC) with traditional music, dance, Mehendi, Indian snacks and a rangoli exhibition.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Diwali, which is a major festival in the Indian sub-continent, celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. It is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains all over the world. Diwali is now a public holiday in many US towns and cities including New York.
The performances by local dance schools showcased the diversity of India with classical, fusion, folk as well as Bollywood dances. Indian delicacies served after the event were enjoyed by all.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
In these three photos above, girls from the Stamford chapter of Hindi USA are performing the Deepvandana stotram in dance form at GOPIO- CT's annual Diwali celebration in collaboration with the Stamford Mayor's multicultural council and the Ferguson library. In Hindu Sanatan Dharma, the tradition of lighting a lamp in the early morning hours and in the evening at sunset is more than 5000 years old. Any auspicious occasion, be it a festival, a wedding or a puja, is initiated with the lighting of a lamp. Diwali or Deepawali (meaning row of deeps/diyas little lamps) is celebrated by lighting little diyas or lamps as it falls on New moon day, to remove the darkness, representing victory of light of knowledge over the darkness of ignorance. Fire from a diya symbolizes purity and enlightenment.
The dancers pictured above include: Chandrala Kulkarni, Saanvi Kulkarni, Shreya Perinkulam, Saesha Gianchandani, Ishika Rao, Ipsika Bokka, Hansika Janna
The event was a culmination of the flawless team work between three organizations. Everyone came together to spend the afternoon immersed in the culture, heritage and colors of the Diwali, the festival of lights.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Fading Autumn Colors At Longshore
David and Jennifer, who live across Compo Road from the golf course enjoy the fading colors of autumn on a few trees still have their orange and rust colored leaves, as they stroll down the allée at Longshore with their Border Collie Mac and their Poodle-Aussie mix Ada.
Photo By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com
Police: Missing Westport Teen is Found
Westport Police Press Release
The Westport Police Detective Bureau worked this case throughout the day on Sunday, following numerous tips that lead to New York City. Through the use of Law Enforcement sharing and social media platforms, The Westport Police Department was able to track Maxwell [redacted] to a New York City Library in the vicinity of Grand Central Station. Our Detectives ultimately reunited Maxwell with his family at approximately 5:00 PM. Westport Police want to thank the Public, our Law Enforcement Partners and the Media in assisting us to reunite this family.
UPDATE: LOCATED - Westport Searches for Missing Teenage Boy; Call Police with Any Info
Westport Police Department Press Release: On November 18, 2023, at approximately 3:30pm Westport Police responded to a report of a missing 15-year-old juvenile from the Newman’s Preservatory Trail off 307-309 Bayberry Lane. [personal information redacted]
Maxwell is a Caucasian male, approximately 5’7” tall, 125 pounds, with long brown surfer style haircut. Last seen wearing navy blue shorts and a navy-blue sweatshirt
Maxwell has been entered as a Missing Person.
Anyone with information that can help locate Maxwell is urged to call the Westport Police Department at 203-341-6000.
A photograph of Maxwell is attached