Stanley (Stan) Woodman

After graduation from SHS in 1961 I entered the Navy at the end of July and attended basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Waukegan IL. After that I was assigned to the Aircraft Mechanics School in Memphis TN. Wow what a place that was in 1961 and 1962, for a kid from Claremont goodness sake that was Elvis Presley's hometown. When I went to Memphis during my stay there the city was just always abuzz with all of the latest music blaring from all of the young peoples cars cruising the streets. This was also my first exposure to segregation; I was shocked to see how people of other skin color particularly African Americans were treated. This was my first time away from Claremont into the South; it was a real eye opener to say the least.

After graduation from service school I was assigned to the Aircraft Overhaul and Repair Facility located at Quonset Point RI. My duties while I was there consisted of preparing aircraft to go overseas to support the Vietnam War effort. In addition to maintenance and repair work I was able to fly regularly on test flights of recently overhauled or repaired planes. In July1965 I was discharged from active duty and my wife and six month old daughter returned to Claremont to live.

In August of 1965 I went to work for Joy Manufacturing as a machinist and I worked until the plant was closed in 1988. While I was working there I was active in the local union and at one time I was a member of the negotiating committee and Vice President of the local union. In 1972 I got involved in the Joy Sullivan Credit Union and served on various committees, served on the Board of Directors and President of the Credit Union until 1989.

After Joy sold the plant to an investment group in 1985 I continued to work until the plant closed. After the plant shut down in 1988, I went to work for Claremont Savings Bank as their Facilities Manager where I am still working today. My work there has been the most interesting job that I have ever done. I supervise the Maintenance Staff, I oversee tenant relations, Bank Security and most importantly I work with the architects, contractors and vendors on all bank building projects.

We have built a new branch office on Maple Avenue, a new branch office in Charlestown, and renovated the Washington Street branch. As everyone knows that either lives in Claremont or has been to Claremont in the past two years, we have built a brand new 48,000 square foot Main Office building on Broad Street. I am particularly proud of this new state of the art facility because I had a very involved part in bringing this project to be what it is today

I have been working as a volunteer at Arrowhead since 2001 in an effort to revive it and get it operational again. This has been a particularly tough task to make happen as it did not operate for the best part of ten years. It takes a lot of effort and volunteer workers and yes cash to make this work. I have served as President of the Arrowhead Recreation Club all during this time.

My wife Betty and I have been married for 32 years and we have five children between us, eight grand children and one great grand child. Our children range in age from 41 to 20. Our youngest daughter Moriah is a SHS grad class of 04 and she is will be a junior at UNH's Whittemore Business School this fall. Our family has made our home in Unity for the past 31 years.