Anything is Possible

                         “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

            Claire knows what it means to be strong. As a child she grew up during a difficult time, and as an adult she has been strengthened even further by her experiences. She has defied the odds and today stands as a testament to courage.

            Claire was born in Manchester, New Hampshire on August 31, 1928. She grew up with two older sisters and a younger brother, the four of them very close. Like typical children, they loved to play school together.

            Similar to many of us now in Southern New Hampshire, Claire would visit Hampton Beach in the summertime. She and her family rented a house by the water and would go for the Fourth of July to see the fireworks. She says the beach hasn’t really changed. “Not that much, different people now.”

            Life was difficult, however, since she grew up during the Great Depression. “Everybody was poor, everybody. There were a lot of new jobs around, but none of them paid,” she said. Everybody was so desperate for work that they would take whatever jobs they could attain, despite the low salaries. Claire’s father worked as an automobile salesman while her mother took care of the family.

            Claire attended elementary school and high school in Manchester, enjoying language, history, and math classes. After high school she went to Hesser Business College, working in an office at the Manchester Buick Company.

            Later in life Claire struggled after suffering a stroke. She had been told she would never be able to walk or talk again. Claire, though, has taken this as a challenge. I was amazed to hear about her stroke, since Claire speaks perfectly now. She is able to walk using a walker, but is determined to build up enough strength so that she will only need a cane. “I’d forgotten about that because you live with it,” she said. She got past this pressing challenge by giving herself little things to do and forcing herself to do them. She has used exercise to build her strength back up and little by little daily activities become easier. “It changes your life,” she told me.

            Claire’s willpower and intelligence help her face daily challenges. Yes, Claire loves a good challenge. Crossword puzzles, problem solving, math, chemistry, and geometry are among her favorite things. In high school she took up Spanish, Latin, and French. If this isn’t impressive enough, she was also a piano player and has a predilection for classical music. Today she still enjoys all these things, her mind constantly working at high speed. Claire has defied the odds and is proof that anything is possible with a little perseverance.

My name is Jillian DiPersio and I am a sophomore at Windham High School. After learning the stories of my own grandparents, I have been interviewing the elderly. Through my research and interviews I have been able to dig up some incredible bits of history from the lives of local residents, as well as learn about people who are the products of a different generation. If you or someone you know would like to share your stories, please contact me at jillian@dipersio.com.