Assisted Living Insights One of a Kind at Pond Ridge
Villager - Spring 2016
Dr. Paul Ostriker sits comfortably
in an easy chair in his Pond Ridge
apartment at Ashlar Village, under the
careful protection of his Siamese cat,
Mushka. He is a soft-spoken man, an
accomplished man who appreciates
the life he has greatly enjoyed — and
the life he continues to create.
Paul, who moved to Pond Ridge
with his wife Marilyn in 2014,
was a successful ophthalmologist,
a champion table tennis player,
an affectionate father, and an
accomplished composer (whose
original classical piece, “Valse Triste,”
was performed for the first time
during the Ashlar Village Choral
concert in May of this year).
But above all, he was a husband
deeply in love with his wife.
“Every day, I woke up with a crush on
Marilyn,” he said. “Every day I knew
our marriage was one in a million.”
Paul and Marilyn defined
togetherness. They met at the
Brooklyn Jewish Hospital where he
was working as an ophthalmologist
and she was training to become one.
Despite both claiming to be analytical
people who never made hasty
decisions, they knew they were madly
in love after just two weeks. Not long
after that, they began a marriage that
would carry them through 62 years.
During that time, they had two
children (and eventually two
grandchildren) and built a thriving
ophthalmology practice in Stamford,
Conn., helping thousands of patients
over the years. In their retirement,
they moved to Vermont and became
a song writing team. They composed
music and wrote lyrics for many
top-ten country and western songs
(played on the radio and sold at
Tower Records and Sam Goody).
Some of those songs – “You’re no
Good for Me” and “Truck Drivers
Don’t Whistle Anymore” for
example – seem to be in complete
contradiction to Paul’s overall happy
outlook on life.
But also in their
mix are the more
upbeat “Now it’s
our Time to Live”
and “This Time
I’ve Got it Right,”
so the balance is
there.
In his early life,
Paul was blessed
to be submerged
in New York City’s
classical music
world where
Dr. Paul Ostriker plays his original
his father was a
“Valse Triste” at Pond Ridge.
concert pianist. His
mother was close
“When we moved to Pond Ridge, I
friends with Yip Harburg who wrote
felt a sense of relief,” Paul said. “It
the lyrics to “Brother, Can You Spare
was a nice place to bring Marilyn and
a Dime?”, “April in Paris”, and all of
she was well cared for. Our children
The Wizard of Oz songs, including
could relax knowing we were in a
“Over the Rainbow.” So when
great place.”
Marilyn decided to fulfill her lifelong
Today, Paul continues to appreciate
writing ambition, Paul eagerly turned
life. His apartment is full of photos
back to his musical roots.
from family vacations that stretched
The duo composed most of their
from Lake George to Moscow to
music in Vermont (including “Molly’s
Egypt and many places in between
Waltz” and “Oliver’s Waltz” written
(“Paris was our favorite,” he said).
for each of their grandchildren). After
His family and friends are able to visit
they returned to Connecticut to live
him easily and join him in watching a
near family, their writing slowed but
ball game or two on television. And,
never stopped. Even after moving
of course, he spends as much time as
to Pond Ridge two years ago, Paul
he can back at the piano.
made daily visits to the pianos in the
“Pond Ridge has given me the
nearby dining lounge and second
freedom to focus on music which is
floor parlor to compose. That was
where he completed his “Valse Triste” the thing that means most to me right
now,” Paul said, picking up purring
and where he wrote songs dedicated
Mushka and giving her the attention
to Marilyn after she passed away
she has been longing for. They both
in 2014, “I Can’t Get You Out of My
seem to be content — perhaps even
Mind” and “You Were One of a Kind,
happier than a truck driver chasing a
My Dear Marilyn.”
lost whistle. Now that would make a
Although Marilyn’s time at Pond
one-of-a-kind country music song. n
Ridge was brief, Paul was grateful
they made the decision to move there
together. As a successful physician,
wife and mother, Marilyn spent her
entire life caring for others. During
the last few years of her life, it was her
Wallingford, CT
turn to receive care.