[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 98 (Tuesday, July 19, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CELEBRATING THE GERSTEN'S 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 19, 2005

  Mr. DOOLITTLE. Mr. Speaker, on July 14, 1953, Howard Gersten and Joy 
Slomonson met for the first time. This Sunday, July 24, 2005, they will 
celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. In the time between, they 
have lived out their dreams together and created a family out of their 
own love, which continues to grow today.
  Howard Gersten grew up in Forest Hills, NY while his future wife, 
Joy, was raised in Newark, NJ. In summer of 1953, they were both 
working in the same building when they met and arranged their first 
date: a day game at Yankee Stadium, which meant Joy would have to skip 
work. This was only appropriate, as she would make many sacrifices over 
the years to come in the name of sports.
  Shortly after they met, Howard was drafted into the service and was 
deployed overseas to Germany. Before he left, they became engaged and 
agreed to marry upon his return. During his long journey abroad, they 
kept in contact by writing many letters that they still keep with them. 
Once his tour of duty was over, and Howard returned to the U.S., they 
immediately planned to wed. On July 24, 1955, Howard and Joy Gersten 
were married in a rabbi's study with a handful of guests present, and 
returned home to their apartment on Northfield Ave. in West Orange, NJ, 
to start their life together.
  In 1957, their first son, Andrew, was born. He would be followed by 
Judith and Laurie. The children grew up with their parents in northern 
New Jersey. Howard had built a career as a marketing executive in New 
York City. Despite the benefit of lavish trips abroad, tickets to 
Knicks games at Madsion Square Garden (when they weren't given away to 
``schmucks'') and generous expense accounts, the two always dreamed of 
a taking a different path in life.
  One day, while reading the New York Times (presumably after finishing 
the crossword puzzle), Howard happened to notice an advertisement in 
the classified ads. A bookstore was for sale in the college town of 
Amherst, MA. This was an opportunity they had always talked about and 
so, even though the chances of going through with the purchase were 
slim, they packed their bags and went to take a look. While visiting 
Amherst, and considering the consequences of making such a life-
altering change, mother nature weighed in by sending them a rainbow as 
a sign of things to come in Amherst. Never being ones to ignore good 
advice, they decided it was meant to be.
  Soon after, they bought a house in the woods at 139 High Point Drive 
and moved to Amherst to become the proprietors of the Jeffrey Amherst 
Bookshop. Their work at the bookstore continues to this day, as they 
are always striving to improve business and provide better service to 
the community of which they are now such a vital part. With the opening 
of their second store, the Jeffrey Amherst College Store, they expanded 
their enterprises to take advantage of the rapidly growing market of 
textbook sales.
  In 1980, their first grandchild, Evan Goitein was born. This was the 
start of something big as eight other grandchildren would follow: 
Daniel Goitein, Hannah Goitein, Leah Goitein, Ben Gersten, Sarah 
Gersten, Jonah Goitein, Emma Garrison and James Garrison. Their 
``nuclear family,'' as they like to refer to, now includes 20 people. 
This makes for a lot of birthdays, little league games, school plays 
and--most importantly--matzah balls. Somehow they manage to always stay 
on top of what is going on in the lives of everyone in the family, 
which has earned them awards such as ``World's Best Grandpa'' and 
``World's Greatest Grandma.''

  These days, Joy and Bill enjoy a life that is easy to envy. They 
still work at the bookstore at least four days a week and are 
continuingly improving the business they have built. They regularly 
hold book signings for local authors, where Grandma's lemon squares 
steal the spotlight. They go to their local health club and take hikes 
for exercise. They are regulars at the weekly UMASS sports luncheon. 
They enjoy the area's fine restaurants frequently, often dining with 
their children and grandchildren.
  At home, they stay very aware of current events, tuning in to C-SPAN 
to follow the events unfolding in our country and abroad. The day is 
not complete unless the New York Time crossword puzzle is done, or it 
is 7:30 at night--whichever comes first. For fun, they travel to visit 
their families in Hookset, Concord, Westfield and Washington, DC, as 
well as vacationing in Maine and Rhode Island. They visit museums, see 
plays and attend concerts, including an annual trip to Tanglewood.
  Of all the many things that the Gerstens are--parents, grandparents, 
local business owners, community supporters, sports fans, friends, and 
so much more--the role that is most admired by those that know them is 
that of the foundation for a family who has followed their example and 
grown, with love, to improve their own lives and the lives of those 
around them. Their love for each other has become a benchmark that 
every person who knows them strives to reach, with the hope that one 
day we can all be as happy and deserving as they are in their lives, 
today and for many years to come.

                          ____________________