Other Important People
Now, just because you don't find yourself on this page, it doesn't mean that you're not important to us. It just means that you might not be fulfilling a specific task during our wedding. Although, attending, drinking, dancing, etc. are all very important tasks not to be taken lightly. Upon second thought, these are incredibly important tasks and if you do not perform them well, we'd be quite disappointed.
Don and Susie Laurie
Chantal's Parents
Susie is an Indiana native and the eldest of five children. Born in South Bend, she still reiterates that, "Midwestern people are the nicest people in the world." After attending St. Mary's (right next door to Notre Dame) for college, Susie moved to Washington, DC to teach elementary school. It was in DC that she met the man now commonly known as my father. A mere three dates after meeting -- they were engaged.
Don, known as Rolo to his children and their friends, and as Papa Rolo to the grandkids (it's a long and not so entertaining story), was raised in New Jersey as the eldest of three. He was an avid swimmer and diver while growing up in Rumson and very proudly attended St. Benedict's High School in Newark (which he now serves on the Board of). After graduating from Villanova University, Don eventually made his way to DC and proposed to Susie on date three.
Don and Susie (with Don as the leader) have embraced many "phases" in their lives. When they moved to London in the mid-1970's, they welcomed in the "French" phase: Meghan and Rhodie attended the French Lycee and Chantal Noelle was born. They moved to Boston in the late 1970's and embraced a "ski" phase: a Vermont home was purchased along with five pairs of Rossignols. Countless ski school and hot tub adventures later, we still reminisce about the Vermont family weekends! After eight years in Boston, the Lauries relocated back to London for the "European" phase (part 2) where my father also led the "sailing" phase. I have memories (few of them fond) of sailing in the English Channel with frozen extremities and my mother squealing, "Don, do you know what you're doing?" My parents have since moved back to Boston and are relishing in the "Cape Cod" phase. They try and spend as much time as possible in their Centerville home (the more grandkids that join them, the better) and are beginning to enter into the next phase... a "golf" one. Don and Susie have provided nothing if not plenty of adventures at every turn... by April 28, 2007 we are all curious what the next phase will be!
Susie and Don (mom and Rolo to the lucky bride) have been incredibly generous through the planning and approaching implementation of the big day. With their third and last daughter preparing to walk down the aisle – I imagine that April 28th will bring along a varied host of emotions (relief potentially nearing the top?). Curtis and I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for the love, support, kindness, generosity and excitement you've provided. Thank you!
Don and Susie |
Fray Below
Curt's Mother
Fray moved out to California from Kansas City as a teenager and grew to love the Bay Area, though not quite as much as she loves her favorite son. (OK, so she only has one son. Big deal!). Fray currently lives in Sunnyvale and works for Sunset Magazine, coordinating the showing of their Idea Houses during the summers and falls. This has nothing to do with her accounting degree and is probably where Curt got the idea that he didn't have to work in a job (human resources) that has anything to do with his public health or public policy degrees.
Fray was a fixture at the schools attended by her children. At one point in time, she and three other women were affectionately known as the "Fearsome Foursome" for their ability to get involved with school administration and make positive changes, including getting two of the foursome elected to the local school board (and getting the moderately corrupt superintendant to step down). She was honored in 1987 when June 6th was officially "Fray Below Day" in the City of Sunnyvale.
Of course, this meant that all of Curt's friends knew her well. She was the only mother that no one called "Mrs." She was always just "Fray" to Curt's friends, though his sister's friends insisted upon calling her "Mrs. Below." When Curt got to high school, some of his friends starting calling her "Fray Baby," a true sign of respect, and giving her presents on Fray Day, including a Hulk Hogan thumb wrestler, an album by Axehammer, and a manequin arm without a hand (you might want to ask John about these gifts when you meet him).
Finally, Fray's favorite drink is definitely a martini (pictured). She has martini shirts, necklaces, aprons, etc. However, few things make Curt as uncomfortable as her ordering, "A martini up, with two olives, and I like it a little dirty." We're sure she'll manage to have one during our reception. By one we mean three.
Fray |
Carl Below
Curt's Father
Carl was raised in the thriving metropolis of Hubbard, Iowa, which at the time had a population of 500. After a growth boom, it now has 855 residents, give or take 10. Life was good in Hubbard, particularly for someone prone to pulling pranks. Let's be honest, not much else to do. For example, there was one main road in town. It was on occasion was blocked with farm equipment placed my mischievous souls. And take the city ordinance that required that you call the city constable, or whatever the position was called, if you were to drive a car on that main road. Rumor has it, Carl and his friends used to enjoy driving into town late at night and waking-up the town constable in the middle of the night just to make sure their were following the letter of the law. Right...
After serving the Army and graduating from the University of Iowa, Carl spent some time in Phoenix, AZ, frequenting a bar where the local band was actually Waylon Jennings. Eventually, he found his way to California and worked for roughly 35 years at Ampex in Redwood City, CA.
He was always a rugged man, the kind who in a different era would have hunted and killed buffalo with his own hands to put food on the table for his family. What, you don't believe it? Curt can think of a time where he did just that. Well, sort of. The Below's had some problems with roof rats for a time, crawling around in their attic. After a night of restless sleep listening to a rat scurry around above his bed, when Carl came home from work, he was all business: changed out of his suit into jeans; poured himself a large goblet of red wine; asked Curt for his yellow wiffle ball bat and climbed up into the attic. After several minutes of swearing and banging around, he came down with an empty glass and bloodied bat (OK, about two specs of blood) and the mighty beast – a diminutive baby rat. Curt was so proud that he put it in a paper bag and took it around to show the neighbors.
Carl is now retired, living a bit north of Sacramento, CA in an area called Antelope. He spends a lot of time at a local golf course, Cherry Island, where he marshals once a week, trying to catch as many Giants and 49ers games as he can. Rats avoid his house like the plague.
Carl |
Harrison Caponiti and Luke Lorenz
Ring Bearers
Harrison (Meghan's third child) and Luke (Rhodie's first) are almost exactly one year apart and are undoubtedly two of the greatest boys in America.
Harrison is about three feet taller than his first grade peers and can thank his sisters for his sensitive side (he likes to play hair salon too). Though Harrison could give Wayne Gretzky a run for his money with his rapidly developing ice hockey skills as a Rye Ranger, he is also considering the possibility of a clamming career – summers on the cape have really honed his skills.
Luke has had many passions in his short life: the Wiggles, dump trucks, fort building, cheese sandwiches, and candy (of any kind). Luke is the go-getter child who willingly bundles up to shovel snow or rake leaves with dad (while his younger brother jumps in the pile of raked leaves) and he is the child who defies that nasty rumor about red heads having a temper (most of the time).
We are confident that Harrison and Luke will perform their duties beautifully. They are too cute not to.
Harrison and Luke |
Walter Cuenin
Officiant
Walter has been a virtual member of the Laurie family for some time now. We first met Walter when we began going to Sacred Heart Church in Lexington, MA where he was the priest. When life took the Laurie family to London, Walter would often visit our Redcliffe Road abode en route to, or while returning from, jaunts to Rome. He baptized the countless Caponiti and Lorenz children (there was a two for one special with Jonathan and Henry) and married both of my sisters (performed the ceremony at least). Since my parents returned to Boston, Walter has often shared in Christmas celebrations with us and spends the occasional weekend with the family on the Cape. It is an incredible honor to have Walter, a dear family friend, marrying us on April 28th.
Walter |
Carolyn Davol
Reader
Carolyn and Chantal met at Georgetown during their freshman year of college. Carolyn and Chantal were both American Studies majors (and neither of them are doing much of anything with their specific degree) and they happened to enjoy a fairly lively spring break trip to Jamaica together during their senior year of college. Carolyn is married to Rob, a great friend of Chantal's from Georgetown, and they both used to live in San Francisco not too long ago. Carolyn welcomed Chantal to SF when she moved to the Bay Area in 2001 and has always been an incredible source of support and comfort in the time they've known each other. Carolyn is now a practicing attorney and lives with Rob outside of DC. Given the fact that she's been married a whopping 2.5 years – it will come as no surprise at all that she'll be reading on the topic of marriage. Duh.
Carolyn |
Tara Malone
Reader
Tara and Chantal met at Georgetown during their freshman year of college. It was an unlikely start to the friendship – they bonded in the laundry room and became fast friends over detergent and fabric softener. They enjoyed all four years of college together and also had the pleasure of living together for two years after college in Dupont Circle in Washington DC. Tara's now a reporter in Chicago and will be celebrating her own nuptials in New York in June (please congratulate her and GR!). She's lived an adventurous life, she's an incredible athlete, and she's a really remarkable friend. Since Tara is such a loyal and committed friend, we've asked for her to read on the topic of commitment. Enjoy!
Tara |
Becky Wszolek
Reader
Becky is Chantal's aunt, Susie's sister. Becky and her family (Heinz is her husband, Blake and Jonathan are her sons and Chantal's cousins) have lived in Nassau, Bahamas for years (what you're thinking is accurate…GREAT place to have relatives). Becky is charismatic, loving, and always willing to embrace my sisters and me as the daughters she never had. She knew even before I did that Curtis was gearing up to propose…so we thought it only appropriate to offer her a special role in the wedding ceremony. Since Becky has been such an incredible mother and aunt, we've asked her to read on the topic of family (don't get any ideas…we won't be having one for a few years to come…)
Becky |
The Skunks
Ushers
What can we say about The Skunks that hasn't been said already? For most of you, probably quite a bit. Let us start from the beginning. Who are The Skunks?
- Curt Below (The Baron)
- Sachu Constantine (The Dude)
- Tom Krackeler (The Colonel)
- Dave Metz (Pickle Boy)
- Jason Mortimer (The Mort)
- Scott Smith (Dr. Evil)
You might be asking yourself, "What are six graduate school educated guys ages 33-40 doing with high school nicknames and wearing funny hats and shirts?" You wouldn't be the first. It all started Richard and Rhoda Goldman Graduate School of Public Policy in 1996 when Sach, Tom, Dave, Scott and Curt all started graduate school. They eventually all became good friends and when they graduated in 1998, Sach, Tom, Dave and Scott rented a house together in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland (Curt had moved to Sacramento to work for the State Assembly for a couple of years). Over the next five years, Sach and Dave eventually moved out to be replaced by Jason, a college friend of Tom's, and Curt. So far, nothing too incriminating here, other than the fact that they insisted upon coming-up with silly nicknames (we won't bother going into the genesis of the nicknames).
However, on two different occasions, their house had uninvited guests. You see in the winter critters from the Oakland Hills like to wander down to find the warm and comforting heat from suburban homes. These critters include raccoons, possums, etc. They just happened to get lucky and twice get skunks. They would setup shop in their crawl space, generously sharing their perfumes with the entire house through the central heating ducts. It would get so bad that if you went to the gym, and worked out, when you came back to your locker your "clean" clothes would be unbearable to wear.
Thus you can now understand how their house became know as "The Skunkhouse" and them as "The Skunks." Anyway, they all still keep in close touch and get together often to talk sports and politics (and from time to time discuss the feasibility of buying mutual property in New Mexico to escape the ridiculous housing prices in the Bay Area).
So when you are waiting to be seated at our wedding and one of these gentlemen (term used loosely) approaches, feel free to ask if they are The Dude or Dr. Evil.
The Skunks |
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