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People we remember
Biographies are where we share about family & friends to connect with others who remember them.
Seth Hunter:
"Hi Stephen,
Thank you for sharing your memories of Paul. It’s given me new perspectives about the life of a close friend from so many years ago.
As you know, Paul and I were best friends at Lenox Avenue Elementary School. We met in 3rd grade in 1966. I can place the date because I’ll never forget going to your house for a play date, and Paul was excited to tell me we were going to watch the Monkees on TV. I expected to see primates but was delightfully introduced to the pop band! You might say Paul introduced me to Rock and Roll at a young age! Paul and I became fast friends due to a broad range of common interests. We both loved art (although Paul was much more talented), loved science fiction (our imaginations were captivated by the space program and the robot on the TV show Lost in Space), and making up stories and adventure games on the playground.
One of our favorite past times on the playground was designing machines using sticks to draw in the dirt. We knew for example the Lost in Space robot was an actor in a robot suit. We were convinced we could build a similar suit and spent days at lunch break drawing plans to build our own robot suits. Ultimately realizing it was beyond our capability, we turned our attention to drawing plans for a rocket ship. We read about them in the library, but again, we didn’t quite have the technology!
Perhaps our most creative and useful invention was our own sign language. We created hand signs for letters and punctuation and for a few common phrases like “come here” and “erase/start over”! We could sign messages across the playground or classroom as fast as 'kids' can text today. On one occasion, we were interrupted while messaging across the classroom by our Teacher. Mrs. Jenkins asked us if we wanted to let the class in on our “conversation.” A bit mortified, we resolved to limit signing to more appropriate venues. In retrospect, I think the teacher probably found it funny and a little bit impressive!
Paul and I never had a dull or idle moment, from creative projects and riding bikes, to telling scary stories inside your pitch-black garage until we were so scared we bolted out into the sunlight! I think you may recall a few of the games we played as well.
Paul and I went separate ways in High School. But he was my earliest and most influential friend. He was brilliant, creative, and exciting to be around. I regret that the world lost a wonderful man way too early. But I think of him often and know he touched my life and others in a wonderful and enduring way.
Seth"
Stephen Sardi:
Paul's Storyboard: 'DDT' - If you've read my previous stories, you'll know that Paul was very creative -- during the years 1974 to 1977 he seemed to be bursting at the seams with ideas. Whether it was calligraphy, sculpting, painting, or drawing, he always had something going on.
In high school, Paul came up with the idea for a character he named Dexter Dylan Trifle. Where he got this from, I have no idea, but Dexter (or DDT as he called him) was a friendly space alien who arrived on earth via his one-man tiny spaceship. As it turned out, DDT spoke perfect English, and so did the animals in the barnyard where he landed. They became fast friends.
There were about 6 stories, conveyed via pictures and content that Paul hand-drew on paperboard. After their initial meeting, the animals did their best to help DDT get his spaceship back into space -- but with limited resources and knowledge, all their efforts were for nothing. DDT appreciated their help, and by the 6th story, the animals told DDT that they had helped as much as they could -- but they liked DDT and were glad to have him stranded in their home.
During senior year of high school, Paul showed these panels to his German teacher. As a final project for the class, Frau Schmidt asked him to translate DDT's adventures into German, which Paul did. It was humorous to read the stories in German, and Frau Schmidt kept them as a momento of his time in her class.
Five years later, I saw Frau Schmidt at Paul's wake -- she was distraught, but she told me that she still had Paul's translated DDT storyboards, and would always treasure them.
It would have been interesting to see where Paul would have taken DDT's further adventures. Would DDT have gotten home -- or would he have stayed with the friendly farm animals who had tried to help him, but then welcomed him to stay when it didn't work out? I'm sure whatever DDT's future held, Paul would had made it exciting and fun.
Allan Anderson:
Nephew - I Never Did Thank You Uncle Herb For Giving Me The Help You Gave Me At A Very Trying Time In My Life. You And Your Mother, My Granny Helped Me When I Needed It Most. I Am Sorry If I Let You Down. You Were A Good And Caring Man. So I Thank You Uncle Herb. Love, Your Nephew Allan
Robert Stetson:
Radio Row - As grade-school aged kids in Brooklyn we were allowed to cross just one street when we were playing (walking to school was the exception). However, we reasoned that riding the subway into Manhattan didn't count as crossing streets. Cortland Street had surplus stores with electronics and military stuff. (Surplus insect repellant could be used for great stink-bombs)! It was hard to keep our trip a secret when the two of us returned home carrying an old oscilloscope (not solid state in those days; just tubes).
David Michael:
A Father I never met - My name is David Micheal. My mother's name is Marilyn Ridgeway. I'm 70 now and Charles is my biological Father. I never had the opportunity to met him. I've tried over the years to locate him but all attempts failed. I've carried an emptiness and a slight sense of loss in my heart. If you are related and care to reach out, I would love to talk. God Bless. Email [contact link]
Amanda S. Stevenson:
ALL THE INFORMATION ABOVE IS PSYCHOTIC NONSENSE INVENTED ON ANCESTRY. Ancestry screwed up every single relationship in my family tree.
ANCESTRY IS 100% wrong. They made over $8000 worth of willful mistakes. They said my Mother married her brother and my father was Italian.
They also (below) list my grandfather Rocco as her partner.
They made my twin brother my step-brother,
They had my mother married to her own father and her brother.
They made me a boy named Sander.
They kept my older brother John (also) out of being my brother.
My mother did not have sex with her father Rocco and she did not marry him or have his children.
She did not bear her three OLDER BROTHERS.
Her mother (my grandmother) was Rosa Poletta Gabriele.
Ancestry even made sure I had no daughter.
Do the math. I had no mother, no father, no twin, no older brother, no daughter, no grandfather, no grandmother, no stepfather so I didn't mention my step-brother Leif Karlsen because they would have made him my son.
For twenty years, they tortured me with INSANE NONSENSE and never made one correction because they do not let you edit RELATIONSHIPS. BUT I CORRECTED THEM ON THE PAGES.
Down below is a photo of my grandfather and grandmother, and some idiot showed my grandfather as my mother's partner based on Ancestry nonsense.
Agnes Galiano:
My Best Friend - Jeff was my best friend in high school. He was a kind person who loved his sister Donna. We confided in each other every day and often felt not accepted by our classmates for being different. I loved him like a best friend and he is surely missed each and every day. May God keep you safe.
Brian Joiner:
Cherished Caregiver - Maude was a cherished caregiver that took care of just about everyone in my family at one time or another. I knew her as a child and she was always extra sweet to all of the children, unless you jumped on the bed. She was a dear soul with a strong faith in the lord and her life was testimony to that faith.
Theresa Hines:
Amanda was my stepmother. - My stepmother taught me how to make wonton, introduced me to "thousand-year-old duck eggs', and gave me a yellow satin chongsum. We moved to Miami Beach from El Paso, and I remember spending days at the beach where guys would try to flirt with us because she was so pretty and looked so young they thought we were friends rather than mother and daughter! I wish I'd had more time with her, and knew more about her family in Hong Kong.
Beth Zerfas:
Beth Zerfas - Growing up I remember Josephine and her sister Helen. Josephine and her sister were good friends with my grandmother Florence Bazany. I remember visiting them with my grandmother, at their house where the sisters lived together. If I remember correctly they only lived a few blocks away from my grandmother off of Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. In the later years of their life, my family invited the sisters for holidays so they wouldn’t be alone. I remember Josephine being very quiet. I was told she was a teacher and had never married. She was very petite and had a warm smile. Thinking of the Tarski sisters brings back fond memories of my grandmother and her friends.
Sean McCall:
Dearheart - Dearheart... She always called me that. It was sweet. I still think about her.
I only knew Paula for a few months, but I loved her. She lived with me for a few months in 92..while I lived on poets row on Capitol hill and she worked at the hard rock Cafe here in Denver. I wish I could find a photo of her.. if anyone could share or text one to me, it would mean so much.
Thank you.
Sean McCall
Thomas Stirling:
Ms Lena Coco my friends mother - Ms Coco was a delightful, glamorous wonderful woman who despite her age looked beautiful and was as happy as anyone I ever met...My friends had a travel agency where she worked and I used to stop in just to see her. She was always s welcoming and friendly and made everyone feel at home...
Shelley Cardiel:
updated the profile photo of Edward Tessey to Edward John Tessey.
Corinne Cerminaro:
I will never forget Velma Bean - I took care of Velma when I was in college. She was a strong woman. Blind with a bad back, she discharged herself from a nursing home and moved into an apartment to maintain her independence. She was confined to her bed but she found a way to manage her life. At one point, she worked in a funeral home. I have never forgotten her. She is a woman who inspired me to be who I am today. I love you Velma Bean. I will see you again.