New Englander Roma Wing embraces Southern living
A retired teacher, Roma Wing now embraces the Southern lifestyle and lush landscapes of Alabama. RECORD PHOTOS/GREGG L. PARKER
MADISON – New England native Roma Wing and late husband John found “paradise” when they moved to Madison.
In the seacoast town of Seabrook, N.H., Roma attended “rural school.” Few students pursued education after eighth grade. “I was ‘tuitioned’ by Seabrook to Amesbury, Mass., where I met John,” Roma said.
Attending college in Plymouth, N.H., she married John during her senior year. Roma returned to her rural school to teach. “I had wanted to teach in Massachusetts where we lived, but in 1953 married teachers of childbearing age weren’t allowed to teach,” Roma said.
For 30 years, Roma taught in Newbury, Mass. in a four-room school. She took off nine years to raise their children.
Considering retirement, the Wings dreamed of never shoveling snow. John had polio and required full leg braces and crutches. They needed a one-story house; none were available in New England.
Their son Michael had accepted employment at Intergraph Corporation and “gave us great reports. In 1991, we found our ‘paradise’ as we landed at the Huntsville airport. I had never seen spring before and was awestruck by trees, flowers and warmth,” Roma said.
They joined Mike’s technical documentation department for a birthday lunch. “Unheard of,” Roma said. “We fell in love with the people.” They planned to move in 1994 but John’s brace broke and severed his femur. “We arrived in 1995. At last, we’d come home.”
Their house satisfied Roma’s number-one priority — a sewer. “No more flushing on the outgoing tide along marshes.”
They found immediate friends and acceptance at Trinity Baptist Church. When John lost mobility, his Sunday School class started meeting in the Wings’ home. That class evolved into “The Mugs,” a breakfast, fellowship group on Wednesdays open to anyone.
“John was one fantastic man. He had a massive stroke on our 59th anniversary and passed five days later. Life will never be the same without him,” Roma said.
The Wing children are Michael of Monrovia; Brian of Mesa, Ariz.; and Jacqueline of Safety Harbor, Fla.
John and Roma’s grandchildren are Benjamin at Fort Campbell, Ky.; Toby in Mesa; Jessica Nixon in Tampa, Fla.; and Katherine Meurer in Toney. Their great-grandchildren are Novalee, Olivia and one-month-old Matthew at Fort Campbell.
Roma’s hobbies are reading, knitting and yard work. She likes gospel and 1950s’ music. Her restaurant favorites are Outback and Applebee’s.
