Joe's mother, Maria, at Realistic Display Products on 54 Bond Street in New York, along with her nephew Emil Di Mattia who owned the company. Maria's job involved pasting silk leaves on green wires that had been dipped in glue.
An interesting story about Maria is that in 1962, at the age of 90, she paid for a honeymoon cruise to Italy for a granddaughter and her new husband... and sent herself along as a chaperone.
Here she is aboard the ship Cristoforo Columbo, greeting the Captain:
An interesting story about Maria is that in 1962, at the age of 90, she paid for a honeymoon cruise to Italy for a granddaughter and her new husband... and sent herself along as a chaperone.
Here she is aboard the ship Cristoforo Columbo, greeting the Captain:
She did this from the savings of what must have been very meagre earnings at her job. Once my mother asked her how she managed to save up that kind of money, and Nonna's answer in her broken English became a byword in our family for avoiding frivolous purchases:
"Don't-a buy-a hotdog onna street-a!"
Not that I've ever really been able to follow that good advice, but I remember it all the same.
My grandparents were not unfortunate looking:
I love sharing family stories and photos. If you have an interesting family member and have some old photos to share, please write to me. Those of you on the LittleLameLetter List know how to contact me. Click on Maria's name above to read the previous post introducing her, her son, and grandson (The Old Wolf).
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