Fairhaven High School Alumni Association, Fairhaven, Massachusetts 02719

Catching Up With Tony Santos

Retired FHS teacher and Music Director Tony Santos is now living in Florida.  We bumped into Tony and his wife Jan in Fort Myers, FL last Spring and we asked if he could do a little reminiscing about his teaching days in Fairhaven, and update us on his new retired life in Florida. In Tony’s words: 

In September 1970 I began teaching choral music at Fairhaven High School. For the next 18 years I would work with extremely talented students and dedicated fellow teachers. Not being a pianist, I was blessed with wonderful accompanists, Michelle Platt, Pauline Brazil, Matt Leblanc, Jeff Dawson, and Maureen Amaral. I was given the opportunity to direct the Triple Quartet, Chorus, and Band during these 18 years. I will forever treasure the time I spent working with fellow music teachers, Bob Clarkson, Joe Harding, Natalie Hemingway, Sue Shepard, and Doreen Nelson. In 1988 I retired and moved to Florida with my wife, Janet (a former teacher in the Fairhaven Schools) and two children, Jeff and Amanda. Little did I know at the time that within 4 months I would begin teaching in the Volusia County Schools, where I would teach music for the next 21 years, retiring in 2009.  After retiring, Jan and I did some travelling. Shortly after that I decided that retirement was not for me, and I began volunteering at Florida Hospital in Daytona. After serving in this capacity for 6 months I was offered a position as Guest Liaison at the Cancer Center where I am currently employed.  I am still involved in music, playing in my church orchestra and performing with a 17 piece swing band.