“I grew up in Yarmouth. We always came to Falmouth to get pizza. Now we bring our daughter,” said Karen Jay, late yesterday afternoon at the Falmouth House of Pizza after hearing that last night was its last – until they find a new location to open. “It’s very sad. We love this place. Hopefully it can reopen soon. “This is my favorite house of pizza in Maine,” said Hannah Jay, her daughter. “We come to Falmouth just to get pizza here.” (See above photo of daughter and mother).

At another table sat James A. Mardin, 97 years old and Lucy DeRoche, 93 years old. They’ve been friends for years and every Friday evening for the past eight years, they’ve been coming to FHOP for pizza. “The pizza from FHOP keeps me going,” said Mr. Mardin laughing. That and the fact that “I keep moving” have contributed to his long life. Mr. Mardin volunteers three days a week at Maine Medical Center, Falmouth. In fact, that’s where the two met. Mrs. DeRoche,is a former 5th grade teacher in Yarmouth, who also volunteers at MMC, Falmouth. The two and their spouses were volunteers until their spouses passed on years ago.

Mr. Mardin, who lives on Munjoy Hill, shows me his “professional volunteer” resume which is extensive, not surprisingly. It also shows that he served in World War 11 overseas. He was on Omaha Beach in France, served in Belgium, Germany and ended his World War 11 service in Czechoslovakia. He was discharged from the US Army in October of 1945. He started volunteering at Maine Medical Center in 1988 and has over 11,000 hours of service as of 2018.

“People think we are married because we are holding hands. We’re not. They ask us how long we’ve been married,” she laughed. “We’re not.” “I guess we’ll have to go to Antonia’s House of Pizza in Freeport until they reopen in Falmouth,” said Mr. Mardin.

Please see previou post herein on the closing controversy of the Falmouth House of Pizza dated April 24, 2019.