Everyone in town has a story to tell and opinions to share. In this feature, we shine the spotlight on one resident to learn more about them and their connection to town.

Meet: Betsy Stevens

Betsy Stevens

Hopkinton Independent: What brought you to Hopkinton?

Stevens: “I lived [in Woodville] from the day I was born, or when I came home from the hospital, and I’ve lived there for 77 years … before I had to move to Hopkinton! My folks stayed [here], I stayed [here]. When I got married, I stayed [here]. My husband was on the Fire Department [here]. That kept us in the Hopkinton area, so we stayed in Woodville.”

HI: What do you do for a living?

Stevens: “I was a part-time clerk [at the Woodville Post Office]. I just filled in for the postmaster, because, you know, it was just a one-person office. I worked on Saturdays, and then I filled in for him when he had to go somewhere. You got to see a lot of people and I liked it. [Today], I volunteer at the [Project Just Because] food pantry. We fill orders, we stock shelves. Very [rewarding]. [I’ve] met a lot of nice people through there, and [we] try to do everything we can to fill their orders and keep everybody happy and healthy and full of food.”

HI: What activities and hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?

Stevens: “Mostly now I just read, but I knit some. I used to knit a lot, but that’s kind of taken a back seat. I do a little of that, and I read a lot. Oh, [I watch] baseball and football. No basketball, I hate basketball.”

HI: What is your favorite Hopkinton memory?

Stevens: “I just remember that [Woodville] was a great place to grow up. Growing up there was, I think, the best of times, compared to what these kids go through today. You know, we had the run of the town. Everybody was friends and you played with everybody, and they didn’t have to be just kids your age. We played ball with kids of all ages, got together and had ball games. It was quiet, and we just had a good life over there.”

HI: What are some of your favorite places around Hopkinton?

Stevens: “I like stopping at Lake Whitehall once in a while. I’ve only been down to Sandy Beach [on Lake Maspenock] once since I moved over here, so I guess that isn’t a high priority. I mostly go to work and come home.”

HI: If you could change one thing about Hopkinton, what would it be?

Stevens: “It’s just gotten so big compared to what it was before, and I know you can’t go back because I know there’s progress and all that stuff. I just think the main thing is the traffic. Some days it takes me 20 minutes to get uptown. That was never — when I was in high school it was like one police officer in town and the police chief, and that was about it. And now look what they’ve got? I hope that it stays [this size] so that my kids can afford to still live here.”

— Interview conducted by Gethin Coolbaugh