Named Awards

Dottie and Dick Fincher moved to Westport in 1969 and raised their three boys, all the while giving back to the community they love. Dottie served on the Westport PTA boards of Kings Highway, Bedford, and Staples, as well as the Christ and Holy Trinity Altar Guild. She was also a member of the Earthplace, Westport Historical Society and Westport Garden Club Boards. When her boys reached Staples High School, she decided to go back to school herself and received a Masters Degree in Special Education at Fairfield University. Dottie then taught in Westport Public Schools for 25 years! After retiring, she tutored at Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport. Dick served on the Board of Trustees at Earthplace, Staples Tuition Grants, Westport Tree Board, Christ & Holy Trinity Church Vestry and Usher’s Guild. Over the years, Dick also took on various coaching positions in town with Little League Baseball, Softball, and Boys’ Soccer. Both Dottie and Dick remain very active in town and continue to appreciate all of Westport, while cherishing their children, grandchildren and friends. They are honored with this award from their children.

Milton Fisher, who made his home in Westport from 1960 until his death in 2001, was an attorney and an investment banker. He was known for his sense of humor, his insights into people and their problems, and his zest for making the world better in ways both big and small. He taught Applied Creativity, a unique course for adults, in Staples’ Continuing Education program. For over 25 years the popular class focused on helping people be more creative in all aspects of their lives. Students developed creative problem-solving skills and innovative approaches to challenges that they faced individually, or in their community. He was the author of a number of books, including Intuition: How to Use it in your Life.

The Fonteynes consider themselves fortunate to have received a great high school and undergraduate education in their home country of Belgium. With a combination of grant support, family support and work study, they were left debt-free after graduate school in the U.S. They regard the combination of a strong education and their lack of significant debt as key drivers of their good fortune in the U.S. and in Westport. This STG award is a manifestation of their desire to help others obtain the opportunity for a similar start in life.

Sharon grew up in Weston, Staples Class of 1964, and Bud grew up on Anchor Lane in Westport, the Class of 1959. Smitten with each other from the start, Sharon and Bud Frey raised four children in Westport, all Staples grads as well. Sharon was a beloved teacher at the Nature Center and at Green’s Farms Preschool. She nurtured, encouraged and taught countless Westport toddlers including her own children and oldest grandchildren. Her patience, kind-hearted manner and genuinely warm smile will always be remembered. In December of 2002, Sharon died after a long battle against cancer. Without his beloved wife, Bud continued to play the role of favorite babysitter to all ten of his grandchildren and to his grandnieces and grandnephew. His loyalty and devotion to his own family, siblings, nieces, countless friends and the game of golf will always be remembered. Bud died in August 2015 after a long battle with leukemia.