Rollin Slattery is Ti's Irishman of the Year

TICONDEROGA | On Saturday, March 15, Knights of Columbus Council #333 will crown a new Irishman of the Year. Following in what he calls a long line of great men, Rollin Slattery will receive his special recognition (and his traditional roasting) surrounded by his fellow Knights, family, and community members. For their Irishman of the Year, the Knights seek a civic-minded individual who is deeply involved within the community, putting personal energy into making Ticonderoga a better place. As the event draws closer, Slattery took time to reflect on the path that led him not only to the distinguished honor, but also what keeps him motivated and committed to living a life with integrity. "This place we are sitting at is hallowed ground, this is my home away from home," Slattery said from within the K of C Banquet Hall on Montcalm Street, where his celebration will take place. "If you look at this wall, of all prominent men, I am blessed to be a part of that. This place has such a special place in my heart, I really can't put it all into words. Probably one of the best choices I ever made in my life was joining the K of C 35 years ago." Slattery is a familiar face in Ticonderoga and is a fixture within Council #333. He served as Grand Knight from 2010-2013, a trustee for 13 years, and is currently the Event Manager and Head Chef (he does a fantastic prime rib) for the Knights Banquet Hall and Catering, a position that requires not only many dedicated hours, but demands the utmost in quality, many important and emotionally poignant- sometimes happy, other times heartbreaking- life events taking place under his watch. And though his own share of personal heartbreak is something Slattery is familiar with, it is also an experience that shaped his personality and outlook. "When my time is up on this earth, I don't care if people think I was a good carpenter or a good cook, I try to make a difference and make things better for those who need that," he said. "That is really a common theme for most everybody in this organization that I am so proud of being a part of." Slattery likes to say his heart will always be red but his veins run purple. Anyone local knows what that means- he was raised in Moriah, but his Ticonderoga past and present are what define him now. Born in Glens Falls, Slattery's family moved to Port Henry when his father got a job at International Paper in 1966. He was raised in the Catholic Church and spent first and second grade attending a Catholic school, where he vividly recalls the discipline and structure of that educational experience. "Back then if you had to be disciplined, you had a steel ruler across the hand," he recalled. That happened to him once in second grade after a curse word slipped past his young lips, and that one and only experience was all it took for Slattery to not make that mistake twice. In high school (the family was now in Mineville at this point) he was a star athlete, working tirelessly and passionately to achieve personal bests, so much so that he could have gone to St. Lawrence on a scholarship. However, Slattery opted to enter into the army at age 18 on Sept. 1, 1977. "The army grew me up and turned me into a man, I was able to make better decisions in life and be more responsible," Slattery admitted. "Today, I think kids are so unsure of what they want to do, it would benefit them tremendously going in and spending two to three years in the armed forces to find their way and get direction." With his newly acquired adult mindset, Slattery decided he wanted to pursue a college education after all, and headed to Canisius University in Buffalo where he majored in business. It took only a mere five months of the suit and tie lifestyle for him to realize spending his life climbing the corporate ladder was not his ideal fit. He quit his job, came back to the North Country, and in 1984 started Slattery Custom Design and Building, and in that year he also moved to Ticonderoga. It was there that a girl by the name of Susan Thompson from Street Road entered his life, and a new world as a husband and father was opened to Slattery. The Honorable Judge James O'Bryan married the two at Kim and Mike Vilardo's residence, and by 1988, Slattery and Sue were enjoying life with their children Amanda and Devon. In 1992, a one-month stint at Cianbro turned into 30 years. 2002 saw the family purchase their house on Water Street, the closing happening on Slattery's birthday. Sue and the kids helped renovate the entire home, and for a few years following there were happy times and many memories. But life isn't fair. On Jun. 25, 2005, the morning of Amanda's high school graduation, Sue passed away to cancer. Slattery found himself a single father to his soon-to-be college freshman daughter and high school senior son. "It was the most difficult time in my life, I still get emotional on certain days," Slattery admitted. "There's a lot of people that go through difficult times, it is part of life, what you do and how you handle that is what defines you as a person." It would take Slattery five and half months to mentally and emotionally recover enough so that he could function and get through his regular work duties. From the haze of devastation, one recollection stands out vividly in his mind- the many family and friends who offered their support and helped navigate the unfathomable new reality Slattery was entrenched in. "There are so many good people in this town," he asserted. "I was doing a custom walk-in shower for Dick and Angela Crossman. I was cleaning up and getting ready to go home when Angela came out with a whole meal for me to take home to my family, to this day it touches my heart. You see it all the time in Ticonderoga, when anybody in this town needs help, everybody steps up. That is what makes this town so special." And though he admits he never thought he would remarry after the loss of Sue, Slattery did indeed find love again with his current wife, Robin, whom he married in 2007. They had walked the same path when their spouses had been diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment, and share a mutual deep of family. "Here we are 18 years later. I can't believe that much time has flown by," Slattery mused. "Our five grandkids are our main focal point of our family, they deserve to have the opportunities we had as children." And at this stage in life, Slattery relies now more than ever for his grandchildren on the values his parents instilled in him and desires to emulate the upbringing he was blessed with. "I try to make the best decisions for whatever I do, whether it is here at the K of C, or with my work," Slattery revealed. "It's a really strong reflection on how I was raised, I had a great set of parents. I am who I am because of my father, he was a great dad, he was always supportive, he supported me in what I chose to do, and that is how I raise my grandsons. If you start something, you finish it. If you don't want to do it again, that is fine, but you can't let them quit. If you do, they will quit on everything in life." With Robin at his side and his fellow Knights in his corner, Slattery is not only at peace with getting older, he is relishing where he is. "There are no Golden Years," he said with honesty and amusement. "There are more doctor appointments and sore knees and sore hips. You can't go as fast as you used to, you have more aches, but to be able to look back at all the fun stuff and all the good things is a blessing. I have a great family. We all have rough stretches in life, that is part of our journey. Don't forget to turn around and look back at where you have been. Don't forget where you came from, and be thankful for what you have." To celebrate with Rollin on March 15, please call 518-585-6520, or email tiknights33@gmail.com to reserve your tickets. It will be an evening of corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, and honoring an individual who gives of himself fully for others. Bring your appetite for good food, and for laughter.

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Rollin Slattery is Ti's Irishman of the Year

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