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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

1987: WE WERE GUESTS AT THE 1ST ANNUAL VILLA PARK REUNION

What a wonderful, relatively clean Trenton community! I often venture into Villa Park as I go to pickup one of Ricky D's tomato pies. Back in 1987, I had written an article on the Quintin connection and other Villa Park historical bits and pieces. Judy and I were invited as guests to that wonderful community get together. Not being a VP native, I could only identify those very close friends who are in the photo.The late Bob McLaughlin was my across the street neighbor for over 45 years. Bernice Kelly Cunningham was a dear friend of ours. Indeed, due to their physical similes, folks often mistook Bernice for my dear wife Judy, and vice versa. Don Cunningham and I spent many July weekend retreats over at San Alfonso Retreat House in West Long Branch when I was a communicant at St. Anthony Parish, directly across Olden Avenue in Hamilton but has always been considered to be a "Villa Parker's" church. I know there are VP'ers who follow this blog, and believe that many of the others in the photo can be identified. I know "Chuddy" Whalen is in there somewhere, but I don't want to mis-identify him. The "Fran and Frank "C" entry is lacking a last name, and I may be an expert on ancient memory, I often draw blanks as I have on Fran and Frank's last name. Frank was our mail man for many years, and I wanted to write "Christiano," but I am not sure. Perhaps I will get some help on that also. As to my offer of now antiquated photo negatives referred to in the caption, who needs them now that we have Photoshop!


Blogger Ralph Lucarella said...
HI TOM....WE WERE ONE OF THE EARLY RESIDENTS OF VILLA PARK IN THE EARLY 20'S. WE BOUGHT A HOUSE ON BERT AVE. FOR $4,400.00, A BRICK AND STUCCO SEMI DETACHED WITH A DRIVEWAY. WE LOST THE HOUSE DURING THE DEPRESSION OF THE 30'S THROUGH FORECLOSURE. THE GOVERNMENT PAID US $1,700.00 FOR OUR EQUITY AND WE BOUGHT A HOUSE ON FRANKLIN ST FOR THAT AMOUNT. VILLA PARK HAD MANY PROMINENT PEOPLE AT THE TIME. IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WERE BILL DEARDEN, STATE COMMISSIONER OF MOTOR VEHICLES, POLICE CHIEF O'ROUKE AND MANY TEACHERS AND PEOPLE FROM ST. FRANCIS. WE WERE LUCKY TO FIND A HOUSE NEARBY FOR $1,700.00. I MENTION THIS TO REMIND US OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY WITH FORECLOSURES. BEST REGARDS.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
JoeB said...

Tom: Frank and Frannie last name Chiorello.
MANY THANKS, JOE. YOU TURNED MY DIMMING MEMORY SWITCH BACK ON! NOW I REMEMBER.
TOM GLOVER

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