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BY SUSAN MCTIGUE
CORRESPONDENT
CLOSTER, N.J.—Three years ago, the Closter Historical Society installed an official Hall of Fame honoring Closter residents whose achievements far exceeded the borough’s boundaries.
The 34 honorees include Sesame Street puppeteer Richard Hunt, jazz legend Bill Evans, model and writer Emme, the Lenni-Lenape Native American tribe, musician and author Stuart Isacoff, sculptor Abram Belskie, fashion designer Andrea Jovine, NFL football player Bruce Harper and baseball icon Mickey Mantle, sports illustrator Charlie McGill, Secret Service Agent Jonathan Cherry, actress Rue McClanahan, and other notables from far-ranging fields.
Installed in the Closter Public Library at 280 High St., the Hall of Fame has become a popular site, with other towns creating their own Halls of Fame based on Closter’s success.
On Sunday, Sept. 2, a second group of honorees was inducted into the Hall of Fame. The youngest is Andrew A. Weatherly, artist, poet and coach, whose worldwide recognition as an artist and writer has brought attention to those born with Down Syndrome. Weatherly’s resolve has allowed him to overcome many obstacles, while his insight remains one of his greatest gifts. The oldest recipient is Adele M. Chase whose wide-spread civic work led to her appointments by Presidents Truman and Eisenhower to the Conference on Children.
Dancer, actor and director Fred Kelly, brother of Gene Kelly, lived in Closter for 36 years where he operated the Fred Kelly Dance Studio. Thousands of children and adults, including John Travolta, learned to dance in his studios.
Coach George Potterton is honored as the architect of Closter’s recreation and sports programs. He left a legacy of caring about every child who played any sport in Closter. Olympic bicyclist and national champion Jack W. Simes III represented the United States at the1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, and was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1995. Susan M. Liddy is a record-holding high school sports coach whose basketball teams have won over 750 games and numerous titles. Tommy La Stella began his baseball career on Closter’s fields and now is part of the 2016 World Championship Chicago Cubs team, where he continues to play.
Dr. Ann M. Lupardi De Venezia is a published poet and English teacher whose works include “Grave Rubbings: New and Selected Poems” and “Riding My Tricycle: Poetry of Dreams and Visions.” John Connor and Sean Kilkenny met as students at Northern Valley High School at Demarest and began writing music after graduation for a band that would become Dog Eat Dog. Their band traveled to 45 countries throughout the world. Kenny Albert, a Closter resident since 1999, is a play-by-play announcer for the NFL, Major League Baseball, and the radio voice of the New York Rangers and the Knicks.
The expansion of the Hall of Fame was organized by Closter residents Ed Lenander, Tony Lupardi and Jim Oettinger. Future plans for a separate Wall of Fame will highlight Closterites whose contributions to the borough have improved the quality of life dramatically.
The Closter Hall of Fame can be visited during regular hours at the Closter Public Library—Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—at 280 High St. Admission is free.
Photos by Murray Bass
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