WEST PITTSTON — When you sit down and talk to Anne Postupack, be prepared to get a dose of what a glass half filled really means. The bottom line with Anne is — at 83 years of age, she’s not done yet.
Postupack, of West Pittston, co-owner of Cameo the House Interiors, an interior design and painting services company, and Cameo House Tours, has been selected to receive the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Network’s 2019 Distinguished Woman Award. She will be honored at the group’s annual dinner set for Thursday, March 14 at Fox Hill Country Club.
“Every year, we strive to honor a woman who has made a lasting impact on the Greater Pittston community and who may not have been previously recognized for her service,” said Michelle Mikitish, executive director of the chamber. “Often, a woman’s greatest contribution comes not from desire but from necessity. In Anne’s case, she made a choice to survive and, in doing so, she discovered her passion and managed to thrive.”
Mikitish said Postupack’s energetic personality and life-long desire to learn make her an inspiration to all women in our community. “We look forward to seeing what it is she will choose to do next.”
Postupack is no stranger to the Women’s Network as she and a handful of women, including Mary Boylan, the first female executive director of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, created it. The Distinguished Woman’s Award is presented in memory of Boylan.
Postupack graduated from high school at the age of 16, married at 18, bore three sons and, at only 25 years old in 1963, became a widow. That’s a lot of living in just nine years.
Anne Sindaco became Mrs. Jerome (Jerry) Postupack two years after the death of her first husband Paul. Together, Anne and Jerry forged ahead by creating Cameo the House of Living Ideas and later Cameo House Bus Tours. The two have worked side-by-side for 52 years of their 54-year marriage.
“Jerry had the hands on and I painted the dream,” Postupack said of the couple’s role in the business. “He made me look good and I’ve always said I was a balloon and Jerry held my string, not to hold me down but so I wouldn’t blow away.”
Cameo House Interiors has always specialized in quality with class working out of its Wyoming Avenue location.
Postupack will admit the company’s services are not the cheapest in the area, but the couple took pride in knowing their clients received top-of-the-line material that would outlast competitors for years.
“In today’s world, you buy things and then they’re gone,” she said. “We did wonderful stuff; we did quality. That’s what our name is and I was never sorry.”
Postupack always felt she could see things most clearly when it came to a project. “I think that’s my strength; I can see things. I’m not anything out of the ordinary – I was trained to see.”
Today, there is a plethora of do-it-yourself shows on TV, but Postupack doesn’t watch any of them. “Once you understand they are playing with you and what they’re doing is playing to the trend,” she said. “You don’t ever, ever do trend.”
As the years progressed, the Postupacks got into another business venture — bus tours.
While teaching decorating classes at Luzerne County Community College, Anne decided to take one of her classes to New York City, the mecca of design. Postupack arranged the bus for the trip and a light bulb went off in her head.
Today, the couple runs six to eight bus excursions a year, partnering with Martz Trailways.
What keeps Anne going all these years? She’s not ready to hang it up just yet.
“What can I do next? The bills, that’s what keeps me going,” she teased. “I like my independence, my love of life and I would never want to depend on my children. We are surrounded by many, many people that love us.”
After all, she’s not done yet.