8 minute read
The Falcon Family: Fun, Family & Furbabies!
Resident Feature by Sheila Turner-Hilliard
Photos by Sierra Clark Photography www.SierraClarkPhoto.com
Thanks to Alpha Century Security of Newtown Square for sponsoring our Resident Feature.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For Laurie and Joe Falcon and their three girls, life is filled with family, fun and furbabies! They’ve got lots of room in their hearts and their home to make everyone feel welcome and loved.
Joe was born and raised in Pittsburgh where he lived with his parents and two younger brothers. He attended St. Edmund’s Academy for grade school, and graduated from Fox Chapel Area High School where he played ice hockey and developed a love for skiing and snowboarding. An active body yet analytical mind led him to Penn State University where he earned his degree in Material Science and Engineering. That’s also where he met Laurie.
Laurie was also born in Pittsburgh, but moved to West Chester with her parents and sister Jennie when she was eight years old. She went to Glen Acres Elementary School, Stetson Middle School, then graduated from West Chester East High School where she played lacrosse, served as Class President and was inducted into the Italian Honor Society. She was actively involved at Penn State, where she worked on various committees, was named to Homecoming Court and graduated with a B.A. in Criminal Justice.
Laurie and Joe Falcon
Laurie and Joe met in their final semester at Penn State where they lived just a few doors away from each other. “A mutual friend introduced us,” said Laurie. The two started spending time together, but with graduation on the horizon and returning home to opposite sides of the state, they weren’t sure how it would work. Joe’s plan after Penn State was to move back to Pittsburgh for Law School, and Laurie was just beginning her job search.
Some call it luck, others call it fate. Either way, this couple’s relationship was surely meant to be when Laurie was offered a job in Pittsburgh while Joe studied nearby at Duquesne School of Law. “Laurie’s dad is originally from Pittsburgh and my mom is originally from West Oak Lane,” said Joe, “so, living on either side of the state feels comfortable to us.” After Joe earned his Law Degree, he began working as a Patent and Trademark Lawyer. The two married in January 2004, and settled down in Aspinwall, a quiet suburb of Pittsburgh.
But life on the Allegheny River didn’t last long: When Joe accepted an offer to work as a Litigation Associate with Morgan Lewis in Philadelphia, Laurie and Joe packed their bags and headed east. First, they lived in Brigantine, NJ, where Joe had spent his summers as a child. Then they rented a home in Ardmore, for a shorter commute for Joe. In 2004, they bought their first home, on Barren Rd in Newtown Square.
Barren Rd was home for 10 years, but their growing family needed more space. After a tireless search, Laurie and Joe found their forever home on one of the very last streets in Newtown Township. Still in the school district, this larger home had a big back yard. Little did they know then how valuable that yard would soon become!
Lillie, Emilia and Maren Falcon
Lillie is the oldest of Laurie and Joe’s kids. “She is loving, caring and hard-working,” said Joe. A Freshman at Villa Maria Academy, Lillie enjoys being involved in her school’s newspaper, orchestra and Respect Life Club. She is also the Manager of Villa Maria’s basketball team. She loves studying French and graphic design. Outside of school, Lillie can be found on the golf course or practicing archery.
Emilia, an outdoor-adventure enthusiast like her father, loves snowboarding and riding ATVs with her dad. She is an 8th-grader at Paxon Hollow Middle School. “Emilia is determined, funny and sincere,” said Laurie. She plays volleyball and softball and also loves learning French. Emilia is excited to continue her education next year as a Freshman at Villa Maria Academy.
Maren is a 5th-grade student at Culbertson Elementary School. Laurie says that Maren is sweet and funny but also strongwilled. While she loves outdoor activities like her older sisters, Maren also loves music, dance and art. “Maren completed our family,” said Laurie. “She was such a welcome gift after we suffered a very traumatic loss.”
That loss was of their daughter, Adalyn Clare, in 2009. Laurie was 32 weeks pregnant with Adalyn when she passed away. “Losing Adalyn impacted everyone, including Maren who was born after,” said Laurie. “I remember when I was having my girls, people would say that you just know when you are finished having children. I never experienced that because it always feels like someone is missing, and that void will always be there.”
Comfort from loss and finding purpose in life comes in many forms, with pets ranking high on that list. In early 2016, Joe and Laurie began discussing how a dog might bring joy to their family. “Growing up, I never had a dog,” said Laurie, “so I was hesitant because of the responsibility involved.” Joe, however, had no reservations, so they started their search.
Since that time, the Falcon family has welcomed into their home three rescue dogs, two cats and a hamster! With May being National Pet Month and May 20th marking National Rescue Dog Day, Laurie and Joe wanted to share their story so others might consider adopting or fostering a rescue dog of their own.
The Falcons with their rescue dogs: Henry, Bella and Butch
Butch is the first dog Joe and Laurie adopted. “I found Butch on the SPCA website,” Joe explained. “When we went to meet Butch, he immediately ran right up to us, rolled over for a belly scratch, and then gently took a treat out of one of our girls’ hands. Butch chose us, as the saying goes,” Joe added.
After they adopted Butch, Laurie started sharing info about rescue dogs on Facebook, to help connect people to foster and adopt dogs. “Butch stole my heart,” Laurie said, “and because of my interest in rescue, I found Bella.” Even though Joe was out of town, Laurie loaded Butch and the girls in the car, drove two hours to New Jersey to meet Bella, and decided to bring her home. Bella is a mild-mannered, playful and loving dog.
Henry is the newest addition to the Falcon family after Laurie saw Henry's picture on a rescue page that announced the arrival of a litter of puppies. “Unfortunately, the people who decided it would be fun to breed their coonhounds then decided they couldn't handle the puppies,” said Laurie. “Henry had the sweetest little puppy eyes,” Joe said, “and was the kind of dog I had always wanted, so I immediately put in an application.” Henry is your typical coonhound with a silly personality, long legs and floppy ears. Although Laurie was hesitant about raising and training a puppy, Henry quickly became her sidekick. He follows her everywhere and is always looking for something to eat.
“These dogs are the best additions to our family!” said Joe. “They bring laughter, comfort and joy every day.” For the Falcons, adopting a rescue is perfect because they don’t have a limitation on what breed of dog. And that huge back yard for the dogs to play in certainly helps. “So many homeless dogs are neglected or abandoned!” said Laurie. “If we can make the lives of at least three of them better, we will.” A lot has changed for once-hesitant Laurie. She laughed when she said, “I would love to have more!”
The Falcon Family at their home in Newtown Square
You might think that with three girls, three dogs, two cats and a hamster, there isn’t much time for anything else. But Joe and Laurie manage to squeeze in time to be involved and give back to our community. Laurie currently serves as Secretary of the Newtown Square Petticoat League (NSPL) where her girls have played softball, and she is the head coach of Emilia’s team, Wildfire Fastpitch 14U. Laurie was actively involved with the PTO at Culbertson Elementary, and often volunteers to help at their family church, Newtown Square Presbyterian. Her goal now is to start taking classes for her Master’s degree in either School Counseling or Psychology.
Joe continues to work as a Patent and Trademark Lawyer, now as Partner at Barley Snyder Law Firm in Malvern. Since 2017, Joe has been Chair of the Intellectual Property law section at the Chester County Bar Association, and in July 2020, he was named Chair of the Patent Legislation Committee of the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property law section. He is a former President of NSPL, and served on Delaware County Habitat for Humanity’s Board of Directors. At Newtown Square Presbyterian, Joe occasionally serves as Elder and Deacon. And as spare time allows, he makes time for fun on the slopes and in the ice rink.
They say you can’t buy happiness, but you can rescue it, and the Falcons certainly got that one right. Just don’t ask them if they’re Steelers fans!
Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming magazine features by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Does Your Business or Organization Require Security/Protection?
610-353-7840
www.AlphaCenturySecurityInc.com
Training, Skills, Maturity, Leadership, Professionalism
We provide on-scene protection whenever and wherever you need us most.
• Construction Sites • Schools/Campuses • Special Events • Mall Security • Roving Patrol • Churches • Retail/Jewelry Stores • Concierge Services
Contact us TODAY to learn more about our security services!
• Security Patrol Vehicles • Security Personnel & Services • Drug & Background Checks • Unarmed Security Officers • Armed Security Officers • Fire Watch Security
We Proudly Support Veterans and Newtown Square Residents
3720 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square
