Letter #
Letter #
Nov. 25, 2001
I along with my other siblings attended OLAS. I was the last in line. The best is always last. I attended two years at East Orange Catholic HS and then transferred to Clifford Scott where I graduated in 1967.
After graduation I worked as a Secretary for the Colonial Life Insurance Company. I was married in November 1969 and am proud to say my husband, Joe, and I will be married 32 years on the 29th. We have two children....Mike (26) a 4th year med student at Tulane Medical School and Mallory (16) a junior at The Woodlands HS in The Woodlands, TX.
I have lived in 5 different states since getting married: CT, back to NJ, CA, VA and now TX. I still talk like I'm from NJ and it is painful for the Texans to hear me say "ya'll". I have enjoyed reading about all of you and know this will be a wonderful web site.
Patricia (LeGates) Stuparich
<LnStrTrish@AOL.Com>
April 13, 2002
Hello to everyone!
This web page is such a great idea. I am married to my wonderful husband for 31 years and have four beautiful daughters who are all looking for hot bachelors...so keep that in mind. My oldest Danielle is 25 and is a teacher in Point Pleasant. Jacquie is 22 and attending Montclair University Master's Program in Speech Pathology. Erin is 18 and a senior in at Toms River High School East and will attend The College of New Jersey next year where she will be majoring in Engineering Management and playing basketball. Kristen my youngest is 14 and a freshman at Toms River East. I am also a Guidance Counselor at Toms River East for 28 years. I keep in touch with Trish LeGates and Kathy Kelshaw Slatery. I would be interested to know how all my fellow classmates are doing so..E_MAIL me!
Cecilia Neary Frank
<Kfrank53@comcast.net>
Nov 9, 2002
GREETINGS TO MY PAST CLASSMATES AND NEIGHBORS;
Living on North 17th Street and attending OLAS school like my older brother did (1960); we walked 4th Avenue sidewalks through the sun and the snows for many years. I remember being an altar boy (unfettered by any abuse!) and playing on the blacktop before class. I remember Sister Marsala as the best of my teachers. I remember some of classmates. We moved to Phillipsburg, NJ in 1961, finished elementary school and HS there, attended college in Teaneck, and graduate school in Pittsburgh, PA. I have traveled the world and owe a lot of my geography interest to our OLAS school book.
I am living in Santa Barbara at the beach working as a consultant for computers and communication. I am single. I can be reached at bertvito@yahoo.com.
VITO BERTUGLIA, Class of 1963
e-mail: BERTVITO@YAHOO.COM
Aug 14, 2004
this is Glenn hello to all. please contact me and lets talk.
Glenn avanzato, Class of 1963
e-mail: joeypavia2002@yahoo.com
July 16, 2007
Just hello out there far and wide
Hello fellow classmates. I still live in NJ but in Wharton, about 1/2 hr away from East Orange. Married 38 years in Dec, to George my high school sweetheart. We have a daughter , Tara, 37 yrs old tomorrow 7/17 and a son George P. who is 31. We have granddaughter Abigail who is 4, Tara's daughter, and George P. is not married yet. I am lucky to have my Mom and Dad still alive and well living 2 blocks away. Tara and husband moved to New Hampshire in April, very upsetting...George P lives in Harrison NJ works in NYC.
I still keep in touch with Bob Mooney, who just joined us this past sat night for dinner and I found out about this web site. I still keep in touch with Kathy Byrne, Gary Lang, and Sheryl Watkins and Peggy Mc Owan who were in my sisters class of 1966. I work with Peggy and her daughter, imagine my surprise when Peggy came for a job interview 8 yrs ago and I still recognized her!
I hope all is well with whoever might read this.
My best to all, Paula
Paula Pekarovich Stafford , Class of 1963
e-mail: thestafford@optonline.net
August 2, 2007
This site is incredible, I, like so many others of you, stumbled upon this by accident a few years ago. I had come in here in years past and thought how good it is to read all the stories all of you have. The names and places I read bring back such memories. I hadn't been in here for a few years, so I am so happily surprised that it is still active after the years.
I lived at 202 No. 19th Street from when we moved from the Roseville Section of Newark in 1951 until we moved to Verona in Dec. 1965 and I hated the thought of moving! How could anyone ever want to leave Ampere?!
I can still remember the days spent at Columbian, we would be there from early in the day, going home for lunch, going back and, as hungry as we were, not wanting to leave for dinner. We would go back at night and watch the adults play basketball, those games were so really competitive, a few of the men who played in the summer league actually played in the NBA. I remember for a few years during winter they would flood the tennis courts and make a mini skating rink. I am not sure how long that lasted, but it was so good while it did. I live in South Jersey now, living in Pennsville, working for Public Service and I just wish my kids could have a playground as good as Columbian. When Our Lady of All Souls Church closed, I took my kids for the last Mass. After the ceremony (and I have to mention, Beth Camissa, you really did so much for our church, it was good seeing you there, but I wish it was on a better day), I took my kids over to Columbian, just for them to see what it was like, and to maybe share in one of the joys of my youth.
Just reading all your thoughts and memories bring me back, the sights, sounds and laughter.
VITO! All you wrote comes back to me, although I have never really forgotten what we all lived through back then. It was a great life and a great place in which to grow up.
Yes, the A&P with the coffee aromas, they knew what they were doing, having everyone smell the fresh ground coffee and making us all hungry so we would buy more. The Five and Dime, the barber shop were we all got our hair cuts, and with the opera playing on the radio.
Emery's bike shop on Fourth, and I think, 15th, I guess we all got our tires repaired there.
And Ward's, I can remember my Mom sending me down there to that little store they had for the day old bread; we could get a loaf of bread for five cents! I can remember knowing it was going to rain, because we could smell the aromas from Wards on the breeze.
And Ampere Lanes, what had to be the smallest bowling alley in New Jersey, only ten lanes, but it was all ours. I remember my Mom telling me I could go bowling, but she never wanted me playing any pool there. To this day, I still have never mastered pool and all because I wasn't allowed to waste sunny days inside playing pool.
One of the saddest days was when M&Ms moved out; even though none of us had ever gotten any free candy, it was still as if we had forever lost our chance for some.
On Sunday mornings after Mass we would stop at the bakery on the corner of 4th and 19th for pastries for our breakfast; whenever I get an Entemanns crumb cake I think if only they could make it like that bakery.
Remembering spending rainy days hanging out at the Ampere Station, some days walking the tracks all the way to Montclair.
Hey Glenn Johnson, if you still come in here and get a chance to read this, tell your brother Grant that I said Hi!
On a sad note, Just by chance I attended a Mass at St. Peter's in New Brunswick this past Father's Day. The had Sister of Charity give a talk for fund raising; this Nun, Sister Anna Fay was assigned to Holy Name so she knew all about OLAS. After Mass I spoke with her for awhile, and in the course of our talk she told me Sister John had passed away several years ago. Many of you may have already known, but I wanted to pass that on just in case.
I will never forget OLAS, I will never forget any of the Nuns, Priests and lay teachers we had. What a special school we had, what special people went through that school. You are all very special, and you will always be very special to me.
Thank You for your time, I know I wrote a lot, but the memories are one of joy, love and respect.
I hope to keep in touch.
Lee
Lee Kirby, class of 1963
email: lee.kirby@pseg.com
August 30, 2007
So good to hear from you Lee. I go into this web site every so often , it does warm the heart thinking of our childhood days. In my last e mail I didn't mention my sister's name, Ruth Ann. She lives in Boulder, Colo., has one daughter, Sarah who is 32. I also mentioned Peggy Mc Owan, but I failed to say her maiden name, Addelizio, she was in Ruth's class of 1966.
I guess recently I have been thinking of old friends as we will be going to our 40th class reunion from high school. I went to Morris Catholic h.s. in Denville, NJ. My husband has done some media training in the past few years at PSEG in S. Jersey. He now works as a manager at Motor Vehicles in Morristown,NJ.
Paula Pekarovich Stafford, Class of: 1963
e-mail: paula.stafford@ahsys.org
November 21, 2007
Hi again;
Lee, reading your email. It brought tears in my eyes. I remember our time in cub scouts with Kevin, Eddie, and the rest of our pack. Your mother and Kevin's mother's were pack mothers and we had our meetings there. We went to South Mountain for a overnight camp-out. We told ghost stories... I remember one, "The White Lady". I remember playing little league at Columbian. Oh, yes, what a time.
Paula, I remember you. I remember going to your house in the 2nd grade to study or something. It is nice to reminisce about my days when innocence was king and our histories were just starting to be written.
I hope you are both well. I want to visit the area soon, even though, I know that it is different, now.
Always;
Vito
Vito Bertuglia, Class of: 1963
e-mail: bertvito@yahoo.com
November 7, 2008
Hello all,
Seems to me the last correspondence for the class of 1963 was 2007. None in 2008. I have a new granddaughter, Amelia Jane born August
22,2008, a little darling and her sister Abigail is 5 years old now. My daughter Tara and husband live in Chester, New Hampshire now and our son George P. is 32 and lives in Harrison, NJ. He is not married yet. My husband George and me went to Bob Mooney's 60th birthday in August, it was a surprise and we had a lovely time. His brother Ted who started this web site and sister Mary were there. I also saw Kathy Byrne this summer, she came to visit when she was passing through Wharton. In October we had a little birthday party for my Mom who turned 90. Her and Dad still live in the same house as they did when we moved up to Wharton in 1963.
I hope all is well with everyone.
Take care, PAULA
paula pekarovich stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: paula.stafford@atlantichealth.org
February 16, 2009
Hi Cecilia,
Isn't tomorrow, February 17th your birthday? Whenever this day comes around I think of you. If it is Happy Birthday.
Also I joined facebook and put OLAS as a group on it. My son of course had to do it for me. I now have 2 granddaughters, my daughter Tara's children, Abby is almost 6 and Amelia Jane is 6 mo. My son not married yet, he is 32. George and I will celebrate 40 yrs of marriage in December and I know how old you will be tomorrow, can you believe it? In may I will be also.
Mom and Dad still ok and with us, Mom is 90 and Dad is 89, they live a few blocks from us in Wharton.
Take care,Paula
PS Last week I heard from Gregory Prescott, he lives in California.
paula pekarovich stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: Paulajstafford@gmail.com
February 24, 2009
Paula: You were correct. The 17th was Ceil's birthday and mine was the 20th. I will be married 40 years also this year. Where has the time gone. I can't believe it's been a long time since I wrote the last time. My son is 33 and is a doctor. He gets out of the Army in June and will be relocating to San Diego. My daughter is 24 and a second year med student at UT Southwestern medical school in Dallas. Joe and I are still living in Texas. It was nice to read about you and your family.
Trish
Patricia LeGates Stuparich, Class of 1963
e-mail: Lnstrtrish@aol.com
March 3, 2009
Hi Trish,
Belated Happy Birthday, sorry I didn't remember yours. I think it very weird that I remember birthdays of people I went to grammar school with but sometimes I can't remember my phone number. Go figure. When I heard from Greg Prescott he was wondering about having a 50 year reunion in 2013, could be a blast.
Hope all is well with you. Your son a doctor, how wonderful. Tara is an x ray tech, she does mammograms, but on a brief hiatus after the birth last august of little Amelia.
Take care and lets try to keep our thread going.
Paula
Paula Pekarovich Stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: Paulajstafford@gmail.com/or paula.stafford@atlantichealth.org
March 15, 2009
Trish LeGates let me know to check the website.
I was amazed that you remembered my birthday. Actually turning 60 was wonderful. We had a family celebration in Manhattan. My husband Ken, our 4 daughters and two fiances, my sister Pat Neary and her son Joshua Ludmer with girlfriend Melissa joined me for a weekend of fun. We stayed at the Marriott Marquis and went to see Momma Mia.
We all had a great time. We did the tour of the NBC building and walked the city. We had a great meal at St Andrews Scottish pub and enjoyed late night drinks at OLooney's Irish pub. I really love the city and could not have enjoyed my birthday more.
It was nice to hear about you and your family. Your parents are very special people and I am glad that you still have them. Both of my parents are long gone.
I can still see your mother brushing your hair and putting it into baloney curls or braids when I would pick you up on the way to school. Have you seen or heard from Kathy Henry? About 10-15 years ago I had lunch with her. It was great to see her. Unfortunately, it was not a time in my life when I had much time to maintain a long distance friendship. As you might imagine working full time and raising 4 girls did not leave much time for me to maintain
a lot of friendships.
I hope to retire in June of 2010 after 39 and 1/2 years in education.
37 of those years as a Guidance Counselor.
We are planning two weddings for the summer of 2010 so it is a good thing that I will be retired then.
We still have two eligible daughters. I see you have a single son age
32. Our daughter Jacquie is turning 30 in May. She is single and looking. She is 5 ft 9 inches so she needs a tall guy.
Let me know about your son. Jacquie is a Speech Pathologist at Ocean Medical Center and owns her own townhome in Toms River. It is nice having her 5 minutes away.
I love the idea of a reunion and I would be happy to help work on it once I get passed these 2 weddings and into retirement.
God bless and may the luck of the Irish be with you this week of the feast of St Patrick!
Cecilia Neary Frank, Class of 1963
e-mail: cfrank@trschools.com
March 22, 2009
Hi Ceil,
I write a long note on Friday at work but it didn't go thru. So nice to hear from you, we had quite a week last week, Mom ended up overnight in hospital, had slightly torn a muscle deep in her pelvic area, it was in spasm, she was in terrible pain. Had MRI we saw the tear no fracture thank God. How she did it we have no clue, she walks with walker, very immobile, so just deterioration and osteoporosis I think. Then on Monday my daughter calls and they thought Abby was going to have to have surgery for a twisted bowel loop but after having ultrasound at Tufts in Boston, it wasn't that. She is fine, Mom is improving a little, but what a week!
I swear there is 6 degrees of separation between people, you mentioned St. Andrews, we have been there several times as my son George Padraic worked on the corner of 6th and 44th st and he brought us there on many an occasion. He works in Kearney now. Bob Mooney is superintendent of schools in Kearney. This afternoon we are going to his Mom's wake in Maplewood. Mrs. Mooney was 93, she had been ill with Alzeimer's the last few years.
My son has a steady girl who lives in Union City, but who knows what fate has planned.
You sound like a busy Mom Ceil, four daughters, WOW, does your husband feel out of the loop a lot? Poor guy!
Well take care. Let me know if this works, I am also on facebook but I am really a klutz on that. It is nice for seeing pictures of the grandkids because my daughter is on it and many friends from high school. Bob Mooney's brother Ted said that some OLAS members are on it but I can't find them. Fondly, Paula
paula pekarovich stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: Paulajstafford@gmail.com
March 26, 2009
Paula: I am also on facebook but a search found no results for you. Please look me up under Trish Stuparich. You should have no trouble as my last name is not very common. My daughter was home on spring break and helped me sign up. Hope to hear from you on facebook.
Trish LeGates Stuparich, Class of 1963
e-mail: Lnstrtrish@aol.com
March 27, 2009
Thanks Trish,
I could not get e mail to go thru to Ceil at the Toms River e mail at the school. I guess the hospital e mail blocks me from e mailing schools? Who knows. I will contact you on facebook this weekend. I also have home e mail, which is Paulajstafford@gmail.com.
Also, today is Patty Roche's birthday, March 27th. I swear I am tormented with these birthdays I remember and I can't remember my cell phone number!
Happy spring.
Take care, Paula
Paula Pekarovich Stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: paula.stafford@atlantichealth.org
April 15, 2009
Ted, thank you for coordinating this. Wow...talk about Memory Lane.
I just got a birthday card from Paula (Pekarovich) Stafford...
Thanks Paula, dear friend after so many years. I am a Tennessean for the better part of the last 42 years, with a few years interspersed working/living in VA, KY, NC, FL, TX and IN. I am blessed to be married to Wanda for the past 35 years, have 3 daughters (Amy-33, Anna-31 and Meghan-26) with 4 grandchildren and a 5th on the way. It is a good season of life! Amy and her husband are getting ready to move (from Boston) to western Uganda in medical missions. Anna lives in Greenville, SC with her husband and 2 wee ones...working, being a mom and finishing her dissertation. Meg teaches mentally- challenged kids in Columbia, TN. I've been in the construction business for the past 28 years, love TN and for the past 12 years have enjoyed annual overseas missions trips.
It seems I only make it up to Jersey these days for funerals...but I will say that I saw "Jersey Boys" recently at TN Performing Arts...more great memories. More later. May the Good Lord bless you and keep you...
Gary Lang, Class of 1963
(Gary@ CeLabor.com)
May 6, 2009
Hi Paula,
Sorry, I just got back to this site. I spend a lot of time during the day on the computer and I hate to get on in the evenings.
It really is nice to read all the different posting from our classmates. I do look forward to a reunion in the near future.
We should start looking for classmates that want to help organize it.
keep me posted on your son. Jacquie turns 30 this weekend, May 9. All the sisters and a party bus of friends are going into Manhattan, Times Square, to a dual piano bar.
The old folks are passing on this one; however, we will be celebrating with them before they all board the bus.
Keep in touch.
Ceil
Cecilia Neary Frank, Class of 1963
e-mail: cfrank@trschools.com
May 6, 2009
Trish,
I do not know where you are in that elementary classroom picture but I am in front of Kathy Burns and behind Martina Degnan. Maybe you were absent?
Cecilia Neary Frank, Class of 1963
e-mail: cfrank@trschools.com
May 4, 2009 -- sorry, out of chrono sequence
Good to hear from you, Gary.
I have reconnected with a few people on this web site and then on facebook too. I hear from Trish Le Gates a lot now, she lives in Texas. It is nice to remember many happy memories of our childhood and East Orange. They recently replanted many cherry blossoms in Branch Brook park as some of them were dying off. East Orange is nothing like we remember it but Branchbrook is still pretty nice.
My daughter Tara just e mailed me this am, little Amelia 8 mo just crawled, now they are in for some changes. They had just visited for a week, it was so nice having them and we knew the crawling would happen soon, we missed it by one day as they left on Sat back to N.H.
Take care. Finally spring is here and beautiful.
Fondly, Paula
Paula Pekarovich Stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: paula.stafford@atlantichealth.org
May 8, 2009
Hi;
I finally made it to NJ and expect to see what the situation in in the Ampere district right after Mother's Day. I will film and photograph it if anyone is interested. I have not been in the area since 1965! My new home town of Santa Barbara is in flames as I write this and is a bitter sweet trip that I take on my 60th birthday. I hope the rest of my classmates are healthy and safe. By the way, if use google maps with the street view you can see the streets of the area as they were a few years ago.
Take Care;
Vito
Vito Bertuglia, Class of 1963
e-mail: bertvito@yahoo.com
May 8, 2009
Ceil,
Hello, I am in front of you in other aisle one up with the 2 pigtails.
I will see my son this weekend and tell him about your daughter. I tried to e mail you at school but it blocked me. Do you have another e mail?
Take care, have a wonderful mother's day.
Paula
Paula Pekarovich Stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: paula.stafford@atlantichealth.org
May 13, 2009
Hi;
My brother Joe (class of 1960, my sister Suzanne, (class of 1969) and I drove to the Ampere area on Monday, May 11. I brought my digital camera and my DVD Camcorder with me to record the trip. The weather was nice and it was about 11:00 am.
We stopped in front of OLAS and started to take video records when an african american lady stopped and stared at me. When I told her that I had gone to school and church here many years ago, she said that she recognized me from years ago. (I had never been back, But I guess there are a few non native people who come by and photograph the church). She told me that the church was Baptist, but that the school was part of the East Orange public school district. We talked a little longer and then I continued to take photographs. My brother and I walked across the street and photographed the entrance of Columbian Park. We walked in and walked around the park. I took a lot of photos. It was empty! I thought that more people would be there, but it was good that we did not bother anyone or be bothered by anyone. I remember playing little league baseball there.
We then drove down 4th Avenue with the DVD camcorder out the window taking videos. We drove to 17th street and stopped in front of 181. There was a new duplex valued at $499 K. There were also 2 others that were in various stages of being completed. It was nice to see the street rising from the ashes! We drove back towards 4th and headed towards Wards. There were a lot of buildings missing. Vera's restaurant, Jones's hardware store, etc. Ward's bakery still had some signs indicating that is was the same. M&M's was sort of there. We turned the car around and drove back on 4th. We headed toward along the railroad tracks. I noticed that the station was gone! We went past the old EO library. The building was still there. The bank on 18th and 4th building was still there. A lot of stores were gone...Coots, the 5&10, caruso's, the barber, the corner sweet shop at 18th and 4th, the movie theater, the A&P, along with others.
We drove down 19th street( the houses looked good) and then went to the convent house. It looked good. We went past the Columbian school and took some photos. We went by St. Mary's cemetery where we used to walk by and tell ghost stories. We went around the Ampere area for about 1 1/2 hours before leaving. I felt somewhat removed from the places that held some of the earliest memories for me. Although changed by time and neglect, it will always have a place in my life and memory.
I will evaluate my video and photos before uploading them.
Vito Bertuglia, Class of 1963
e-mail: bertvito@yahoo.com
May 13, 2009
Oh WOW!..You just went thru my younger life!..LOVE to see the pics you took!..Patty
Patty-Walsh Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
May 15, 2009
Thanks Vito, I can't wait to see the pictures. I often think of those childhood memories and ampere, especially when springtime comes and I think of branchbrook park and the cherry blossoms. I have two cherry blossoms in my yard and I love them.
Take care, Paula
Paula Pekarovich Stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: paula.stafford@atlantichealth.org
June 2, 2009
Vito: Thanks for bringing back all those wonderful memories. I can't wait to see some pictures!
Trish Le Gates Stuparich, Class of 1967
e-mail: Lnstrtrish@aol.com
Ed. note: Vito's picturesare now here.
May 21, 2009
OMG!..Vito how cool!..The MINUTE I saw the entrance to the old school I had a pang of fear!..I remember coming in late (almost always!) and having to pass the office to get to the "new" school!..ALWAYS got caught til I figured out by going DOWNSTAIRS (remember the fallout shelter sign?) I could emerge from the other side!..tHANKS FOR THE MEMORY!...pATTY
Patty-Walsh Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
July 1, 2009
Vito: Thank you for the memories. The pictures were wonderful!
Patricia LeGates Stuparich, Class of 1963
e-mail: Lnstrtrish@aol.com
August 16, 2009
WOW, I am so glad I found this site. I attended OLAS from Kind thru 4th grade and then moved to West Orange.
Looking at the pictures brought back very fond memories. We used to live at 202 Springdale ave. Right across the street from Columbian school. I remember making the walk up Grove st to school. Izzy's was on the corner.
The names I do remember were: Vito, Jim and John Hess, Ricky Taylor, Greg Scott, the Smeraldos and Mooneys.
So many years...
Rich Ferretti
Rich Ferretti, Class of 1963
e-mail: Rich@RichFerretti.com
October 18, 2009
HI;
My current video is of Columbian school and playground. It looks like Columbian Elementary is now GW Carver Institute of Science and Technology for K-5th grade. I went there in 6th grade after leaving OLAS. I stayed there until Thanksgiving and then we moved to Phillipsburg, NJ. I was way ahead of them in math and science but history and english... They were doing book reports and I had no idea what that was all about. I did a book report on a science book and the teacher told me that it was not acceptable. (He never defined what books were to be used) Do you remember book reports at OLAS. I did really well in science. Remember my talk on dinosaurs? Anyway, the playground seemed smaller! We had little league games there and remember the carnivals that we went to there.... It was some wonderful times! I remember going on rides with Eddie di Figlio, and Paula and Cecilia and others. Eating cotton candy, going on the ferris wheel, playing arcades... lots of fun and lots of good times.
The next video will cover 17th, 19th streets, 4th Ave. EO library, Ampere Movie house, bank, cemetery, and other environs.
VITO BERTUGLIA, Class of 1963
e-mail: BERTVITO@YAHOO.COM
October 24, 2009
Hey Vito, Thanks for sharing the video's of EO. I lived across the street from Columbian Park on Springdale and Grove. I too visited the area a few years back and had the same sensation, everything seemed smaller. I see you went to P'Burg. My grandson goes there now and plays drum in the marching band. Were those your movies of P'burg band on y-tube, or just a coincidence that they came up when viewing yours? Appreciate the time, effort and memories.
Mary
Mary Robinson-Rossetti, Class of 1960
e-mail: maryrossetti@ymail.com
October 25, 2009
How cool you did that!....Patty
Patty Walsh Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
December 2, 2009
THANKS FOR ALL THE NICE WORDS. I have been busy at work so I haven't had the time to finish another one but...it is coming. There is a P'burg High School video on youtube that I did... I even sing at the end of the video. I had such a wonderful time when I was back in the EO and NJ area. I sometimes wish I could go back to the times we had back then... a time of innocence a time of joy a time of exploration and learning who you were. Most of all we al were a lot younger then. Hope I can get another video out before Christmas. Until then have a wonderful December.
VITO BERTUGLIA, Class of 1963
e-mail: BERTVITO@YAHOO.COM
December 24, 2009
Jeez, can't believe I stumbled upon this site. Le Gates I'm surprised you didn't tell me about it.
Vito, thanks so much for the memories. Great Videos.
I have lived in Texas for the past 9 years. I'm near Dallas. I like it a lot especially the weather, although today it's snowing! Nice for Christmas Eve. It will be gone by tomorrow afternoon. I'll stop back here to continue to catch up.
Merry Christmas and Happy 2010 everyone.
Patty Fehn, Class of 1963
e-mail: patricia.ann@verizon.net
January 3, 2010
Hi Patty......I know your last name!..Anne was a few years ahead of me and Frankie was my brother, Jack's friend!....Nice you found this place!...How are they?....Patty
Patty Walsh Robinson, Class of 1973
e-mail: federicolady@hotmail.com
January 3, 2010
I just want to wish everyone a happy,healthy and safe 2010.
Kathy Washington Tompkins, Class of 1959
e-mail: dafrog@embarqmail.com
January 4, 2010
Hey Patty I was just looking around in here to see what I would remember and I have to say most of it, my sister told me about this a while back but I kind of put it on the back burner, but now I'm glad I looked, looks like you have taken on the lead person I see you where ever I go in here, I don't see many names I remember from my class just a few here and there but I do remember a lot from my brother and sisters classes, well just wanted to say hey while I was here I have to get back to work, I'll be checking back now and the to see what's going on.
Bill O\'Brien, Class of 1974-75-?
e-mail: william.j.obrien.ctr@navy.mil
January 18, 2010
Hello and welcome to 2010;
I hope that everyone had a wonderful time on New Year's Eve and is healthy and happy. I had problems with my computer and it delayed me editing more videos. I now have a new computer and am continuing my obsession to document my trip to EO and NJ, as well as my life.
My two latest videos are 4th Avenue based. One video circles the 4th Ave from OLAS to 19th to Warrington Place to the Convent. Notice how the houses on 4th avenue start out big and nice and gradually become smaller as you get to 19th street ( that was how it always was, who know then?). 19th Street is pretty together, not falling down like some other streets. Warrington Place is another upscale street.
The other video shows 4th Ave from 17th Street to Wards Bakery, the railroad hill, EO library, Ampere theatre, the bank, and 4th ave to
18th Street. This one brings tears to my eyes. It shows how drastic the changes to our little hamlet of Ampere really are. It shows the current emptiness that I once remember filled with people, stores and restaurants like Vera's and Jone's hardware store, the 5&10, A&P, Caruso's market, and others. Look at the graffiti on the area under the RR bridge, notice that the Ampere train station is GONE.
(I use to think that the grassy hill by the RR tracks was very steep. We use to get cardboard boxes and slide down the hill.) The Ampere Theatre is gone and now another baptist church. There are bars on doors everywhere
Everything has changed but remember we came from there!
Take care in 2010 and more videos coming soon;
Vito
Vito Bertuglia, Class of 1963
e-mail: bertvito@yahoo.com
February 20, 2010
Thanks for the great videos Vito. Hope all is well with you. Are you still in Santa Barbara? I get out to Camarillo Ca on business several times a year and love the weather.
Mary Robinson, Class of 1961
e-mail: maryrossetti@ymail.com
June 18, 2010
Hi everyone. Just stumbled on this site. It was fun reading everyone's notes. My husband Tony died 18 years ago but I am blessed with two daughters Jenn age 36 Lisa 34 and two grandchildren Dominique and Nicolaus. Nique is 15 and Nicolaus is 3. Joanie Kulesa Angelo talk almost everyday.
Patti Roche Berardi, Class of 1963
e-mail: pberardi@janneymont
August 6, 2010
do you remember louie gausano,franky nugent , tony montagne or any of the russos ? tim b. my older sister was mary ellen class of '59.
tim bonscher, olas-att.1954-62; holy name '63
e-mail: squacho61@hotmail.com
Sept. 30, 2010
Hi, Tim. I was in the same class as Mary Ellen (prettiest girl in the school) for 8 if not all 9 years -- can't really remember who was in morning vs. afternoon Kindergarden :-) I remember Bob Russo who was Class of 59 and Jerry Russo who was about class of 63. Franky Nugent is sounding a bit familiar . . . hum a few bars. Sorry, I'm not remembering those other guys right off hand.
Ted Mooney, Class of 1959
e-mail: mooney@finishing.com
November 17, 2010
The first part of my message somehow got lost-I'm surprised your brother Robert doesn't remember us - remember the chinaman's store on Grove St. We were the guys that used to yell BONZAI,BONZAI,BONZAI and he would chase us down the street like he was swinging a sword at us- little did we know that bonzai is japanese and the horrors the japs inflicted on the Chinese were beyond horrible ! I hope God will forgive me!I've lived all over the U.S.married,divorced and 4 kids,the oldest 34,32,28 and 26.Nowhere in the U.S.have I come across anybody like the people of our little Ampere section and of of course our beautiful and Holy Parish of Our Lady of All Souls -- how fortunate we were. I'm still a Catholic and will be until I die. thanx for this wonderful site. Tim B.
tim bonscher, Class of would have been '63 -xfered to Holy Name
e-mail: squacho61@hotmail.com
November 19, 2010
Hi again, Tim. I'm sure my brother remembers you and all of those names, but he doesn't post here (he's a super, and people in public positions keep low profiles on social networking sites these days). I remember the Chinese Laundry well; they had two sons; I didn't know the older one, but when I was a teeny bopper or young teen I got to know the younger son Ben Chin pretty well; he hung out in my older sister's crowd and was a great guy. Yes, we did stupid things as kids, but that's just the way kids are :-)
Ted Mooney, Class of 1959
e-mail: mooney@finishing.com
November 20, 2010
Dear Tim and Ted,
Love reading your memories. Tim, I knew your sister Mary Ellen and Franky Nugent. Frank's sister Rosemary Nugent was in my class. I am still in touch with Dymphna Hunt who I believe is related to the Nugents. Dyphna is posted on facebook under Dee Friend, you can reach out to her as she may have more info on the Nugents. I think they moved down the shore. My Dad was in KofC and stayed in touch with the Nugents. My Mom was in the Alter Rosary Society. My brother Jimmy, sister Janice and I lived at 11 Ampere Plaza across from the train station and then moved up to 210 Springdale Avenue across from Columbian in 1956. The Mooney house was our second home with memories that live on.
Mary Melba
Mary Melba Robinson-Rossetti, Class of 1961
e-mail: maryrossetti@ymail.com
May 11, 2013
Tonight May 11, 2013 the class of 1963 is getting together at the Wilshire Hotel in West Orange NJ at the primavera restaurant inside. We have about 15 grads coming we believe. We tried to reach out to everyone we knew and have them reach out to anyone else they knew. We had a 20 year reunion, it was so much fun. Looking forward to reminiscing with our childhood friends. Hoping someone might read this and come if we have not been able to reach you.
paula pekarovich stafford, Class of 1963
e-mail: paulajstafford@gmail.com
May 25, 2013
Paula and class of 1963
Hope you have a fun night and post some stories and pictures.
Mary
Mary Robinson, Class of 1960
e-mail: maryrossetti@ymail.com
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