September 18, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • Page 13 Brady named municipal judge to replace Ryan Midland Park resident Richard Brady was named last week as the bor- ough’s municipal judge. He succeeds Judge Charles Ryan, who is retiring after more than 11 years in the position. His three-year term expires on Aug. 31, 2015. Brady has served as Midland Park’s prosecutor since January, 2006, and is also Waldwick’s prosecutor. Joseph DeMarco, a North Haledon attorney who has been serving as Brady’s sub- stitute when needed, will become the new prosecutor. “I am sorry to lose such a fine judge as Chuck Ryan. I’ve heard very good reports on Richard Brady as a pros- ecutor and expect equal reports on his abilities as a judge,” said Mayor Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan. He said he had inter- viewed and evaluated six candidates for the position and then made his recom- mendation to the council, which made the final decision. An attorney since 1987, Brady served seven years as the police chief in Waldwick, retiring in 2004 after 25 years on the Waldwick Police Depart- ment. During that time he attended and graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City and pursued his law degree at Pace Univer- sity School of Law in White Plains, NY. His legal practice is on Franklin Turn- pike in Waldwick. Ryan, a 33-year borough resident, retired from private practice earlier this year. A past president of the Bergen County Bar Association, he volunteered in the area of domestic violence and founded the New Jersey Bar Associa- tion’s pro bono project on domestic vio- lence and the lawyers’ Referral Panel for Alternatives to Domestic Violence, among other contributions. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served two years in Vietnam, Ryan is a member of the local American Legion and the VFW, which he served as com- mander for several years. He also served as the master of ceremonies for the Memorial Day parade and ceremonies in Midland Park and Wyckoff, posts he also relinquished this year. Through the years he has received numerous awards and citations from legal, governmen- tal and community groups at the local, county and state levels for his contri- butions to the legal profession and the community. Needlecraft School owner to carry on Fawcett’s legacy Eva Imperatore and Ginny Fawcett After 50 years at the helm of The Needle- craft School, which championed her unique brand of style, skill, and proper manners, Ginny Fawcett has retired and moved to the New Orleans area to be near one of her sons. Her tradition is being carried on, however, by one of her longtime former students, Eva Imperatore of Ridgewood, who recently purchased the school along with her mother. “I loved Needlecraft and loved every- one I ever taught to sew. They will always be part of my life. I will miss them and the school terribly,” said Mrs. Fawcett. “I always wanted to sew until I died and then keep the ashes in the basement of the school,” she added during an emotional farewell. Mrs. Fawcett has been sewing and designing clothes since she was seven years old, having learned the skill from an uncle who was a fashion designer. At Needlec- raft, she shared her knowledge and creativ- ity with students of all ages, helping them create their own clothing, from the simplest patterns to the more involved pieces, and develop confidence along the way. Her pride and joy was the fashion show held each spring to highlight the accomplish- ments of the students in the after-school class program. Over the years she and her students made more than 10,000 pillows to distribute to American soldiers abroad. Imperatore intends to carry on the example and instructional path established by her mentor. “No matter what, Needlecraft School and Mrs. Fawcett are one. She founded it and made it what it is today,” said Impera- tore, who started sewing with Mrs. Faw- cett at age four and went on to get a BFA in fashion design from Centenary College. “I will be honored to carry on Mrs. Faw- cett’s legacy. I’m excited to pass along to my students everything I’ve been taught,” she added. Imperatore said she had spent her years after college in retail and had not been happy, but had truly benefitted both in col- lege and in her work experiences from the skills she learned from Mrs. Fawcett. “This is what I want my future to be: to design and help people learn how to design,” she said. The Needlecraft School’s fall session is set to start on Monday, Sept. 23. The school is located at 216-A Godwin Avenue in Mid- land Park. Call (201) 444-2976 for class schedules for children and adults.