Hopatcong School Board Honors Longtime Member

Patricia LoBue grabbed the box from Cliff Lundin and stared at it.

"Is it a clock?" she said.

"No, but it might be ticking," Lundin said.

Hopatcong's Board of Education awarded LoBue for her nine straight years on the board at Monday night's meeting.

"Pat, we appreciate the years you spent on the board," said Lundin, the board president. "It's always good to see you here. It was always good to see your smiling face. A lot of times Pat and I had the same sick sense of humor and we'd be chuckling over the same thing. But, anyway, we thank you for your service on the board."

LoBue received a glass bowl with an inscription she read aloud: "You told them that they could do anything they set their minds to," she said. "You told them they could be the brightest, shiniest stars in the sky. And the world would be a better place because of them."

"It's beautiful," LoBue said.

Newcomer in April's school board elections.

LoBue's son, Joe, who graduated last week, was named the high school's student of the month for athletics in June.