Heather Lucier Stanley

A young investor

I learned about saving money before I can remember. My parents started a bank account for me as a kindergartener or first grader. I had a passbook savings account. I had a small allowance and saved it. By the time I graduated high school, I had $6,000 invested in a mutual fund.

My father spent most of his career as a stockbroker. He loved to pass on his wisdom at dinner: “You can’t make money [in the market] if you don’t have any money,” “Buy low, sell high,” “The people in the big houses do not necessarily have money. They are over-leveraged.” and “No debt is good debt.”

My mother gave me some financial lessons: “Waitress [as a high school student], you’ll make more money,” “Save your money,” and “Think about what you buy and how many hours you need to work for it,” “If you want less, you don’t have to work as much,” and “Don’t fall into the consumerism trap.”

My parents are excellent money managers. I learned how to make money and how to keep it. This is one area where I feel OK bragging just a little bit.

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I loved Peter Pan.

When I was a child Peter Pan was popular on Broadway. Although Peter Pan was a young boy, most often women, such as Mia Farrow and Julie Andrews, played the role of Peter Pan. I remember Julie Andrews as Peter Pan.

I danced ballet, tap and jazz throughout elementary school. I remember lining up for recitals and going on stage in a big auditorium in Worcester. I remember the scratchy costumes and first learned thru dancing that girl’s clothing is not as comfortable as boy’s clothing. That is why I spent most of my childhood as a tomboy. I chose the least scratchy clothing to wear.

I wore pants a lot. I admired women like Kate Hepburn. I had a feminist spirit in elementary school. Gloria Steinem became another idol. Clara Barton, Elizabeth Cady Stanton – I knew about all the strong women. I never believed – or was taught to believe – that I could not do anything a boy did. I considered myself an equal to the boys from as long as I can remember. This is one of the greatest indirect lessons that I learned. I feel that it was innate and not taught. Although having a father who enjoyed fatherhood and teaching his daughter “boy stuff” probably helped out.

This Peter Pan costume was not scratchy. I wore it proudly.

Shopping

For many years I associated Boston with Fenway Park and shopping. My father loved taking me to Red Sox games in Fenway Park and my mother loved shopping in Boston.

This photo of me is outside of Bonwit Teller. Bonwit Teller is no longer in business, but it was a department store in Boston where an aunt of mine had worked. We went to visit her at the store on occasion. I grew up 45 minutes from Boston, in Worcester.

Boston has been and will always be a special treat.