Staff Report
The town council held a moment of silence at its regular meeting last week in honor of Norma Gobiel.
Gobiel served as the executive assistant to the Superintendent of the Winthrop Schools for 35 years, retiring in 2010.
“It was a position that she cherished,” said Council President Jim Letterie. “She was married for 62 years to her husband Jim, and she had five incredibly kind children, nine grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. She was a very important member of the PSA community, and also a member of the Booster Club.
“She cherished the Horribles Parade and all that it stood for,” Letterie continued. “She will be deeply missed; she had a brilliant life and died at the age of 95 years young.”
Upon her retirement in 2010, Gobiel was praised for ensuring smooth transitions between the different administrations.
“Her responsibilities were many and her wealth of local knowledge about all aspects of the town no doubt helped the superintendents who were trying to get acclimated to their new environment in Winthrop,” an editorial in the Transcript stated upon her retirement. “Mrs. Gobiel was the familiar face who greeted visitors to the office and more often than not knew the parents on a personal basis. She took the time to learn the new technological advances and the additional required paperwork that all school department personnel must submit to the state education department.”