1937: MY UNCLE CHARLIE GAUDETTE, SUPERINTENDENT OF TRENTON'S WAR MEMORIAL

Out of all my relatives, Uncle Charlie was the most successful. He was a great guy. A wounded veteran from World War I, he was a piano playing whiz. He often sat down at our piano when he and my Aunt May visited our house. He always warmed up with at tune that went something like this:

"Rings on her fingers, bells on her toes, elephants to ride upon, my little Irish Rose,

Come to your nabob, upon St. Patrick's Day, sing jumbo jumbo jumbo jitty boo jay, O'Shea..."

How do I remember these things from over 70 years ago? Beats me; I inherited my mother's ability to remember even the most obscure things.

1944: MY UNCLE CHARLIE

This is photo captures the image of the Uncle Charlie whom I remember as a boy. He and my Aunt May Glover Gaudette were frequent visitors to the Glover home back in the 30's and 40's. I remember on graduation night 1951 at our graduation exercises at the War Memorial, "Unc" saw me among the graduates. He reached into his wallet and gave me a five dollar bill along with his best wishes. Five bucks went a long way back then.

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM...THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL PHOTO OF THE WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING THAT TRANSFORMED STACY PARK INTO ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE AREAS OF THE CITY. I RECALL YOUR UNCLE BEING INVOLVED IN MANY ACTIVITES THERE WHILE HE WAS DIRECTOR. REGARDS.

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Omad said...

Tom, So glad to see the pic of Nancy's dad. Reminds me of the old days when we all lived near Greenwood and spent time together at Nancy's house and others in the neighborhood. When I was at Villa we held all our concerts at the War Memorial. Being a friend of Nancy's brought me around her dad frequently when I was at Cathedral and we held events there. Thanx again for stirring up old good memories. Nancy and I still keep in touch.

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Tom Glover said...

TELL HER I STILL LOVE HER EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS DISOWNED ME.

TOM

Thursday, January 05, 2012

1944: THE "SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING, TRENTON

That statuesque old structure was falling into dis-repair a few years ago but has since been brought back to its original beauty. My Uncle Charles ("Charlie") Gaudette was the Superintendent from the earliest years. It was here that I, and many of my contemporaries marched into that grand old structure to the stirring graduation classic, "Pomp and Circumstance" by Sir Edward Elgar.

Sally Logan Gilman said...

Hi Tom: I got my high school diploma at a ceremony at the Memorial Building. Trenton High Class of 1955 had a large number of graduates and there was more than enough room in the beautiful building for the students and all their friends and families. I'm glad they have taken good care of it. It is truly a work of art to be appreciated and cared for. Regards.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Ralph Lucarella said...

HI TOM....THE WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING WAS A WECOMED ADDITION TO THE STACY PARK AREA. IT STILL LOOKS GREAT AND ALONG WITH THE STACY TRENT HOTEL AT TIME, IT GAVE TRENTON A SOMEWHAT SOPHISICATED APPEARANCE FOR THE CAPITOL CITY OF NEW JERSEY. REGARDS.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

omad said...

I remember the lovely Villa Victoria concerts we sang in and your cousin Nancy, who was a very good friend. The world was so simple then and the "War Memorial" was like being in Radio City to us.

Friday, July 22, 2011

1944: HEY, THAT'S MY UNCLE CHARLIE!

HERE'S AN INTERESTING PHOTO FROM THE TIMES WHICH I JUST UNCOVERED THIS MORNING WHILE ADDING LOCAL HISTORY TO THE HAMILTON LIBRARY'S "WORLD WAR II" FOLDER. THE YOUNG FELLOW IN THE FRONT ROW, THIRD FROM LEFT IS MY UNCLE, CHARLES GAUDETTE, WORLD WAR I PURPLE HEART VETERAN. LIKE ALL WAR HEROES, "UNC" NEVER TALKED ABOUT HIS WAR TIME HEROISM.

1941: MY COUSIN: A VISION OF LOVLINESS

MY UNCLE CHARLIE GUADETTE WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF TRENTON'S WAR MEMORIAL FOR MANY YEARS. HERE'S MY COUSIN, NANCY POSING WITH ONE OF THE MANY CELEBRITIES WHO FREQUENTED THE WAR MEMORIAL. AT THE TENDER AGE OF 10, I WANTED TO MARRY NANCY UNTIL MY MOM TOLD ME THAT COUSINS DON'T MARRY.