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55 AN T I OC H CO L L E G E C L A S S O F 19 6 5 5 0 t h A N N I V E R S A R Y B O O K A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z G O O D M A N teach (before the Christmas va- cation) when my first daugh- ter, Samantha Lara, was born on December 21, 1971, ten days early and five days before our fifth wed- ding anniversary. Stephen (or Boo as I used to call him and Toad ev- eryone from his high school called him) was one of the first fathers al- lowed in the delivery room.We did the Lamaze method of childbirth initially because of my great fear of needles. A big article was written up in Newsday about the three of us entitled “The Daily Miracle of Life.” Stephen, amazingly, took a fabulous picture of Samantha five seconds old. No one likes that picture but me! Samantha was a perfect child who taught me many things. Early in my married life, I began fundrais- ing for a local cancer group, and later became its chairperson. I also participated on local school board committees using my expertise in both education and finance. Not wanting Samantha to be an only child, but enjoying her childhood immensely, I decided to aim for a bicentennial baby. Now remember my last name was ROSS and this was 1976. I said to myself, if she is born on July 4th, I’m going to name her Betsy! But Stephanie Lizbeth said “No Way!” and made her ap- pearance on July 8th! Stephanie was often sick her first year and a half and so her babyhood was con- stantly scary. By the time she was 3½ we were both getting allergy shots. Along the way, I loved being PTA president for the girls’ elemen- tary school and designed a new parking lot for the school which became my thesis for Bank Street! Then, in 1988, I decided to become a nursery school director because I loved young children.To do that I needed to get another master’s de- gree, this time in supervision and administration. At first I thought I would make it easy on myself and go to school on Long Island rather than commuting to Manhattan.The easier way out was never my style. I had to return to Bank Street which had now moved to 112th Street. After taking five courses that first summer, I became extremely ill and had to take a year off. Then it took two years and a summer to complete the degree. During that process, I became educational di- rector of a small day care center in Elmhurst (Queens). Later I ap- plied to Great Neck Public Schools (where I lived) to be on the same schedule as my girls. They needed a kindergarten teacher five days be- fore school started in August 1992 and I was hired. I taught kindergar- ten here for 17 years before retir- ing. It was a second extremely re- warding job. Working late was a way of life for me as again I was designing my own curriculum and materials and displaying the chil- dren’s work in and outside the classroom. When I say late I mean I went home at 3 a.m. one morn- ing. 11:30 p.m. was normal for many years. But then I met Warren Goodman and I had to be home to make dinner. Warren was an avid theater, opera and ballet patron. I was in seventh heaven—like a kid in a candy shop. And that has not changed. He also loves to travel and we usually take two big trips a year, plus spending four summer week- ends in the Berkshires enjoying all the culture there. Stephen and I divorced in 2003, and he passed away from metastatic renal cancer in 2005. Warren is a psychiatrist/ psychoanalyst and so I have in- house counsel! First introduced to folk danc- ing at Antioch, (did I tell you I wanted to be a ballerina because my mother was a Broadway singer and dancer from the age of 15–20?), I went back to it when Samantha was four. First starting with interna- tional dancing and then refining it to just Israeli folk dancing.There is absolutely nothing like Israeli cou- ple dancing. I had to give it all up over a year ago as I am awaiting hip replacement. I teach folk dancing when asked and it is a major hobby. Since I am not dancing now I have gotten back to lots of bridge les- sons as I love the challenge it con- stantly presents. Upon retirement I was asked to go on the board of Open Door Parent and Child Caring Center. After a year I became the treasurer until it unfortunately had to close. Now I am involved with several projects and committees at Temple Beth El in Great Neck such as book club, floral delivery and knitzvah, a knitting group. I usu- ally knit chemo hats and baby blan- kets. It keeps me sane while I can’t dance. Daughter, Stephanie Lizbeth Ross. Samantha got married in 2007 and now has Jordan (5 years old), Mia (3) and Jacob (1). I play with them every Wednesday. She is a se- nior vice president at JP Morgan Chase and wi l l soon be mov- ing to Scarsdale from Manhattan. Stephanie, who lives down the street from her sister, is a senior manager for AmEx’s Relationship Care Strategy-Experiential Servicing Team. I have been blessed with two amazing daughters. I am grateful to my father for