Visitors Nostalgia & Memories

(Archive #113 December 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013)


Date: 12/31/2013, 3:40 pm, EDT
Name: Tom Bratton
Web:
Location: williamsburg
Old Neighborhood(s): 18 & Tatnall, Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: #9, #24, Warner, P.S., UofD, Penn
Employers: Sheraton, Hilton, Waldorf Astoria, MarriottAmerican Medicorp, Me
Message: Jerry, A favorite of a dear friend and fraternity brother, Charlie Paski...also Archmere and UD/ Brings back some happy times. Happy New Year !!


Date: 12/31/2013, 2:43 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S. Jackson St.), S.Broom, N.Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Presently pan frying a ring of fresh, Polish kielbasa. Have to have it on the last day of the year, then some on the first day of the year. Got some from a neighbor who went back to Baltimore for a visit. It's from Ostrowski's on Bank St.

Has anyone gotten any from Johnny's on Maryland Ave. recently ? In the last two years, something is wrong with his, in the spices.


Date: 12/30/2013, 8:11 pm, EDT
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Pat's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Yes, Connie, I do remember her name. Angela Marsillii and I were classmates for four years from 1949 to 1953. She was quite a wonderful person and died too soon. I saw her obituary in the Wilmington paper which I read online. We knew each other very well.

Date: 12/28/2013, 3:49 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S.Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Helen M. Carucci Frabizzio Gallo passed on Christmas Eve, at age 92. She owned and operated Frankie's Steak and Sub Shop at 416 N. Union St. for 69 consecutive years, until she closed the store and retired 2 years ago. My family had been getting our subs and cheese steaks there since the 1960's. She was one great, compassionate lady, and made the best subs and steaks. R.I.P. ( Rest In Peace/Requiescat In Pace), Helen.

Date: 12/26/2013, 10:25 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: That classmate's name was Angela Marsilli. She died a few years ago. Bob retired from the business since then.

Date: 12/24/2013, 3:52 pm, EDT
Name: Tom Bratton
Web:
Location: Williamsburg
Old Neighborhood(s): 17th & Tatnall
Schools Att'd: #s8, 24,Warner,P.S., Del. Penn
Employers: Still too many
Message: Pat, No, I was a Sigma Nu, class of '55 at Del. We had a good and gentlemanly competitive relationship with the guys next door for the four years I was there. Many friends. To all friends on this site a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GREAT YEAR IN 2014. Hope to find you all on the right side of the grass throuhout the year. Oh yes guys, don't forget to collect the curbside Christmas trees next week and pile them on Grassy Hill. We'll light the bonfire when the coast is clear. Prepare the getaway when the cops come !!!!

Date: 12/24/2013, 2:26 pm, EDT
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 22nd and Tatnall
Schools Att'd: St. Pat's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Tom, the drugstore across from Becker's was Chadwick's. Mr. Chadwick was as good as any doctor - could tell you what to get to cure anything. I had many a sub at Piane's and they were delish. A classmate of mine at Ursuline married Bob Piane. Were you by any chance a member of Sig Ep fraternity at UofD? Connie and all posters, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Date: 12/23/2013, 3:01 pm, EDT
Name: Tom
Web:
Location: Williamsburg
Old Neighborhood(s): 18th & Tatnall
Schools Att'd: #s 9,24 Warner, P,S,, Del, Penn
Employers: Too many to list
Message: Ladies, Pat and Connie, I remember that corner well: Beckers was always a little spooky, seemed like there was somelthing going on upstairs or in the back room. Across the street was a druggist where you could buy "rock candy" (i.e. sugar on a string) and a few doors up Bob Piani's sub shop where you could get a good sub for $0.35 to take to the ball park for the Friday night Sallies' game. On the other corner, St. John's where they had the dances.

Date: 12/22/2013, 3:51 pm, EDT
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 2223 Tatnall St.
Schools Att'd: St. Pat's, Ursuline, Goldey-Beacom
Employers: duPont
Message: Connie, I, too, played in that area. There was a back lot on 22nd Sts. between Tatnall and West that the neighbors had victory gardens in during WWII, so you are right about the soil. In later years, a building went up on that site. I believe it may have been an auto parts store. I remember Becker's well, too. So sad to see how that neighborhood has deteriorated. It was a child's paradise when I was growing up.

Date: 12/21/2013, 10:25 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Re the old neighborhood - Friday at 5:30 PM there was a call for an unconscious person - the victim of an assault at Concord and Market. (Becker's has boarded up for years)

Re 22nd and Tatnall - does anyone ever wonder why there were no weeds growing on the 22nd Street side of the area beside the foundry? We used to play "territory" there and the earth was always rich and easy to dig. It seems a shame that such rich soil which existed in Brandywine Village was covered up with concrete and blacktop.


Date: 12/18/2013, 10:42 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Pat - Got it, Nana's Traditional - looks like an easy one. :-)
THANKS A LOT.
Merry Christmas.

Date: 12/17/2013, 2:46 pm, EDT
Name: Pat LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Pat's, Ursuline, Goldey-Beacom
Employers: duPont
Message: Connie, there's a good recipe for Plum Pudding on the Food Network site. Get cookin', kidoo.

Date: 12/17/2013, 12:06 pm, EDT
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: This will be the first Christmas I can remember that I could not find plum pudding to go with Christmas dinner. Another favorite I can't find is ring jells. Anyone know where I can get some around the Stanton/Newport area?

Date: 12/15/2013, 2:51 pm, EDT
Name: Tom again
Web:
Location: Williamsburg
Old Neighborhood(s): 18th & Tatnall
Schools Att'd: 9............................Penn
Employers: Still Too many
Message: Don't know what happened to my machine. That unreadable "almonion" was originally: "could almost make it to Russo's Bar & Grill"

Date: 12/15/2013, 2:48 pm, EDT
Name: Tom
Web:
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Old Neighborhood(s): 18th & Tatnall
Schools Att'd: 9....................Del & Penn
Employers: Too many to list
Message: Remember that station very well. The boys who gathered at "Miss Mac's" little store at 18th & Tatnall would go down to that station with a gallon can and get kerosene for Miss Mac's stove that heated the store. For running this errand we'd get a nickle's worth of credit, an ice cream cone, candy bar, or Tasty Cake. In the winter when we were sledding down grassy hill, or 18th St. itself we'd now and then wind up at the station. When we were on Grassy hill, which bordered on the north park drive, we'd hitch rides on car bumpers and ride over to Market St. until the snow/ice ran out. Before it did we could make it almoion. Not much auto traffic in the 40s !!!

Date: 12/14/2013, 12:47 pm, EDT
Name: Robert McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS, and Tech Schools
Employers: USAF ret
Message: The Atlantic station at the end of the Market Street Bridge was an older one. No service bays there, just an outdoor grease rack for oil changes. Sold Atlantic "White Flash" and "Hi Arc" gas. Air and water was free. The owner acquired a couple of other gas stations in the '50s, one near 4th and King and also one near Boxwood Road and Saint Mathews Church.

Date: 12/14/2013, 11:54 am, EDT
Name: Pat LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: The gas station at the end of Market St. Bridge (18th and Market) was there in the 1940's. I passed it everyday walking to and from St. Patrick's School.

Date: 12/14/2013, 10:46 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: I remember that gas station at 18th and Market. That was a loooong time ago.

Date: 12/14/2013, 8:16 am, EDT
Name: Robert McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers: USAF ret, PERSNJ
Message: There was a McKelvey that pitched for Delaware, however no relation. I just happened to be with my father at the gas station at 18th & Market when one of their family stopped by. My father mentioned their name and where they lived. Les Ennis had the Atlantic gas station at the time.

Date: 12/12/2013, 4:11 pm, EDT
Name: Tom Bratton
Web:
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village..18th & Tatnall
Schools Att'd: 9,24,Warner, P.S., Del, Penn
Employers: to many
Message: Bob, Any relation to Dick McKelvy & family who lived over on Washington Street, 18th or 19th ? Dick was a pretty good pitcher. I think he might have pitched for Delaware ?

Date: 12/12/2013, 1:18 pm, EDT
Name: Martin Sharp
Web:
Location: 5th & Poplar Streets
Old Neighborhood(s): 5th & Poplar
Schools Att'd: Bancroft Elem./P.S. DuPont/UofDel
Employers: Morning News/PRR/Chrysler
Message: My family lived at 501 Poplar Streets and eventually moved to 2913 West Street. I Worked for Jack Lundys and Waxmans Deli. PRR and Chrysler. (Between 1931/1964) Then moved to the Detroit area for Chrysler. However, my father, Morris, in 1928 started "Sharp's Water Ice Company," on 5th street, just west of Poplar. He died in 1936 from pneumonia. Is there anyway of finding out about his successful attempt to save the life of one of his employees trapped in the freezer of the ice cream factory? Perhaps it hit the Wilmington News Journal? (I worked their in 1946).

Date: 12/12/2013, 7:28 am, EDT
Name: Jim
Web:
Location: Beach
Old Neighborhood(s): 40 Acres
Schools Att'd: St Ann,Sallies
Employers:
Message: Saw the 1963 crash near Elkton on the way back from JFK's grave. It lit up the secion of I95 like daylight. Very scary not knowing what it was.

Date: 12/11/2013, 11:10 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: "1950 Seven foot Christmas trees were sold at the Wilmington Ball Park for $2.00"
Those were the days.

Date: 12/11/2013, 12:39 am, EDT
Name: Bill
Web:
Location: Delaware
Old Neighborhood(s): 4th & Harrison
Schools Att'd: Little Flower
Employers:
Message: Sorry. My last message got away from me. Lt. Col. Saul Sitzer was the pilot of the F-84 crash described in Jerry's posting.

Date: 12/11/2013, 12:28 am, EDT
Name: Bill
Web:
Location: Delaware
Old Neighborhood(s): 4th & Harrison
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Lt. Col. Saul Sitzer passed away on 28 November 2010 in Baltimore, MD. His met his wife in Wilmington. The obituary is still available at delawareonline.com.

Date: 12/10/2013, 3:52 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S. Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Delaware(retired)
Message: With a little research, I found this article about the plane crash at the S.E. corner of Hare's Corner, in 1950, near the M&M Diner. The info. is in the 2nd paragraph of the 1st article. Just a little off in the details which I remembered from my parents :

http://www.militaryheritage.org/DANGKorea.html

I'm wondering if some of the stray bullets hit the M&M Diner.

The other articles are good reading as well.


Date: 12/9/2013, 2:55 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore,de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S. Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: I'm almost positive there was a plane crash into a diner or restaurant at Hare's Corner(S.E. corner). My parents mentioned it to me when I was very young, while we were driving in that vicinity.

Date: 12/9/2013, 2:13 pm, EDT
Name: Shirley Hudson Jester
Web:
Location: Newark DE
Old Neighborhood(s): Prices Run
Schools Att'd: Geo Gray, Warner, PS duP '51
Employers:
Message: I first saw The Acromaniacs perform at Warner Jr High. Went to the theatre (Three Little Bakers) many times. Did anyone see Harry Themal's column this morning? He mentioned at the end of it, oldwilmington.net
Shirley Hudson Jester

Date: 12/9/2013, 12:44 pm, EDT
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Nick was 90 years old and living in Nashville, TN. They started their act in 1938. They used to perform at George Gray.

Date: 12/8/2013, 7:57 pm, EDT
Name: Earl
Web:
Location: No. Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): Penny Hill
Schools Att'd: MtP, BROWN
Employers: Bancroft, EH&R, Dupont
Message: Jerry T., I barely remember the diner with the plane stuck nose-down in it's roof; it was at the S.E. corner of 273 & 13 (Hares Corner). I believe it was an advertising gimmick, not an actual plane crash. The plane was placed there - like the plane in the roof on the airport circle in NJ; that one was placed there at a later time.

Date: 12/8/2013, 1:07 pm, EDT
Name: Bill
Web:
Location: Delaware
Old Neighborhood(s): 4th & Harrison
Schools Att'd: several
Employers:
Message: The NJ reported today that Nick Immediato, one of the Acromaniacs and one of the Three Little Bakers, passed away. Of the three, that leaves only brother Hugo. I can remember the first time that I ever saw them perform. They put on a show in the auditorium of the new St. Paul's school one Christmas.

Date: 12/8/2013, 9:07 am, EDT
Name: Robert McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers: USAF ret, PERSNJ
Message: Tom Bratton...My brother was one of the "monkey see and monkey do" guys. He followed that other boy on the bridge railing over the Brandyywine. Yes, cars did stop but were afraid to distract the boys. My brother passed a few years back. He also did one other foolish thing at the big quarry near the paper mill. He and another boy climbed down a short distance from the top to an overhang, again I could not bear to watch. I mentioned the bridge walk to his children a couple of years ago, so they knew he was a daredevil.

Date: 12/7/2013, 10:38 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Shirley - we used to go to the Merryland all the time to meet the sailors from Bainbridge. Lots of good times back then.

Date: 12/6/2013, 8:22 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Talking about airplane crashes, does any one remember anything about a plane crashing into a building at the intersection of Rt. 13(DuPont Highway) and Rt. 273 (Christiana Rd.), cattycorner from the New Castle Airport ? The building was under a direct landing path for the airport. This would have been in the early 1950's, or late 1940's.

Date: 12/6/2013, 4:33 pm, EDT
Name: Shirley Hudson Jester
Web:
Location: Newark DE
Old Neighborhood(s): Price's Run Area
Schools Att'd: Geo Gray, Warner, PS duP '51
Employers:
Message: Today is the 50th anniversary of the plane crash in Elkton MD. I was at Merryland Roller Rink at the time. We thoiught the heater exploded or something. Some skaters fell to the floor. We skated up to the front window, and could see luggage and what we assumed to be bodies falling from the plane. It was lightning that caused it. We were told to get away from the window, because the explosion was so great, the window might break. It was really frightening. I hope never to experience anything like that - up close and personal! Shirley Hudson Jester

Date: 12/3/2013, 3:42 pm, EDT
Name: Fred Best
Web:
Location: Colonial Heights
Old Neighborhood(s): colonial hgts
Schools Att'd: St. Joe's, St Thomas, Sallies
Employers: DuPont Experimental Station
Message: Joanne, you could use census records to get street name and adjoining streets. Also check the Wilmington city directory collection at the Delaware Historic Society Library at 5th and Market.

Date: 12/3/2013, 9:32 am, EDT
Name: FRANCIS RIZZO
Web:
Location: CARRCROFT
Old Neighborhood(s): FRONT AND ADAMS
Schools Att'd: 3-4-bayard-wilm high
Employers: RETIRED
Message: Joanne Could that be Apple st? Back then they spelled it like it sounded. If you have the address #
you may compare it, it is only 1 block long, over 3rd street bridge S.Wilmington. good luck

Date: 12/2/2013, 8:36 pm, EDT
Name: Joanne (Parisi) Pietuszka
Web:
Location: New Castle
Old Neighborhood(s): Union Park Gardens
Schools Att'd: Lore, St. Thomas, St. E's
Employers:
Message: I have been dong genealogy research and I have come across a record that says my Grandmother arrived on a ship in Phila. And she came to Wilm to live. The street is Eppell Street. Does anyone know where this would have been?

Date: 12/2/2013, 11:44 am, EDT
Name: Robert McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers: USAF ret
Message: I recall ice skating on the Brandywine between the bridge and West Street, fun times. My brother who was a year younger than I was, walked across the Washington Bridge railing. I could not watch, just peeked. I believe there was at least one other pupil involved.

Date: 12/2/2013, 10:24 am, EDT
Name: Tom Bratton
Web:
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: 9,24,Warner, P.S., Del, Penn
Employers: Many
Message: Bob, I believe you were a couple of years ahead of me at #24. Bill Farrend (sp?), a neighbor of mine must have been in your class. He was a crazy guy. When he played football at Sallies Father O'Neil called "cocky"/ I remember the day he walked all the way across Washington St. Bridge on the railing. Cars stopped and I was scared to death that he was going to dive into the brandywine at any minute. Speaking of the Brandywine, do you recall the Polio scare of the 40s when they closed down so many public facilities due to the scare that it was transmitted person to person? they closed lPrices Run for a while so our gang went up to Breck's Mill and swam in the Brandywine, which of course had no polution ???? Used to ice skate under Washington St. Bridge while some parents kept a fire going in an empty oil tank on the river bank !!

Date: 12/2/2013, 9:43 am, EDT
Name: Robert McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers: USAF ret
Message: Tom... I recall that big Christmas tree that was set up in the main hall at #24 school. Teachers gathered the children around it to sing carols. I learned quite a bit at that school, and although Miss Shaw was strict I did admire her. I remember she stood at the classroom door and saluted each child as they entered.

Date: 12/1/2013, 10:16 pm, EDT
Name: Shirley Hudson Jester
Web:
Location: Newark DE
Old Neighborhood(s): Prices Run
Schools Att'd: Geo Gray, Warner, PS duP '51
Employers:
Message: It's amazing how many people I remember after 62 years, and in a large class like ours, how many are still here. I'm looking forward to the 70th. See you there!! Shirley Hudson Jester

Date: 12/1/2013, 12:15 pm, EDT
Name: Tom Bratton
Web:
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine village
Schools Att'd: #9,#24.Warner,P.S.,UDEL,Wharton
Employers: Marriott,American Medicorp, MetLife
Message: Yep, I was there. We sat with Tom & Zada. Can't make the luncheons, a roughly three hundred mile trip. Too much for this old fart to go for a sandwich, even for the nice company and nostalgia. We've lost so many from our class. Dean Dahlen and Bob Christfield, my two roomates at Delaware, and fraternity brothers. Dean was best man at my wedding in '64. Chris dropped over while mowing the grass in Bel Aire, MD twenty years ago. I'll be at the 70th if there is one. We'll no dooubt require a much smaller restaurant.