This month, Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors is pleased to introduce you to Peter and Judith Lake, who have called Newtown Square their beloved hometown for over 41 years!
Peter hails from Syracuse, New York, where he lived with his parents and two sisters, Lois and Nina. He graduated from Nottingham High School, where he developed an interest in mechanical and architectural drawing. Peter continued his education at Oswego State University in New York, studying industrial arts education. Some years later, he attended Gordon College in Massachusetts, earning a degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis on teaching middle school students.
After graduating, Peter set his sights on securing a teaching position. In 1983, he applied to Delaware County Christian School (DC) in Newtown Square and accepted an offer to teach 6th graders. This became his favorite age group in middle school, and he taught different subjects, including the Bible, language arts, creative writing and manners, which were the most important classes. During that time, Peter acquired his master’s degree in
elementary education administration from Villanova University, but he enjoyed the classroom too much to consider an administrative position. Peter wore many hats at DC. After school, he coached middle school soccer and track and field. He also worked on campus grounds and did other jobs with the school main- tenance team. Because the family lived on the campus, he was responsible for locking up at night. He retired from DC in 2010
after 30 years, but slowing down wasn’t part of his plan.
The next step in his career was working as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the Suburban Seahawks Club in Newtown Square. After six years there, he taught at Bingham’s Aqua Motion & Mechanics, LLC (BAMM) in West Chester until 2023. He greatly enjoyed learning from Carolyn Bingham how to best teach swimming and water safety to children and young adults, especially those with physical needs and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) kids. It was rewarding for him to see so many people — young and old — improve over time in this most important life skill of swimming in the BAMM warm water pool. For one year, Peter also helped manage a local COVID testing site during the height of the pandemic.
These days, you’ll find Peter working at the front desk at our PA State Representative, Lisa Borowski’s office. “I began working for Lisa in 2022 when she was first elected, and now that she recently won re-election, I am fortunate that I get to work with her for another two-year term,” Peter said. “I really enjoy helping people solve their state-related issues, imparting hope when I can.”
Judith is originally from Essex, Connecticut, where she grew up with her parents, her sister Sue and her brother Steve. She graduated from Williams School for Girls and Lasell College in Auburndale, Massachusetts. Her degree was in Retailing, but she got a job as a residential and business service representative for the New England Telephone Company in Boston before leaving for Scotland in the summer of 1970 and spending nearly four
years overseas.
“Once we moved to Newtown Square and our three sons were school-age, I worked for 33 years as the undergraduate admissions receptionist at Eastern University in St. Davids,” Judith said. “My position involved greeting students and parents for their time visiting campus.” Judith added that early on, one of the professors referred to her as “the voice of Eastern” and that became how she was known around the school.
Judith said she enjoyed engaging with and assisting people on the phone and in person. “I loved my work making people feel welcome, answering questions about Eastern, and introducing them to student tour guides and admissions counselors or faculty members on campus,” Judith explained. “Peter and I loved and valued the quality of education at both institutions so much that all three of our sons attended Delaware County Christian School and Eastern University.”
Judith retired in 2019 and, just like her husband, had no plans to slow down. In November 2023, she published a book on Amazon that she wrote about life in her twenties. “My book is titled On the Road to Find Out ~ A 1970s Memoir by Judith Hopkins Lake,” she said. “It is about living in Edinburgh, Scotland for a year, then hitchhiking overland through many countries on the way to New Zealand — only to be robbed in Afghanistan and being rescued by a Christian mission community.” Judith credits God and the kindness of many people for a dramatic change in her life. The
book tells the story of a fascinating period in the 1970s when hundreds of Westerners took great risks and sometimes steps of faith “on the road to find out” on the hippie trail.
On the Road to Find Out ends with a chapter about how Judith met Peter in Darien, CT, in 1975. “I was at St. Paul’s Church for bible study and prayer time,” Judith said. “As I was going down the aisle to leave, my friend from the choir, Nina, ran up to me saying she wanted me to meet her brother, Peter.” Judith and Peter introduced themselves, shook hands and parted ways. A few months later, Peter returned to St. Paul’s with his family for a
service in honor of his father’s birthday. That was when Peter was approached by the organist, asking him to join the choir.
“At that time in my life, I wasn’t too keen on regularly attending church, let alone joining a choir,” Peter said. “But when I returned home that night, I prayed about it and asked God to guide me.” Peter joined the choir and began to read the Bible. He and Judith began to see each other often at church, and their relationship grew. They had their first date on December 5th. “Peter took me to an old inn called The Three Bears Inn,” Judith recalled. “We enjoyed wine before a roaring fireplace, followed by a romantic candlelit dinner.”
Both Peter and Judith said that they felt a strong sense of God’s presence in their relationship. They were engaged in February 1976 and married on August 7th of that year in a church filled with their pastors, family and friends. The newlyweds spent their honeymoon on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Canada, then settled down in Watertown, CT, where Peter worked as a youth minister for Christ Church and Youth for Christ for two
years before returning to school at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. Before he graduated, Judith and Peter had three sons, and Judith was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years.
Josh is Judith and Peter’s firstborn. He heads the science department at Pomfret School in Pomfret, CT. He operates the school’s observatory, where he won the National Geographic Amateur Astronomy Picture Award for a photo he took using the school’s telescope. Josh recently created a card deck called Codes Against Academy, a game and discussion starter focused on AI and Ethics in Education. Josh is married to Liz, who is a writer
and editor. They have two sons: Isaac is 17, and James is 15.
Steve is their middle son. He is a commercial HVAC journeyman/technician who lives in Morgantown, PA, with his wife, Anne, who works as an at-home healthcare administrator. Their son Harper is 13, and Adah is 11. They both play ice hockey on the same team.
Their youngest son is Dan, the operations chief of a 400-unit apartment complex in Warminster. Dan also has two kids: Cole, 16, and Cali, 12. All six grandchildren get along famously, and we all love our family reunions.
When the Lakes moved to Newtown Square, they lived for 20 years on the Delaware County Christian School property. For the first year, they lived in the barn that had been the kindergar- ten before DC moved the elementary school to the Alice Grimm School, which is now Stratford Friends School. From the barn, they moved to the carriage house, which was demolished to create another playing field. Lastly, they lived for several years in “The
Mansion”—once the Strawbridge estate—before buying their first home.
Peter and Judith began their home search and found the perfect place in a neighborhood near Gentile’s Market. “Our neighbors are super-friendly,” Peter said. “We are always outside walking the neighborhood, and we like to say we make connections at intersections.” Judith and Peter particularly enjoy hosting backyard gatherings with their friends and family and playing games with their grandchildren.
Community service and connections are important to Peter and Judith. “Peter and I are long-time members at Springton Lake Presbyterian Church in Newtown Square,” Judith said. “I am the “welcome lady” at the end of services every Sunday, greeting newcomers and guests to the church. I also volunteer to edit our church newsletter and enjoy a weekly women’s Bible study that I occasionally help facilitate.” Judith also assists senior women
with appointments or errands and sometimes a lunch out in town for a treat. Every Wednesday, she babysits their neighbor’s baby boy, who brings much joy. Peter helps out at church with parking and serves as vice-chair on the Newtown Township Parks and Recreation Board. He volunteers for the community, and Drexel Lodge Park has become a favorite place for them as a couple to unwind and enjoy a beautiful spot.
On behalf of your Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors, we extend a heartfelt and well-deserved thank you to Peter and Judith for your commitment to sharing your faith, your family and your story with our community. May 2025 continue to bring you many blessings.
Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for
upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.