Memorial Day 2010

Jim and Ryan are off to perform their last Memorial Day services.  The flag is flying. The spiedies are thawing.   It's a glorious day.  Thought I would take a minute to remember some of your veteran ancestors.  I don't know much about Philip Coffarelli just yet but a very kind soul took this picture of his gravestone at Long Island National Cemetery for me.

It looks like your Uncle Phil (every family should have an Uncle Phil) served in the Quartermaster's Corps which would have provided supplies of all sorts to the troops.  I'd like to learn more about Philip and this time in his life.  
 
I also found this picture of "Uncle Joe's" gravestone in Pine Bush.  I don't know much about him either but Marguerite has some stories of him to share that I'd like to learn more about.  He was apparently somewhat irascible and wasn't too good about keeping up with house repairs.  Aunt Mary once fell right through the floor!

In fact, all three boys Philip, Joseph and your grandfather James are listed on St. Mary's "Roll of Honor in the Service of our Country from St. Mary's Parish Long Island City" published September 28 1918.  I am not sure which this is

No matter which soldier this might be, let's pause to remember today. 

Champion in the house!

This is Ryan scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 9th with 2 out to win the league championship!

This is Ryan at the bottom of the pile of his teammates.  He fulfilled a dream tonight and I'm the one who can't sleep........

UPDATE:  Great article in the Oneonta paper:  click here

Look Out Erie PA!

Amy is now an employed person!  She is an educator at the Erie Zoo and started work today, just 3 days after graduation!  It's seasonal but full time and we had all of 5 days to find her an apartment and get her moved--and one of those days was spent in Kutztown at graduation!  But we did it, thanks to her very nice landlord and two 5 hour round trips between here and very western PA.  Her new address is 709 E 24th St Apt 2 Erie PA 16503.

The newest Dalpiaz family Kutztown alumni and her parents

At the same time, Ryan had his prom (he cleans up pretty good!) and won a baseball divisional title!

This is in case you were wondering why I'd fallen a bit behind in blogging.........

Happy Birthday Brandon!

Here's a classic image for you.  Yes, that is your Uncle James' hand in the corner of the picture.  Can't say I recall the exact circumstances but I do remember you loved wearing those beads during that vacation!  James may have encouraged you.  Just maybe.  Happy Birthday!

And just for fun, here's a link to "Classic Images for Boomers"--take a little stroll down memory lane (except these are mostly not happy memories--but they are iconic).  Click and view!  It's in chronological order so if the first ones aren't familiar, keep scrolling down til you find one you recognize :) 

Yeah, Baby!

One Hit Shutout Tonight!

And the sun was shining (finally no snow)

Who Do You Think You Are?

I am sure you all have been following the new TV series Who Do You Think You Are?  Well, just in case you missed the last episode, it featured Susan Sarandon who was looking for her Italian grandmother in NYC in the 1920s or so.  She was able to trace her Italian immigrants to the cemetery, carefully following the provided information regarding the whereabouts of the grave site only to find there was no monument to mark it. 

You may have more in common with Susan Sarandon than you thought!  When she was traipsing around the cemetery, she held a piece of paper in her hand which I recognized right away because it looked just like this one:

Now, I do notice that several cemeteries fall under the umbrella of the Calvary and Allied Cemeteries so it might not be your Calvary Cemetery, but the area looked very much like the site James and I visited last year in search of the ancestors.  We had the very similar experience of making our way to the grave site only to find that it is not marked (I think it was the Coffarellis and not the Manzellis you see here).  It was something of a disappointment but still rewarding to feel that we had "rescued" some ancestors. 

Information such as this from the cemetery is very valuable and goes a long way toward figuring out "Who's Who".  In the case of this listing, I had to separately list each name with my thoughts on who I think they might be.  You may remember this was the trip during which we got ourselves locked in the cemetery and never got to cross the street to find the Isoldis.  We'll be going back (earlier in the day!). 

An update on the peach pie episode:  the diner burned down!  It's a landmark in our area and many others are also mourning the loss of delicious pies and breads.  Just my luck........

I am thinking about Monet today.  I hope those of you that are able to attend have a grand visit! 

As I was sitting in the church waiting for Uncle Johnny's funeral Mass to begin, I couldn't help but be reminded of Aunt Mary's funeral in the very same church fifteen years ago at very nearly the same time of year.  At the time, I kept thinking about the circle of life events that brings us closer and closer to the front pew of the church at funerals.  Most of the time, when we are young we didn't attend funerals (at least we didn't and I recall it wasn't considered "seemly").  Then we get a little older and we are brought to the church for the funeral of great grandparents, grand aunts or uncles -- then it's grandparents and you are seated closer to the altar.  Except for tragic illnesses and accidents we might not be in the front pew until you are burying your last living parent.  As your spot on the family tree gets closer to the generation lost, so do you move closer to the altar to honor those gone before.

Fifteen years ago I was a bit horrified by that notion of getting old enough to be moving closer to the altar at funeral masses.  Much life experience has passed in those years and my view has changed. 

I've begun to focus on extended families in my research and, as a result, have found many new cousins on both sides of the family.  These cousins were preceded by aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and grandparents.  Now I feel as though all those souls join us in the church for the funeral masses.  To the left and right of my seat are the cousins we may not have even met yet.  In front of me are the aunts, uncles, parents and grandparents I never met in person but feel I know as well as any other.  Behind me are the nieces and nephews along with all their cousins not yet born or discovered.  Now, it brings great comfort to take my seat among others at a funeral to honor the soul now joined in heaven with those who loved him.

Angela tells me that Uncle Johnny talked of his mother and father shortly before he died.  How comforting that must have been for him as it is for Angela and her family.  So, Happy Birthday to your mom who's in heaven welcoming her brother and reuniting him with their parents.