Way Back When

We have just returned from a great weekend with Robert and Bobbie in Brooklyn.  They showed us the sites and were great hosts.  We went down to the Sept 11 memorial, walked the High Line and even got to see Chicago on Broadway!  "He had it coming.....He had it coming..."  It was nice to spend some one-on-one time with them and get caught up.

Cheers from the Blind Tiger (the oldest people in the place)

We reminisced a bit and one of the things I asked Robert was if he'd kept any kind of journal or track of the performances he's done over the years.  James had recently told me that one of his "band-mates" for a musical had done so and it seemed to have been a very wise choice on her part way back when.

 

So, here's a start for you Robert.  I found that you were a guest conductor in December 1972 for the Band of the Royal Blue performance in Homer NY.  Yes, Homer NY.  Can't be wrong if it's in the paper, right?

 

There's a little stroll down memory lane for you.  And I have more for you to consider.  It's become kind of important to me that I am able to "close the story" for some of the ancestors by adding death dates to their records.  Sometimes it's not so easy to do so but I have some leads to follow up on and I am asking you all to take your own stroll down memory lane and see if anything pops up that might be helpful. 

Do you remember anything about the deaths of either Thomas Albertini (this would be Lou and Tommy's father) which may have occurred in Jan 1964?  That's kind of a stretch I realize since you would have been pretty young but perhaps if you think about how old you were that year and consider things that happened when you were about that old, perhaps something will come to you.  Same with his wife Marcela who may have died April 1987.  That's a little easier perhaps for you to place.  Seems as though I should be able to place it, but I guess I was out of the loop on that family news of the time.  And their son Peter who may have died just recently April 2011.  Seems I might almost remember that but somehow did not take "official" note of it.  I've already written to Uncle Tommy and will plan to talk with Rose and Lou as well. 

Sometimes if you start thinking about the time frame, interesting things will pop up and if they do--please share!  How about Victor Dalpiaz (I think that's your Dad's cousin that emigrated with him, correct?)?  He may have died April 1981 perhaps in Gardiner NY.  I know some of you have memories and stories about him! 

I've shared this picture before but here you go again to put things in context:

This is the Russo clan celebrating Eugene and Amelia's 40th wedding anniversary so this was taken in 1946.  Amelia was an Isoldi and a sister to Giovanna Manzelli (your mother's grandmother and guardian).  Do you recall anything about the Russo family?  They had three children Cecelia, Margaret and Anthony but I'm mostly trying to confirm anything about Amelia and Eugene.  Amelia and Giovanna had another brother Ralph (he married Sarah) and I'd like to "close the book" on him as well. 

This is what I got about this picture: Attached shed to Eugene- Amelia's house on 43rd St in Astoria L-R: Antoinette Russo (Marino) Louie Dino (family or friend of), Francis Isoldi's wife Alice Isoldi?, 2 women and baby boy - unknown, Celia Russo (tall woman in back), Eugene Russo, Amelia Russo (Isoldi), Anthony Russo, Giovanna Manzelli (Isoldi), Unknown (Manzelli?) Ralph Isoldi, Sarah Isoldi, wife or Ralphie Isoldi, and Ralphie Isoldi, Couple sitting on floor unknown

Put your thinking caps on, reminisce and report!