LIfe & Death Of A Great Man,

This is the last section of my blog of my dad, Francesco ( Frank ) Pietrangelo.

He and my mother travelled a great deal as they got older. They spent time in the Caribbean.

Eventually they settled on spot in Sarasota, Florida. My dad enjoyed the water, breese & sun of Sarasota. He decided on buying a condo, the 4th floor right over the pool. Soon he sent us to visit them. He made sure that we enjoyed the time on our vacations with him.

 

 He loved being with his grandchildren. Here he was with AmyLynn ,Mary Lou & him at the pool. Later he took his grandson Michael fishing.

 He made sure that we all enjoyed our time in Sarasota with the family.

 His life in Sarasota was very enjoyable because he was with his family.

He hoped to spend his retirement during the winter time in Sarasota 

 

 but my mother missed the time with the grandchildren. Frank finally sold his condo and stayed at home in the winter.

Soon Frank & Susie reached their 50th wedding anniversary. The three of us, Paul, Tom & Dianne decided on having a special party for our parents.

We arranged to have a stretch limo to pick our parents up to go to the party.

Once they were at the party, each one of us had a something special thing  to give to them. The grandchildren came up to present a gift to their grandparents.

First was Nicole who had a book about them.

 

 Next was Michael who was the artist in the family. He gave them a painting of their home.

 Next was AmyLynn who gave them a surprise.

and last was Scott who was the singer in the family. Scott sang a song he created for them.

 I did have something for my parents and especially  a comment to my dad to thank him for being there for me at the hospital everyday  while I was sick, injured with the stroke. Finally I saw my dad, Frank cry. 

 Finally the photo for the 50th anniversary couple.

 Life went on as usual but then Christmas came and dad wanted all of us at the table. We enjoyed a great dinner that my mother had given us. Dad stood up and wanted us to pay close attention. He had something serious to tell us. This worried all of us. He then informed us that he had 

" cancer." For a year dad fought the sickness.

Nicole sat with him on the couch and you could tell he wasn't doing well. My mother made sure that dad was taken care of but dad wasn't going to get better. Eventually we lost dad.

I received a phone call late one night informing us that Dad had passed away. Our strong man was now gone. His funeral took place and after there was a dinner where many friends & relatives talked about Frank. There were many smiles there. 

 

                    R.I.P Frank, our Dad
 

Dad, Francesco, Frank had a wonderful life. I miss dad but I smile every time  thinking about him.

        This was Franceco ( Frank ) Pietrangelo

 

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Cruisin Paul

 

Life Goes On For Francesco.

      After his marriage to Sundina, things started more positive for him. General Chemical needed a new quarry since the Brunnor Mond quarry had been quarried out. A new location was found and Frank was asked to be the new Manager of the Howard Quarry. Things were going very well. Here is a good picture of Frank at his quarry.

Later the CEO at General Chemical came to see the quarry.

 

As you have been noticing Frank's smile is still there. The Verdi Club has been doing well also. Their celebrations have been enjoyed by all. 

General Chemical gave the Verdi Club  including Frank  many  surprises for all the many things the Italians in the area had helped the company.

Their parade included a wagon with the past presidents included Frank with his red & green outfit. I had that hat for some times until I worn it out. I have to mention this just to understand how strong a man my father is. He was at work one morning and received a phone call that his son Paul ( me ) was rushed to the hospital. Frank was always in control of everything he did but at this time he had no idea of what to do. My dad came  to the hospital every lunch and every dinner time to see me with his smiling face. Later after I finally came home, I found out Frank was crying each day at work worried about me. I only saw his wonderful smile. That helped a great deal for me at the time. Frank was a hard worker and he worked hard for his family.

 

Frank, my dad would be around my home because I still was having some physical problems due to the stroke. He would do anything for me and the family. Frank was also a deeply religious man. He would always take us to church when we young and continued his belief in God.

Frank had decided to go back to Italy to visit Roccamorice, his old ,home town. After all these years, he even went to see where he lived as a child. He visit many wonderful places.

I will stop this blog today and the next section will be the last of my part dealing about Francesco Pietrangelo.

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Cruisin Paul

 

 

Frank Gets Married.

Amherstburg

As Frank's life went he met & dated a beautiful young girl, Sundina Simone also called Susie. The Pietrangelo and  Simone families lived in the same town Roccamorice in Italy. Susie's parents and her brother Carmen immigrated to Canada. Later her parents had three other children, Sundina, Mary & Donato. After dating Susie for a short time, Frank decided to ask Susie to marry him and she said yes.

Frank bought a piece of land in the same are where his father had and Frank began building his and Susie home. After years they had three children, Paul ( me ), Thomas & a daughter Dianne.

This is the home that Frank built. My son Michael painted this painting of my father & mother's home. Our home for many years.

The Italians in the area built a club for the Italians to get together to enjoy their food, to play bocce and eventually have parties together.

They called it " The Verdi Club " after the composer Giuseppe Verdi. Frank became one of the clubs presidents. In fact he became it's club's president twice. He worked very had for the Italians in the area.

I worked on the club for awhile and I worked with a man and friend, Emedio Menna. He told me a story about my dad, Frank, that when he came from Roccamorice he knew no one and when he came off the train in Windsor, it was Francesco, Frank was there to pick him up and helped him to settle down in Amherstburg. He said that many Italian men from Italy came off the train and it was Frank who was there to pick them up. 

Here was Frank cooking ribs during one of the Verdi Club's Celebrations. 

  Later in the evening near the ending of one of the Verdi Club's celebrations,  Frank and the club's committee were able to bring a two very special  Italian singers. That was a very special evening.

 I will continue about my dad's unbelievable  life in my next section of my blog. Ciao.

 

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Cruisin Paul

 

                      

Francesco ( Frank ) Pietrangelo Oct.13, 1923 - Mar. 18, 2000

Good morning everyone. Yesterday we had 2.5 inches of snow. Can you believe it. Yes snow. Oh well.

I'm going to do my blog about a special man that was in my life. My dad, Francesco ( Frank ) Pietrangelo.

You will know often notice his smile.

Francesco as a child came from Roccamorice, a small town situated on the northwestern slopes of the mountain chain known as the Maiella . There were roughly 2000 inhabitants  in Roccamorice when Francesco was born. He lived with his father, Antonio, mother, Maria and brothers Agostino and Rocco who was born in Abbateggio. Francesco lived in a town which was always lacking with any great natural resources, whether industrial, commercial or agricultural. The only development in the area was asphalt quarry, this small town in the Province of Pescara, in the Region of Abruzzo.

                                        Roccamorice

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In 1923 Francesco's father Antonio sailed to Canada and eventually in 1935 he brought his family into Canada settling in Montreal. In 1940 the family settled in Amherstburg . Francesco had two brothers, Alberto & Donato but both children died due to sickness.

After settling in Amherstburg both my grandfather Antonio and my dad Francesco both worked a bakery called Marra's Bakery. Believe it or not I even worked at this bakery when I was young. It situated on the corner of Ramsay & Murray streets. 

Eventually Francesco started working at a chemical plant called " Brunner Mond ". This would be the place where Frank began his main work and eventually made his most & best work. Brunner Mond quarry Frank spent a great deal of his life starting with small quarry and finishing with his most important work was at General Chemical Quarry on Howard Ave.

From shovel worker at Brunner Mond Quarry to the

the main  man running the General Chemical Quarry. My dad only went to school as far as grade 8 but he was the man in charge of 100 million dollar operation. He wasn't an engineer but very smart man.  That's why I'm so respect him so much.

My next blog I will further discuss Frank's life, marriage, children and later what takes place in his life. 

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Cruisin Paul

 

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Wednesday Sunny In The Morning, Rainy In The Afternoon.

Wow, it's been difficult for awhile. Covid, weather's been lousy and just waiting to wanting to get my gazebo done. Well, yesterday was the day. Ron my neighbor  and great friend called me and said , " Are you ready to get the gazebo done? " Of course I said yes. 

I thought we might get part of the gazebo finished but the three of us, my wife, Ron and me, by 5:00pm, the complete gazebo was finished. I'm so happy. Ron really was the one who did most hard work. What a wonderful friend. 

   This is Ron wrapping up the finish products.

Here's Mary Lou putting on the ending pieces

                They're both near the finish.

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 Two 8 year olds were talking.....

one ays " I found a  prophylactic on the gazebo."

The other 8 year old asked, " What's a gazebo? "

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Two blonde builders were working on a house.

One blonde was on a ladder nailing. She'd reach into her nail pouch, pull out a nail, look at it, and either toss it over her shoulder or proceed to nail it into the wood.
The other blonde couldn't stand it any longer and yelled up, "Why are you throwing some of the nails away?"
The first blonde explained, "When I pull it out of my nail pouch, if it's pointed toward me I throw it away. If it's pointed toward the house, then I can use it!"
The second blonde explained, "Don't throw away those nails that are pointed toward you! They're for the other side of the house!!"

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  Two women putting a gazebo together. ??????

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What's an ancient pyramids builders favorite band?

The rolling stones. 

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Cruisin Paul

 

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