By Ginny Raue
When Dan Trout proposed to Linda, her daughter, Miranda Zangara, thought it was a result of her suggesting to him that he marry her mom. Little did she know that he already had a ring and, in the old-world tradition, had spoken to Linda’s father.
“He was the boy next door and my best friend. As he says, ‘When you are dating your next door neighbor you have two choices: marry her or move.’” Trout said. He didn’t move.
The Trouts have now been married for eight years. They relocated from Lincoln Park to West Milford and their family grew. Miranda, age 16, is now blessed with a brother and sister.
Little sister, Madison, age six, is a first grader who plays T-Ball and is a West Milford Flag Football Pony Gold Cheerleader. Three-year-old brother, Logan, has mild Down Syndrome and is “the light of the family.” He attends a pre-school for handicap children in West Milford.
“He’s always smiling and hugging everyone,” his mom said.
Trout, 42, was raised in Hamilton and attended Indiana University in Pennsylvania, graduating in 1992 with a bachelor of science degree in education. She also carries a certificate in special education.
Teaching for 23 years, she currently works in Clifton as a fourth grade special education teacher.
“I like to instill a love of learning in the children and help them achieve their potential. To see a child who struggles to read – when they read their first book the look on their faces, it’s amazing,” Trout said.
Trout’s mother was a teacher and she knew since childhood what her career would be. She values her chosen profession as much as her Czechoslovakian heritage. Her grandmother, Anna Majoros, was born in Pennsylvania but after the death of her father when she was an infant the family returned to Czechoslovakia. She grew up there and married Trout’s grandfather, a man who served in both the Hungarian and Czechoslovakian armies in World War II.
In 1948 Majoros left her husband and daughter Irena, Trout’s mother, in Czechoslovakia and sailed to America on the Queen Elizabeth. For a year she worked hard in a cigar factory and cleaning houses. When the family was reunited in the United States they lived over a garage in Trenton and her grandfather became a butcher, a job he had left home to train for when he was just 10 years old.
Years passed and today this close-knit family, who worship in the Byzantine Catholic faith, share their culture with Trout’s children who are fortunate enough to have two great-grandmothers living in Trenton, each a hale and hardy 93 years old.
Although Trout is a teacher, she does not consider herself a demanding mom. However, toys are banned from the kid’s bedrooms; books only.
“You can make anything a learning experience. I don’t force it, I try to make learning fun,” she said. From day trips to planting a garden, there are lessons to be learned.
Staying involved in her children’s lives is important to Trout and as such she serves on the executive board of the West Milford High School cheerleaders where Miranda is on the varsity squad. Miranda, a junior, also plays trumpet in the high school band and is a member of the National Honor Society. This summer Miranda and her mom will be taking a “pre-college years” trip to Paris and Germany.
In her spare time Trout likes to power walk, take in a Broadway show or visit a winery with her husband. In her family fishing was a favorite sport and although she married a Trout, her husband is just not into fishing.
She loves to cook, saying that comfort foods reach back to your childhood.
“Food is a real thing in my family. It brings everyone together and preserves your heritage,” she said.
Trout sent in a family favorite recipe for Slovak crepes.