Total support — with a sense of humour! Jane Staunton WHEN HER HUSBAND leftSt.Andrew’s Collegeafteradozenyearsasheadmaster,Jane Stauntonenvisionedapeacefulretirementontheir farminthePeterboroughcountrysideofeastern Ontario.She’devenlinedupapart-timejobfor herselfatanearbyantiquesshop. “ButTedissuchaworkaholicand‘Type-A’ person,Icouldn’tseehimbeingcontentwithhis tractor,snow-blowerandlog-chopper,”sherecalls. “He’saddictedtosolvingproblems,andtheywould haverunoutatthefarm.” Instead,SaltusbroughttheStauntonsto Bermuda,wheretheyarenowenjoyinganew academicadventure.“MovingtoBermudaseemed tometobethebestpossibletransitionstagefor usbothbefore‘real’retirement,”saysJane,59,a vivaciousmotherofthreewholovestheatre,history andtravel.“Besides,wehadbegunourmarriageas ex-patsinJamaicaandthiswonderfulopportunity seemedtocomefullcircleforus,inspiteofthe hugedifferencesintheislands.” Thecouple—whocelebratetheir39thwedding anniversaryonnewYear’sEve—metasstudentsat Trentuniversity,Peterborough,wherehemajored inHistoryandshestudiedEnglishLiterature. Aftergraduation,theyspenttwoyearsteachingin aJamaicanschoolbeforereturningtoCanada. “ThatexperienceinJamaicawasthebeginning ofourlife-longadventurewithschools,”saysJane, wholatergotherMaster’sinEnglishLiterature fromMcGilluniversity,Montreal.Thecouple hasthreeadultdaughters—Rebecca,Emilyand Elizabeth–andfivegrandchildren. SincearrivinginBermudalastsummer,Jane admitsshe’s“infatuated”withtheIsland.“Isavour thecontainmentandtheisolation—theveryfactors thatmakemostpeoplesaytheycouldneverliveon anisland!”shesays.“Thesheerbeautyblowsone away.Thehistoryintrigues.Thearchitecture fascinates.Andthepeoplearetotallyamazing—so lovely,interesting,welcoming,friendlyandhelpful.” Thecoupleenjoyexploringthereefsintheir 19-footmotorboatandexploringtheIslandon footwiththeirtwodogs,Gucci,aShih-Poo,and S A LT U S M A G A Z I N E Skipton,aYorkshireTerrier.“Ialsolovevisiting museumsandhistorichomeshere,discovering isolatedbeaches—andtheincrediblefreshfruit andvegetables,”saysJane.“Yourshopsareterrific!” Jane’slife-longpassionhasbeenheritage conservation,startingwhenherhusbandjoined thefacultyofTrinityCollegeSchoolinPortHope, Ont.“Iwouldsaythehighlightwashavingplayed anintegralroleintheprovincialdesignationof PortHope’smainstreetasaHeritageConservation district,”shesays.“Iwasfortunateenoughtofind totallysatisfyingworkinthesamefieldonour followingmovestoWinnipegandMontreal,too.” WhatdoesshebringtoSaltus?“Ataboarding school,aspouse’sroleismoredefinedthanataday school,”saysJane,“butgenerallyspeaking,Iwould sayIprovidesupportwhenthingsaretough,a soundingboardwhenthingsneedtobeworked out,andasenseofhumourwhenthingsaregoing well—orwhenthey'retotallyhopeless!” RO S EM A RY  J O n ES ‘I’m a sounding board when things need to be worked out’ 21