Judy Gass Lopus

“As long as I can remember, my mom loved the history of Romeo!  She made sure we knew it too. She surrounded herself with it & was fascinated with the stories and architecture of the town’s past. She grew up on a farm on 26 Mile Rd & had her own egg route, delivering fresh eggs regularly.  Mom loved living on a farm & was proud of being a “farmer’s daughter.”  She enjoyed sharing memories about her animals & adventures on her farm. 

Her grandfather built many of the beautiful homes in Romeo as well as the Lutheran Church.  She was very proud of that.  She knew all the historic houses of Romeo & their architecture style: Greek Revival, Italianate, etc. She had a program prepared about the Romeo Historical Homes & would present it to groups in the area. In fact, as my girl scout leader, she created a badge that my troop earned & she drove us around Romeo, showing us the houses, & quizzed us.  

She participated in Historical Home Tours in Romeo & dressed in period clothing, she enjoyed sharing her knowledge with those on the tours.  Some years, our whole family participated. My friends & I would dress in costume & dance around the maypole out front of the house on tour.   My father, Dale Lopus, was a history teacher at Utica community schools. I remember him wearing a 3 cornered hat in 1976 as he stood on the grounds of a house & talked about the mill workings.           

Mom loved the history of all the churches in Romeo and attended the First Congregational Church from the time she was 3 years old. She & Dad were married there in 1961.  I was also married there in 1993.  She died before she knew that our church had been bought & would be restored to its full beauty.  I know she would be so pleased that her beloved church would be taken care of and enjoyed by the community for years to come.  

Mom was very intrigued by the spirits that lingered in many of these old homes of Romeo.  She started documenting & sharing these stories with everyone.  It was mom that inspired the start of the History & Hauntings home tour put on by the Romeo Monday Club around Halloween.  

For years, Judy took piano lessons from Grace Gookin on the corner of Church Street & Fremont, a skill she used in her classroom & throughout her life.  Miss Gookin’s home had a fascinating story & mom loved learning from her. Her house was a stop along the underground railroad.  

Mom attended High School on Prospect St. where she took Art from Helen Starkweather.  After graduation, she stayed in touch with Miss Starkweather, & they remained friends.  Mom enjoyed the history of the Romeo Schools as well.  Not only did she attend them, but she taught at 3 of them.  

Judy loved the rich history that Romeo has to offer.  For years, she had been writing a book about this amazing town she grew up in & raised her family.  With help from her friends, she was able to publish her book weeks before she passed.  All proceeds from her book, The History and Hauntings of Romeo, go to Romeo Historical Society & the Starkweather Gallery.  

The Romeo High School on Prospect St was built in the heart of historic Romeo. Mom was saddened to hear that the school’s buildings could not be restored & had to be torn down. If she had known the plans for this Green Space, she would have fully supported its plan.   What a lovely idea to create a space where you can go to read, play, walk, and relax in a peaceful place surrounded by nature.  If mom was here today, she would have advocated for this Green Space!  I encourage you to pledge any amount of money to keep the memories of these amazing buildings a part of the treasured Romeo history & to create a sanctuary for the whole community to enjoy!”

Photo credit: Laura Lopus Gourlay