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Tomahawk Promotions
1288 main avenue
Clifton, NJ 07011
PRSRT STDU.S. Postage
PAIDPhila Pa 191PeRmiT No. 6438
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 3
May 2013• Clifton Merchant4
16,000 Reasons to RememberThe Meaning behind Memorial Day
Roll Call of Honored DeadMichael Tarlavsky, CHS ‘92, KIA ‘04
Clifton Vets, Living HistoryShare Stories of Service at WWMS
Avenue of Flags at City HallSee the Patriotic Display on May 27
Unforgettable PeopleLois Wienbrock Remembers Coach Bob
Putting Out HungerClifton Firefighters Host Food Drive
What’s Inside?7
12
28
34
38
40
42
Examining a Notorious NaziEyeball to Eyeball with Rudolf Hess
16,000 Magazines
are distributed tohundreds of Clifton
Merchants on the firstFriday of every month.
Subscribe Page 76
$27 per year $45 for 2 years
Call 973-253-4400
Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko
Business ManagerCheryl Hawrylko
Graphic DesignerKen Peterson
Staff WriterJoe Hawrylko
Contributing WritersTania Jachens, Carol
Leonard, Rich DeLotto,Don Lotz, Jack DeVries
1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011
© 2013 Tomahawk Promotions
20 Johnny Ace inVietnam
Table of Contents
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 5
Free Hearing ScreeningsAt Montclair State’s Bloomfield Clinic
A Mustang in the ShadowsJosh Navanjo Undercover
Route 66 Road TripBill Walton Wrote the Book
1973 CHS ReunionParty Planning Mustangs
Moments of GraceChris de Vinck’s Essay
Lax Hair. Not FriendsCHS Junior Brendan Schreiber
46
50
52
56
66
8260 Infiniti Party at Fette
100thAnniversary
1913-2013
School #562
May 2013• Clifton Merchant6
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 7
Memorial Day is a day to remember the� sacrificesmade�by�military�personnel.��
No�single�group�suffered�more�than�the�POW’s�taken�by�the
Japanese�in�the�Pacific�theatre�during�World�War�II.��As�many
as�80,000�Americans�fell�into�Japanese�hands,�including�six�from
Clifton,�between�the�fall�of�Wake�Island�in�December�1941�and
the�B-29�bombing�raids�of�Tokyo�in�August�1945�when�Japan�sur-
rendered.�
One�half�of�the�POW’s�never�came�home,�some�40,000�men�did
not� survive.� � Torture,� execution,� non-existent� medical� care,� and
other� forms�of�death�prevailed.� �They�died�on�prison�ships,�called
hell� ships� because� of� the� unspeakable� conditions;� on� the� Bataan
Death� March� where� they� were� worked� to� death� on� the� Burma
Railway,�or�in�Japanese�coal�mines�and�factories.
What�happened� to� the�Doolittle�Raiders�was�a�perfect�example�of
Japanese�POW�treatment.��
The� raid�occurred�on�April� 18,� 1942.� �Eighty�men� in� sixteen�B-25
bombers� attacked� Japan.� �Three�were�killed� in� action,� and� eight�were
taken�as�POW’s.� �Three�men�were�executed�as�“war�criminals.”� �Five
were� sentenced� to� lifetime� solitary� confinement,�where� one� died� from
malnutrition�and�one�suffered�a�mental�breakdown.��Eventually�four�men
returned�home�in�September�1945,�only�one�half�of�those�captured.
However,�even� these�atrocities�cannot�compare�with� the� thousands�of
POW’s�who�perished�by�drowning�when�prison�ships�were�shelled�and�tor-
pedoed—unknowingly�by�US�Navy�ships.
16,000Reasons toRememberBy Rich DeLotto
MEMORIAL DAY MAY 27, 2013
In 1925, Clifton’s Joseph V. DeLiberto who lived on Barkley Ave., served as a buglerwith the National Guard in Ossining, New York
In 1944 alone, over 16,000 POW’sperished in ship sinkings in the Pacific theatre.
May 2013• Clifton Merchant8
In�early�1942,� the� International�Red�Cross� requested
that�the�Japanese�Navy�mark�the�ships�carrying�POW’s.
At� first,� the� Japanese� refused,� then� began� marking� all
their�ships,�including�those�carrying�only�weapons.
By�1943�the�Department�of�War�made� their�decision
—the�only�way�to�shorten�the�war�was�to�destroy�ship-
ping—therefore� all� ships� were� to� be� attacked.
Uncovered�at�the�end�of�the�war,�records�were�kept�by�the
enemy�of� ship�and�cargo� losses—guns,� ammo,�POW’s.
In�1944�alone,�over�16,000�POW’s�perished�in�ship�sink-
ings�in�the�Pacific�theatre.
It� should�be�mentioned� that� in� the�European� theatre,
American� POW’s� were�more� than� double� those� of� the
Pacific.��POW’s�died�at�the�hands�of�the�Nazi’s�at�about
a�5�percent�death�rate.��Nearly�10,000�Americans�died�in
captivity.��Twenty�military�cemeteries�in�Europe�hold�the
remains�of�more�than�one�half�of�these�men.�
This�Memorial�Day,�remember�the�men�and�women�who
paid� the� highest� price� for� our� country,� especially� the
POW’s.�Come�to� the�War�Memorial�Monument�on�Main
Ave.�on�May�27�at�11�am�to�honor�those�killed�in�action.
Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik
HappyHappyMother’s DayMother’s Day
from my family to yours...
MEMORIAL DAY MAY 27, 2013
2001 photo by Al Zwiazek
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 9
May 5 will be the 43rd anniversaryof�the�death�in�Vietnam�of�First�Sgt.
William� E.� Malcolm� Jr� (5/5/70),
101st�Airborne,�U.S.�Army,� the� last
man�from�Clifton�lost�in�the�war.
It� should� be� noted� that� Malcolm
served�at�President�Kennedy’s�funer-
al� as� Commander� of� the� 21-gun
salute�in�November�1963.�He�is�pic-
tured� here� at� President� Kennedy’s
grave.�On�November�22,�it�will�be�50
years�since�the�president’s�assassina-
tion,�and�50�years�since�a�twenty-one
year� old� Clifton� soldier� served� his
country,�first�in�peacetime,�and�seven
years�later,�then�in�war.
The Dwyer family moved toDelawanna from New York in� thelate�1940’s�during� the� famous�baby
boom�explosion.��The�neighborhood
did�not�take�long�to�notice�the�good
natured�kid�named�Matt.
VFW�7165�member� Pete�Carroll
still� remembers� coming� back� from
Germany� in� his�Army� uniform� and
talking� to�Matt� in� the� early� 1950’s.
“Just�the�nicest�kid�you�could�imag-
ine.��Lots�of�questions,�and�always�a
big�smile.”
People� from� Delawanna� always
remembered� when� the� Dwyer’s
bought�a�home�in�Nutley�and�moved
away� around� 1960.� � No� one� could
forget�a�kid� like�Matt.� �So�when�he
graduated�from�high�school�in�1964,�nobody�was�sur-
prised�he�joined�the�Marines.
PFC�Matthew�M.�Dwyer� Jr.�went� to�Vietnam� as� a
combat�engineer�in�May�1966�and�came�home�in�July
1967� as� a� corporal,� with� a� Purple� Heart� from� a� leg
wound.�Six�months�later,�he�received�orders�for�a�sec-
ond�tour.��Arriving�in�early�February�1968,�he�was�sent
to�the�3rd�Marine�division�during�the�most�famous�peri-
od�of�the�war,�the�Tet�Offensive.�On�February�28,�1968,
Dwyer�was�ordered� into�Khe�Sanh�by�helicopter.� �He
never�made�it.��Approaching�the�base,�the�CH-46�with
twenty-three� on� board� was� struck� by� ground� fire,
crashed�and�exploded.
In� early� March� 1968,� Marine� Corp.� Matthew� M.
Dwyer� Jr.� was� buried� at� East� Ridgelawn� Cemetery,
Clifton,�just�blocks�from�the�neighborhood�that�always
remembered�the�kid�with�a�smile.
Two Who Died in Vietnam
May 2013• Clifton Merchant10
During World War II, communities across America createdhonor rolls to let friends, neighbors and passerbys know ofthose men serving the Armed Services of our nation. Thisboard was erected on what today would be the parking lot ofSchool 5 on Valley Rd. Pictured inset from left is Louis,Catherine and Bessie Lotz pointing to the name of their broth-er. Beginning on the following page and organized by the warin which they served, we have again published the name ofevery Clifton man who died while in service to our nation.
MEMORIAL DAY MAY 27, 2013
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 11
May 2013• Clifton Merchant12
World War OneLouis AblezerAndrew BlahutTimothy CondonJohn CrozierOrrie De GrootOlivo De LucaItalo De MattiaAugust De Rose
Jurgen DykstraSeraphin FioriRalph GallassoOtto Geipel
Mayo GiustinaPeter HoroschakEmilio Lazzerin Joseph LiechtyJacob Morf, Jr.
William MorfEdwin C. PetersonRobert H. RoatAlfred SifferlenJames R. StoneCarmelo UricchioAngelo VaretoniMichael VernarecCornelius VisbeckIgnatius WuschingBertie ZanettiOtto B. Zanetti
REMEMBERING OUR HONORED DEAD
The poppy, still associated withMemorial Day, was inspired by thepoem In Flanders Fields writtenby Lieutenant Colonel JohnMcCrae of the Canadian forces in1915 before the United Statesentered World War I. Selling repli-cas of the original Flanders’poppy originated in some of theallied countries immediately afterthe Armistice. Disabled veteransmake these artificial flowers, andearn a small income after theirwork is sold by members of localveterans posts on Memorial Day.
Michael�A.�WallerDirector
James J. Marrocco CFSP, CPC
Manager, NJ Lic No. 3320
W W W.M A R R O C C O S.C O M
• Dino Primo Ambrosi• Michael Carbonella• Peter J. Chuprevich• Louis De Molli Sr.• Frank Thomas Derelitto• Vincent Gentiluomo• Samuel J. Kahwaty
• Emil Markovich• Joseph N. Nicastro• Joseph Peter Patti• Henry J. Scussel• Peter Senyshyn• Rudolph F. Sokasits• Leonard Tanzillo• Leonid Tomaczuk
The memory will live forever.Over the past year, we have hadthe privilege of serving the fam-ilies of many veterans. Inrecognition of the service theseveterans rendered to their coun-try, we would like to show ourappreciation this MemorialDay. In memory of their livesand their service, we recall...
470�Colfax�Ave.Clifton,�NJ�07013(corner�of�Broad�St.)
973-249-6111
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 13
May 2013• Clifton Merchant14
World War TwoJoseph SperlingCharles Peterson Thomas Donnellan
Jerry TothFrank LennonJoseph CarboyJulius WeisfeldEdward LadwikIsrael RabkinPeter PagnilloHarold WeeksWilliam WeeksSalvatore Favata Herman AdamsEdward Kostecki
Charles Hooyman, Jr.Salvatore MichelliRichard NovakJames Potter
Adam LiptakJohn Van Kirk
Carlyle MalmstromFrancis GormleyCharles StanchakJoseph Ladwik
Karl GermelmannRobert StevensAlbert Tau
William ScottBenjamin PuzioJames Van NessGregory Jahn
Nicholas StanchakFrank Smith, JrCarl BredahlDonald YahnJoseph Belli
Edwin KalinkaStanley Swift
Charles LotzJoseph PrebolWalter NazarBenedict Vital
Thaddeus BukowskiLeo GrossmanMichael KasheyStephen Messineo
John JanekJohn YanickHerbert Gibb
William NalesnikJoseph SowmaBronislaus PitakHarry TamboerJohn Olear
John KoropchakJoseph NugentSteven GombocsThomas Gula
paid for by Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver
Proudly Serving Assembly District 34... Clifton, Orange, East Orange &
Montclair
The Honorable
Sheila Y.Speaker of New Jersey
15-33 Halsted St., Suite 202 East Orange, NJ 07018973-395-1166 • [email protected]
paid for by Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver
Be sure to visit Clifton’s Avenue of Flags this Memorial Day, May 27, from 6am-7pm.
REMEMBERING OUR HONORED DEAD
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 15
Nancy�Shook�Garretson,�President
NJ�Lic.�No.�3657
Roy�B.�Garretson,�Manager
NJ�Lic.�No.�3550
Thomas�J.�Garretson,�Director
NJ�Lic.�No.�4988
Kevin�V.�White,��Director
NJ�Lic.�No.�4964
Joseph�M.�Shook,�Sr.,�Founder
1924�-�2008
May 2013• Clifton Merchant16
World War TwoRaymond CurleyHarry EarnshawJames HenryJohn Layton
Charles MessineoJoseph PetruskaBogert TerpstraJohn Kotulick
Peter VroegindayMichael SobolDonald SangAndew SankoGeorge Zeim, Jr.Robert Van Liere Vernon BrosemanHarold O’KeefeEdward Palffy
Dennis SzabadayLewis Cosmano
Stanley Scott, Jr.Charles Hulyo, Jr.Arnold Hutton Frank BarthJohn KanyoBryce Leighty
Joseph BertneskieSamuel BychekLouis NettoDavid Ward
Edward RembiszLawrence ZanettiAlfred Jones
Stephen BlondekJohn Bulyn
Gerhard KadenWilliam LawrenceRobert Doherty
Samuel GuglielmoRobert Parker
Joseph MolsonStephen KuchaJames De BiaseDominick GianniManuel MarcosNicholas PalkoWilliam SlyboomHerman Teubner
Thomas CommiciottoStephen Surgent Albert BertneskieCharles GashPeter Jacklin
Peter Shraga,Jr.John Aspesi
Micheal LadyczkaEdward MarcheseRobert Stephan Roelof Holster, Jr.Alex Hossack
REMEMBERING OUR HONORED DEAD
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 17
Siber SpeerFrank Klimock
Salvatore ProcopioHarry Breen
Gordon Tomea, Jr.Douglas GleesonFred HazekampHarold Roy
Andrew Servas, Jr.Francis AlessoWalter BobzinVincent LazzaroJohn Op’t HofJoseph Sondey
John ZierPeter HellrigelSteve Luka
Arthur Vanden BreeHarold BakerHans Fester
Patrick ConklinJohn Thompson
Thomas Dutton, Jr.Harold Ferris, Jr.
Donald FredaJoseph Guerra
Edward HornbeckWilliam HromniakStephen PetrilakWayne Wells
Vincent MontalbanoJames MilesLouis Kloss
Andrew KacmarcikJohn Hallam
Anthony LeanzaWilliam Sieper
Sylvester CancellieriGeorge WorschakFrank Urrichio
Andrew MarchincakCarl AndersonGeorge Holmes
Edward StadtmauerKermit Goss
George HuemmerAlexander YewkoEmil Chaplin
John HushlerEdgar Coury
Robert HubingerWilbur LeeVito VeneziaJoseph RussinErnest Yedlick
Charles CannizzoMichael BarberoJoseph PalaganoWilliam HadrysJoseph Hoffer, Jr.Joseph PiccoloJohn RobinsonFrank TorkosArthur MayerEdward JaskotGeorge RussellFrank Groseibl
Richard Van VlietBenjamin BoykoHarry CarlinePaul DominoJohn Fusiak
Buonafina Plumbing & Heating, 385 Lakeview Ave., Clifton973-340-2200 • www.buonafinaplumbing.com
Master Plumber Lic. # 12406 • Home Improvement Contractor # 13VH05704200
Clifton’s Hometown PlumberOscar Buonafina takes pride in the work of his firm.Every job is unique. Among our services...
• Bathroom Renovations• Faucet Repair & Installation• Drain Cleaning & Rooter Service• Sewer & Water Replacement• Sewer TV/Video Inspection• Boiler Repairs & Installations• Hot Water Heaters• Sump Pump Installation• French Drain Installation
While we are Master Plumbers and Expertsin Heating Systems, we also do high quality,reasonably priced home improvements.
$200 OFFBoiler
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$25 OFFAny PlumbingService Call
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EmergencyService Calls
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May 2013• Clifton Merchant18
World War TwoLouis Ritz
William NiaderAlfred AipleMario Taverna
Sebastian De LottoMatthew Bartnowski
John BogertJoseph ColluraMatthew DanielsJames Doland, Jr.Walter DolginkoPeter KonapakaAlfred MasseroniCharles Merlo
Stephen MiskevichJohn PtasienskiLeo Schmidt
Robert Teichman
Louis VuoncinoRichard VecellioRobert HegmannErnest Triemer
John Peterson Richard Vander Laan, Jr.
Stephan Kucha‘Gigito’ Netto
REMEMBERING OUR HONORED DEAD
Memorial Day Weekend CeremoniesSunday, May 26• 7 pm - Volunteers decorate the area around the War Monument in Main Memorial Park with American Flags
Monday, May 27• 6 am - Avenue of Flags Set-up at City Hall• 8:15 am - Fire Dept. Memorial at the Brighton Rd. Firehouse• 9 am - Memorial Day Parade, Hepburn Rd. • 9:30 am - Allwood Memorial at Chelsea Park• 11 am - City Wide Memorial Service at Main Memorial Park • Noon - Military Order of Purple Hearts at the Clifton Library• 12:30 pm - Post 347 Memorial at the Clifton Rec Center• 2 pm - Athenia Veterans Memorial on Huron Ave.• 6 pm - Avenue of Flags Take Down at City Hall
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We Honor America’s Veterans
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 19
Korean WarDonald FrostErnest HausslerWilliam KullerJoseph Amato
Herbert DemarestGeorge ForneliusEdward Luisser
Reynold CampbellLouis Le SterDennis Dyt
Raymond HalendwanyJohn CrawbuckErnest HagberyWilliam Gould
Edward FlanaganWilliam Snyder
Allen HillerArthur GrundmanDonald Brannon
Vietnam WarAlfred Pino
Thomas DandoWilliam SiposBohdan Kowal
Robert Kruger, Jr.Bruce McFadyenCarrol WilkeKeith Perrelli
William ZalewskiLouis Grove
Clifford Jones, Jr.George McClelland
Richard CorcoranJohn Bilenski
Donald CampbellJames Strangeway, Jr.
Donald ScottHoward Van VlietFrank MoormanRobert Prete Guyler Tulp
Nicholas CerratoEdward DeitmanRichard Cyran
Leszek KulaczkowskiWilliam MalcolmLeonard BirdJohn France
Stephen Stefaniak Jr.
Nov. 8, 1961Plane CrashRobert De VogelVernon GriggsRobert MarositzRobert Rinaldi
Raymond ShambergerHarold SkoglundWillis Van Ess, Jr.
Passaic County Clerk
Kristin Corrado
Honor Our Veterans!God Bless America!
US Army/Special Forces Captain Michael Tarlavskywas killed in Najaf, Iraq on Aug. 12,2004 and buried with honors inArlington National Cemetery on Aug.24. Tarlavsky, CHS Class of ‘92, wascaptain of the Swim Team and enlist-ed in the Army in 1996. He served inIraq and Afghanistan and was award-ed the Bronze Star. He is survived byhis wife Tricia, son Joseph, his parentsYury and Rimma and a sister, Elina.The Veterans Alliance engraved hisname on the Downton Clifton MainAvenue War Memorial in 2004— thefirst name added in 34 years.
To volunteer in decoratingMain Memorial Park for theMay 27 ceremonies, callMayor James Anzaldi at973-470-5757. To help outwith the Avenue of Flags,turn to page 38 for details.
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant20
Johnny AceA Degree in Life from the USMC
By Joe Hawrylko
Clifton Veterans
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 21
Now look at the photo of those Marines in Vietnam.
Clifton’s Johnny Ace, the 19 year old kid with the machine
gunner’s bandolier across his sinewy body, embodies those
traits and more. Lean and steely-eyed, he has swagger, looks
a little scary and is ready to lead.
Ace was the Platoon Sergeant in charge of three squadrons
and two rocket crews, some 50 men. He was under the com-
mand of Lt. Abel Daredes who was perhaps six years older.
They were leading the men of Company F, Second Battalion,
First Marine Division, back in 1967.
“I always covered ammo for the gun teams. Everybody
takes turns. That’s so if you get caught in the field with your
pants down, you got some ammo.” On more than one
instance, Ace would need not only those belts of machine
gun ammunition but also all of his Marine Corps training to
get him and his men back home alive.
Looking back on his time in the jungle, and the meritori-
ous service which earned him the Navy Commendation
Medal with the Combat “V”, Ace has remorse for the lives
of young men left on the battlefields and in the rice paddies
of Vietnam. Perhaps too he is sorry about the shaky years
after his return to civilian life and the failed marriages.
But as far as being a Marine, Johnny Ace has no regrets.
“When I’m making decisions in life,” he continues, “I take
into consideration, subconsciously, the same things I’d make
in the field, only in a civilian way.”
Now 65 and retired from the commercial real estate busi-
ness and after almost two decades as a lonely cross country
trucker, Ace lives with his fourth wife in Arizona.
But looking back to the Marines and his time in Vietnam,
he said the enlistment was the first right move he made. “I
would take my experiences from the Marine Corps—not
only Vietnam, but my four years in the Marine Corps active
duty—and say that it was the best thing that I ever did for
myself. I was heading to jail the way that I was going.”
Now look at the inset of that young Clifton boy on this
page.
Marines put a lot of stock in bearing. One of the 14Marine Corps Leadership Traits is defined as: The wayyou conduct or carry yourself. Your manner should reflectalertness, competence, confidence, and control.
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant22
That’s Clifton’s Johnny Ace, (also pictured below
today), the kid with a mischievous smile in 8th grade at
Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, the year before he
dropped out and tried to enlist.
Ace was his birth name. “No kid-
din’. That was my father’s name. He
left when I was two.” He does not
remember his dad but like the lines in
a Johnny Cash song, he has no great
love for his namesake. “Ace was a lit-
tle hard. Try being called an acehole
all the time.”
He was raised by his mom and
stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus
and Evelyn Motyl on Graham Place in
Acquakonack Gardens. He recalled
good times growing up in what was
then called the Veterans Barracks.
Ace went to School 5 on Valley Rd. and ran with the
Nobles and the Bolero Boys—for the landmark bowling
alley where Fette Ford is today. Some of his old street
corner pals included Jimmy Brittan, Rich DiOrio, John
Henry, Bobby McDermett, Richie and Mike Brechko.
Ultimately, Ace wasn’t cut out for school. He
dropped out at 17, and took up a dead end job at a facto-
ry. With few prospects to improve his lot in life, Ace
made the choice to enlist in the Marines one afternoon in
the summer of 1965 while in New York City with some
friends.
“There was five of us and we all wanted to join the
Merchant Marines,” he recalled. “We went down to the
New York harbor and they said ‘We’re not hiring any-
body,’ One of the guys was like why don’t we join the
Marine Corps and so we did.”
Though Ace had filled out paperwork in New York, he
was still only 17 at the time, and needed his mom’s
approval to go.
“I just said I am going,” he
recalled. “She had to sign for me to
get into the Marines, and I said I am
splitting out of here if you don’t.”
Ace’s parents eventually signed,
and he went off to Parris Island for
boot, graduating in December of
1965. The Cliftonite was then
assigned to Fox Company, 2nd
Battalion, 2nd Marines out of Camp
Lejeune. Ace would spend the next 11
months getting combat ready.
“It was good for me,” he recalled.
“I learned to read a map, I learned to
call artillery. I learned all that stuff
that you would use in the field but that you’d never get
if you went to boot and then to Nam. That’s why I was
able to pick up rank. I knew the inner workings. Most
guys were going through boot and getting shipped out
right away. At least I knew what to expect and what I
had to do. I believe that saved my ass. That and my
grandmother’s (Anna Levendofsky) prayers, of course.”
Ace received his orders in the fall of 1966, and spent
23 days in November at sea aboard a transport before
arriving in Da Nang, Vietnam.
One of the first things that Ace noticed upon landing
was the notoriously brutal weather.
“The heat was always there,” he said. “The only thing
you had for it was the monsoon season, when it would
rain for 30 days straight. Sometimes it was a blessing if
you’re in a fire fight. Rockets or bullets would
My husband Eric and I areproud to support LaurenMurphy in her 2014 cam-paign for Clifton CityCouncil. If you would like tojoin us in her progressivecampaign please contact herat [email protected].
paid for by the Oliver Family
Lauren Murphy
2014 Candidate forClifton City Council
The progressthe voiceWe need...
deserve.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 23
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant24
be dampened. Most of my feet, the skin fell off. Your
feet are always wet. It still bothers me to this day. I’ve
got dead nerves under my toes.”
Over the course of his 13 month deployment, Ace
estimated that he participated in 10 major operations,
eventually taking over the lead of the platoon at just 19
years of age. Eventually, his paperwork was sorted out
and he was attached to the 1st Marines.
“Major fire fights and all that stuff, I remember very
clearly,” he said. “We were in combat just about every
single day because we had the helicopters. The average
infantry man in Vietnam spent 240 days in combat out of
13 months. In World War II, they spent about 40 days in
combat out of four years. The whole thing was mobility.”
Ace said that the harsh weather conditions, booby-
traps and constant ambushes took a mental toll on him
and his comrades. In a June 1967 letter home to his mom
and dad, Ace wrote bluntly about the action, some of the
conditions and the things he saw. It was later published
that year in a local newspaper.
The booby traps and mines took most of the Marines.It’s not a pretty sight, Mom. Especially when it’s yourgood buddies getting it out there. I watch them fall and
try to help but I have to keep my men going cause if wedon’t find Charlie in a hurry he’ll only get more of us. Sowe have to kill him and everyone who sympathizes withhim. They are all no good, Mom. I shoot everyone ofthem I see.
But despite the killing and chaos going on around him
in Vietnam, Ace said he tried to do his best to stay
focused in the field and complete his 13 month tour.
“Everybody counted the days. When you’re with
infantry company, if you make it to three months, you
got a pretty good shot of making it out of there. We lost
many guys because they were new,” he said. “I used to
go by month when I was still in the field. When I was
supposed to be out I really wasn’t even thinking about
home... I was thinking about staying alive. At one point
I am still in the field on my last day and they send a
chopper in for me and take me out. I didn’t think about
rotating. If you think about it, it may take away from
your attention span that you need to keep your ass alive.”
When he was discharged in October of 1967, Ace
was nominated for the Bronze Star, and ended up receiv-
ing the Navy Commendation Medal, which is one of the
most prestigious honors in the Navy.
In 2001, Johnny Ace with some of hisClifton family which includes PatriciaMotyl, Larry Motyl, Jane Motyl, Lois AceUhleman, Joseph Gebbia, ArnoldUhleman, Susan Ace, Tammy MotylGebbia, Joseph Motyl, Christian Motyl,Jake Gebbia and Lisa Uhleman Bisher.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 25
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The following is an excerpt the Commanding General
of the Pacific Fleet Marine Force wrote about Ace:
As a Platoon Sergeant, on 7 September, he led asquad of swimmers across a river and, despite a heavyvolume of enemy fire, skillfully deployed his men, forc-ing the enemy to withdraw. Again, on 14 September,when one of his squads was pinned down by a numeri-cally superior Viet Cong force, Sergeant Ace unhesitat-ingly led a relief unit to the besieged Marines andforced the enemy to abandon numerous packs andequipment and flee in panic and confusion.
“The award is one thing. It’s the faith that your guys
have in you. The trust you platoon commander puts on
you, those are the most rewarding things,” said Ace.
“My guys never questioned me, and my platoon com-
mander never questioned me. That was worth more to
me than anything, any commendation.”
The former Marine did his best to return to civilian
life, but had his fair share of troubles adjusting.
Eventually Ace did find solace on the road as a truck
driver for Filigree Foods.
“Most of the time, I used to run the 48 States and
Canada,” he said. “I liked it because most of the time, I
was by myself. I didn’t wanna deal with people, so it
worked out real well. Being alone when I was on the
truck was no responsibility as far as I was concerned.”
But what Ace didn’t realize that was his aversion to
people wasn’t just a personality quirk—it was PTSD.
He only realized that after two back surgeries derailed
his trucking career, and he started to develop depres-
sion from lying about the house.
“I was diagnosed in 1984,” he recalled. “Everything
I did I thought was right until I went to the VA in 1982
or 1983. I told them I’ve got these problems. I told
them exactly what happened: nightmares, flashbacks,
my temper... they put me in a program and gave me
medication. I still do the same thing to this day. It
keeps me stable.”
“They had just made it a disability in 1983 or 1984,”
Ace continued. “I didn’t know what it was. I just
thought it was normal stuff. Probably the worst part
was the depression. That’s what sent me to the VA to
start. I can deal with flash backs. I can deal with
dreams. Depression? It will make you kill yourself. I
am not a suicide guy, but I know a lot of guys who have
pulled the trigger because of depression.”
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Since being diagnosed and undergoing treatment,
Ace’s quality of life has improved dramatically. He
eventually recovered enough to return to work, and
spent many years working in commercial real estate.
But even though it has been decades, Ace still finds
himself thinking like a Marine. “I have an office at
home where I have all my stuff from the Marine Corps
in there,” he said. “I draw strength from that... War
time experience gave me the mentality that everything
can be figured out tactically. It’s when emotions get
involved is when stuff gets messed up.”
While the war ended on April 30, 1975 with the Fall
of Saigon and the formal reunification of Vietnam into a
communist state, Ace knows that his struggles against
PTSD and depression will be a battle for the rest of his
life. “It’s a dull pain in your mind that doesn’t go away,”
Ace continued. “I can go two weeks without a dream,
but then I will wake up in the middle of the night soak-
ing wet, I smacked my wife... I just don’t know when
this stuff is gonna come up. It ain’t my fault. I try the
best I can. It is just something that stays with you.”
Go to www.cliftonmerchant.com to seemore about Johnny Ace.
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant28
In Berlin, Dr. Gregory Zipf Met the InfamousNazi Rudolf Hess... and his Clifton Bride!
TreatingThe Prisoner
Clifton Veterans
By Joe Hawrylko
In the center of the photo above, that’s Dr. Gregory Zipf at the Berlin Wall. He was an Army opthamologist in Germanyfrom 1982 to 1985. While there, Zipf treated the infamous Nazi, Rudolf Hess, pictured before his death and during WWII.
When Cliftonite Gregory Zipf accepted his health
professional scholarship, he knew that it would entail
him serving three years for Uncle Sam. What the
opthalmologist didn’t know was that he would be
shipped to Berlin, Germany, where he would not only
meet his future wife, but would also come face to face
with one of the most infamous Nazis from World War
II, Rudolf Hess.
Prior to enlisting, Zipf was a standout football play-
er at CHS, where was a part of the undefeated team
that won the state championship prior to his gradua-
tion in 1973. He then attended Notre Dame
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 29
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May 2013 • Clifton Merchant30
before going on to the Pennsylvania College of
Optometry in Philadelphia.
There, as a part of his agreement with the government,
his final three years of school were paid for in exchange
for three years of military service with the Army.
“Senior year, they sent me to Letterman Army
Hospital in San Francisco, and then when I graduated,
they sent me to San Antonio for overseas training,” he
said. Zipf also did his basic in San Antonio, TX. “Then
they sent me to Berlin on Sept. 1, 1982.”
At that point in time, tensions were still extremely
high in Germany due to the Cold War.
Following the end of World War II, the occupying
powers in Germany—the United States, Britain, France
and the USSR—divided Berlin into quarters, each being
governed by a single country.
Eventually, the Cold War progressed, international
relations worsened and the Soviets absorbed their territo-
ry—dubbed East Germany—into the Eastern Bloc, ulti-
mately constructing the infamous Berlin Wall to keep out
Russia’s enemies.
“We were always on constant alert because they were
always thinking the Russians were coming over,”
recalled Zipf. “About my third or fourth night there,
they put me up in the officers apartments. About 4 am,
the whole building started shaking. I looked out and it
was tanks rolling on by.”
But outside of occasional drills and shows of military
prowess, life in Berlin was relatively quiet. Most days,
Zipf would go to work, see his patients and then end up
with buddies over at the local officer’s club.
“They took Hitler’s hotel, where he hung out in World
War II, and we made that into our officer’s club. It was
an absolutely awesome building,” he recalled. “The
whole bottom floor was a gigantic bar. We’d have happy
hour on Fridays, and everyone would come, from gener-
als to colonels, all the way down. Everyone would come
drinking in their fatigues. You were drinking a 16 ounce
German beer for 25 cents. Any kind of drink was maybe
40 cents. We had a huge buffet too, all you can eat.”
Another ever-present reminder of what had transpired
in World War II was the looming presence of Spandau
Prison, located in West Berlin.
“Spandau dated back to the 1500s. It kind of looked
like a castle or fortress,” recalled Zipf.
After the Nuremberg Trials, some of the highest rank-
ing Nazi officers were imprisoned at Spandau, including
Karl Dönitz, Konstantin von Neurath, Baldur von
Schirach, Albert Speer, Erich Raeder, Walter Funk and
Rudolf Hess.
Of those seven, Hess was the only one still incarcerat-
ed when Zipf was in Germany, as he was serving out a
life sentence. Hess was primarily known for two things:
being Adolf Hitler’s right hand man while in power, and
his bizarre capture in 1939, when Hess secretly flew over
to England to negotiate a peace treaty and was instead
taken into custody.
As an Army doctor, Zipf had only heard stories about
Spandau and Hess from other soldiers that he had cared
for. But in late August of 1984, the Cliftonite wound up
caring for the man known as The Prisoner.
“I was actually on optometrist on call to the emergency
room. It was a Friday. Back then, Fridays were great.
You’d get out of work in the afternoon, go home and then
go to the officer’s club,” said Zipf. “On the way home,
my beeper went off. I stoped at the PX and I called in and
they said, ‘Oh, we’ve got an emergency. Go home, get
your dress uniform, and then come back to the hospital.’
What the hell? So I get my dress uniform and run back
and the internist is there waiting with a limo and they said
‘Hop in, we’re going to Spandau, we’ve got an emer-
gency. I just thought, this is going to be crazy.”
Clifton’s Sandra Palinkas and Greg Zipf were marriedon June 15, 1984 in Berlin, where they met.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 31
When we opened one of the region’s first SameDay Surgery Center back in 1993, the foundingphysicians and staff of Clifton Surgery Centerknew we were on the cusp of change. Two decadeslater, as we mark our anniversary, our surgeons andstaff continue to innovate and evolve.
Over those 20 years, our mission remains true:to deliver superior surgical service more efficientlyand cost effectively than area hospitals. We con-tinue to invest and improve our facilities, not onlyour operating suites but also to our landmark build-ing. We are proud of our service and look forwardto many more decades of providing quality health-care.
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May 2013 • Clifton Merchant32
“It was in the summer. We were
having our big festival at the
German American Folk Festival on
our base. We’d set up gigantic tents
like they had at the Clifton picnic,
food, sausage, beer... just a great
time,” he laughed. ‘That’s where I
was supposed to be and here I am at
prison and I can’t believe it.”
Zipf arrived at Spandau and pro-
ceeded passed the big iron doors at
the front gate, but the guards there
stopped him.
“I just had my Army ID and
couldn’t get in,” he said. “You had
to have your ID signed by all four
governors (from each Allied coun-
try). The internist was having a fit.”
Eventually, the needed represen-
tatives were contacted and Zipf was
allowed access. He went into the
main building to a small clinic, and
a few minutes later, in walked
Rudolph Hess.
“It was a total shock. I never
thought we were involved with the
prison. I always thought if they had
a problem, they’d bring in a special-
ist,” he said. “The crazy thing about
it was, while I am looking at him,
the French, the Russians... all of
them are looking over my shoulder.
They had me there to determine if
he was having a retinal detachment.
If he was, everything would go
crazy. They’d have to close down
whole sections of the city to get him
out of the prison and over to the
British hospital.”
It turned out that Hess, who
already did not have vision in his
right eye, was actually suffering
from macular degeneration, which is
an aging of the eyes and not serious.
After the session was over, Zipf
went back out to meet his friends at
the officer’s club.
“I told them, ‘I just happened to
see somebody on the way here,’”
laughed Zipf. Eventually he let on
that he was at Spandau, and every-
one realized where Zipf was.
“Everyone was kind of flipping out.
It was kind of amazing.”
Zipf returned to treat Hess twice
more. The Cliftonite was later ques-
tioned by authorities after Hess tried
to get an early release by claiming
that the American doctor had told
him his vision was failing.
In August of 1987, Hess was
found hanging in his cell, reportedly
dead of suicide at the age of 93.
In addition to his run in with The
Prisoner, Zipf remembers his time in
Germany due to meeting his wife,
Sandra Palinkas, whom he was
introduced to in February of 1983.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 33
“My buddy, who was an infantry guy, we were talking
and he said ‘My girlfriend said there’s this girl that just got
a job in finance and she’s from New Jersey. Do you want
to invite her the next time we come to the officer’s club,’”
he recalled. “The next week, we go in there and she’s sup-
posed to come at 7. About five to seven, I’m looking
around and said I wouldn’t mind meeting that blonde over
there and he said, ‘Oh, that’s her.’ I asked her and said
north or south. And she said, oh my dad is originally from
Clifton. I thought my friend had set me up.”
But it was true—Sandra’s father was originally from
Kulik St. in Botany Village, and her aunt and uncle lived
on the same street as his parents. Sandra ended up in
Berlin because her father was a career military man who
was stationed in Germany after earning a Purple Heart
and Bronze Star in World War II.
Zipf and Sandra quickly hit it off and began dating
regularly. “We had our first date and from that point for-
ward we were seeing each other. Then a year and a half
later we were engaged in 1984,” he said. “We had a dou-
ble wedding. If I didn’t get married there, then I could-
n’t bring her back as my wife. We were married on June
15, 1984 at Berlin City Hall. We had the reception at the
officer’s club.”
On Nov. 3, 1984, Zipf returned home to Clifton to
have a ceremony with family. They were wed at St.
Brendan’s Church, and the reception was held at the
Knights of Columbus on Main Ave.
Eventually the two moved to Pompton Plains, and then
settled in Washington, NJ, where they have lived for 26
years. The Zipfs have two children: Eric and Stephanie.
Greg and his brother, John Zipf, a former Clifton cop.
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant34
Eighth grade students at Woodrow Wilson MiddleSchool will be celebrating an early Memorial Day with
their 13th annual Veterans Teaching History program.
Eighth grade teachers Jennifer Lanzerotti and
Vanessa Gaba coordinate the May 17 event, which will
bring in area veterans to share their experiences with
the young teens. The veterans will also enjoy a lunch-
eon and then a special concert.
Veterans who served in war or peace from any era
are invited to volunteer and share their stories of serv-
ice. To participate, leave a message and phone number
at the WWMS main office: 973-470-2350.
“Vets come in and talk to the students for about 30
minutes, and then everyone goes to the auditorium
where the bands plays and we have an assembly in their
honor,” said Lanzerotti. “There’s poetry that students
have written, and the chorus sings too. We allow veter-
ans to speak if anyone wants to. A couple have spoke
in the past, but not many. And then they march out.”
This is the first year that Lanzerotti has been in
charge of the program, which she estimated has been
around for over 10 years.
“It’s really student driven,” she said. “The HSA
pays for the luncheon, but everything else is in
By Joe Hawrylko
Woodrow WilsonStudents Honor Veterans
with Fanfare & Conversation
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 35
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant36
house. The students are responsi-
ble for creating invitations and
sending them out. They help cre-
ate the program too.”
The day starts with a brunch for
the veterans. Afterwards, the vets
go to 8th grade classrooms to talk
about their experiences and field
questions from the students.
After that has concluded, the
veterans parade into the auditori-
um, where the band plays and stu-
dents recite poems for their guests.
“Sadly, many of our WWII veter-
ans are dying, so it is becoming
increasingly important to pay tribute
so they are not forgotten,” said Gaba.
Donald Gross, a woodshop
teacher at Woodrow Wilson, is also
one of the participating veterans.
Gross, who hails from North
Bergen, enlisted in 1973, hoping to
use the GI Bill to go to school at the
end of his service.
Gross did his basic training in
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and
was assigned to the 541st Engineers
of the 549th Battalion. For the
duration of his service, Gross was
stationed in Schwetzingen,
Germany. After returning home,
Gross went to Montclair State,
where he studied graphics and elec-
tronics. For many years, he worked
for Reader’s Digest.
However, Gross saw changes in
the industry and then one day he
was ordered to prepare a job so it
could be outsourced overseas. “I
didn’t serve this country to send
jobs out of the country. I quit.” he
said. “I still stand by that.”
In 2006, Gross met with former
CCMS Principal Bil Hahn and was
hired as the woodshop teacher. He
learned about the veterans program
in 2007, and has been participating
since. “I met a lot of friends
through this,” said Gross.
“Veterans like to talk and tell sto-
ries, and share what they’ve been
though. I enjoy doing it.”
Ashley Cordeno, Don Gross, Isaiah Buonafina, David Buonafina, Jennifer Lanzerotti, Vanessa Gaba and CharlesClayton. At right is Don Gross while in the Army, who was a corporal in 1976.
Al Zwiazek, Frank Smith and Bob Cirkus participated in last year’s program.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 37
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant38
On May 27, the campus of
City Hall at 900 Van Houten
Ave. will once again be deco-
rated in red, white and blue, as
more than 1,500 American
flags dot the landscape.
Known as the Avenue of
Flags, it is one of the largest
exhibits of Old Glory east of
the Mississippi River, and it’s
all put together with the help of
several generous volunteers.
The Avenue of Flags was
the idea of Walt Pruiksma,
who in 2002, floated the idea
to a group of old soldiers and
sailors. The concept was sim-
ple: on Memorial Day, Flag
Day, Independence Day,
Patriot Day (9/11) and Veterans Day, volunteers get up
at the crack of dawn to put up the flags, and at the end
of the day, they return to take them down.
By Veterans Day of that year, more than 300 flags were
up on the grounds of City Hall. With each passing year,
that number slowly grows. Today, the Avenue has sur-
passed 1,500 flags and is coordinated by John Biegel.
There are even maps and volunteer guides available to
help donors locate where their flag is displayed.
The public is invited to sponsor a flag to honor a vet-
eran, living or deceased. The $100 donation includes
the flag, pole, sleeve, name plate and ground socket.
The necessary form for a flag can be found at
www.cliftonnnj.org by clicking on links and looking up
Avenue of Flags. Volunteers are also needed.
For more information or details on how to help,
email [email protected] or call John Biegel at
973-519-0858.
Clifton Veterans
Avenue of Flags
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 39
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May 2013 • Clifton Merchant40
It was supposed to be a busy couple of days in 1986.My sister was getting married on Saturday and my hus-
band Bob was “giving her away.” And on Monday
night, Coach Bob was being honored at a dinner for his
sports related contributions to the youth in Clifton.
At this point in time Bob was quite ill battling lung
cancer, and unfortunately he did not get to partake in the
festivities. He passed away the day before the wedding
and three days before the dinner. He was 52 years old.
Bob began coaching children before our own chil-
dren were old enough to play, and continued to coach
after they graduated high school.
He coached basketball for our church league. He
then turned to Little League Baseball when Delawanna
had its own division. While in that division he held the
office of vice president and president. He coached foot-
ball for Delawanna and a city team for young boys, and
later American Legion baseball.
He was fondly known around town as
Coach Bob. I was usually known as
Coach Bob’s Wife.
Some of Bob’s proudest moments
would be seeing a CHS Mustang athlete
that he had coached playing either foot-
ball or baseball. And of course, watching
his own children playing. We had two
children—his daughter played softball
and his son played football and baseball.
Bob also had two children from a previ-
ous marriage.
Bob received a few accolades over the
years for his efforts including the Gil
Hodges Award from Post 8, Citizen of
the Year from the VFW, recognition from
the City Council and our Congressman.
The dinner to honor him in 1986 was
a culmination of all his achievements.
There were 400 people scheduled to
attend, so there wasn’t any way to cancel
at such a late date. Besides, how could I
not acknowledge so many people that
thought enough of him to attend?
It was bittersweet to say the least. Our minister said
she had never spoke to such a large congregation and
surely wouldn’t again. The most touching moment was
when the host asked for every young man that had been
coached by Bob to please stand. It was mind boggling!
Dozens of kids stood tall. My heart burst with pride.
It’s been almost 25 years, but hardly a day goes by
that I don’t think of him. We were married for 23 years.
We have two grandchildren that are involved in sports,
a CHS grad who played basketball, baseball and bowl-
ing. Another Mustang, graduating next month, who
plays volleyball, basketball, and softball. I can only
imagine how proud Bob would be of them.
Unforgettable PeopleRemembering Robert Wienbrock
Editor’s Note: Do you have an unforgettable per-son in your life? They can be living or deceased.Let us know in a short essay and perhaps we’ll useyour story. Be sure to include your phone number.E-mail [email protected]
by Lois Wienbrock
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 41
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Food Drive
By their sworn duty and because they want to,FMBA Local 21 members have long supported
their community. In addition to fighting fires and
responding to calls for ambulance service,
Clifton Firefighters do charity work.
That includes annual fundraisers for
Toys for Tots and a coat drive to bene-
fit St. Peter’s Haven. Recently when
they heard the shelves were low at St.
Peter’s Haven Food Pantry on Clifton
Ave., they’ve organ-
ized a May food
drive. Firefighter
Steven Turi is the
coordinator for
this campaign. He
said that Local 21
decided to get
involved after they
learned that the
pantry shelves tend
to get a little bare
over the summer.
Putting OutHungerHelp Clifton Firefighters Collect Food
to Fill the Pantry at St. Peter’s Haven
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant42
Since the fight against hunger is
a 365 day battle, Turi rallied his fel-
low firefighters around the cause.
“We became first responders
because we want to help others in
our community. In an emergency,
it is easy for us to see who needs
help and it is easy for people to call
on us for help. But there are times
when needing help is not so obvi-
ous to others,” explained Turi.
Turi and the other firefighters
turned to St. Peter’s Haven, which
has also has a long history of help-
ing Cliftonites in need.
Since 1986, the Haven has been
providing food and shelter to
At left Firefighter Steven Turi, andon this page Derek Cotten, Cpt.Ryan Fitzsimmons, and Lt. GaryTufaro. On our cover: Lt.Dominick Gallo, Jeff Escalante,Lt. Billy LeGates, Brian Reilly,John Warchola and Edward Polak.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 43
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant44
We have been serving the area for over 12 years specializing in family well-
ness and the natural restoration of health. Families seek chiropractic care not
just for relief from headaches or back and neck pain but for improved func-
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Coupon redeemable for a complementary initial exam,consultation and x-rays (up to 2 if necessary) $250 ValueDrs. Louis Schimmel, Jacqueline Paz-Schimmel & Joseph Paz
Food Drive
the region’s most needy individu-
als. Today, more than 300 Passaic
County residents utilize the facili-
ties each month.
And the need to keep the shelves
filled is an ongoing operation.
“Schools and civic organiza-
tions, a lot of those types of groups
take off for the summer, so that’s
why it is an important time to get
food,” Reverend Peter DeFranco of
St. Peter’s Haven offered as to why
donations slow down now.
“Thanksgiving and Christmas, we
get the most food, and then we dry
up in January and Feb and then
things start up again.”
In addition to food and shelter
the pantry also provides seasonal
items such as school items in the
fall, turkeys for Thanksgiving,
Christmas toys and coats for cold
weather.
The food pantry is open Tuesday
through Thursday, and on
Saturdays from 9 to 11:30 am.
Clifton’s bravest will be collect-
ing canned and dried food and
other non-perishable items
throughout the month. Collection
stations are at each fire station:
Station 1, 69 1st St., Station 2, 7
Dumont Ave., Station 3, 180 Mahar
Ave., Station 4, 144 Main Ave.,
Station 5, 51 Brighton Rd., and
Station 6, 1202 Van Houten Ave.
To arrange a pick up, email
[email protected]. For
info, visit www.fmba21.org or call
St. Peter’s Haven at 973-546-5020.
Staff workers at St. Peter’s Haven help fight hunger year round. Call 973-546-3406 to volunteer or donate. From left, Giovanni Bellina, BarryRochester, Yiset Bellina, Elizabeth Zapata and Rev. Peter DeFranco
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 45
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May 2013 • Clifton Merchant46
Better Hearing Month
Armed with a Bachelor’s Degreein Communication Sciences and
Disorders from Pace University in
2010, Deidra Ramos-Perez consid-
ered a number of career options
then took some sound advice.
“I took Intro to Audiology during
my second year at Pace and I fell in
love,” the 24-year-old Dutch Hill
resident recalled how she discov-
ered her calling. “I found it inter-
esting how the field encompasses so
many different disciplines.”
Now in her third year of the four
year Doctoral Program in Audiology
at Montclair State University,
Ramos-Perez is on track to be a
Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.). She
attends classes at MSU’s state-of-
the-art facility on Broad St. in
Bloomfield. The program is the
only of its kind in the Garden State
and one of 70 nationwide.
Audiology is the study and treat-
ment of hearing loss. Ramos-
Perez, who attended School 15 and
Woodrow Wilson Middle School
before graduating from Eastern
Christian High School in 2006,
originally went to Pace considering
a career in teaching.
“Actually first I wanted to be a
chef,” she admitted. “My father is
a chef.” She fulfills her desire to
teach by instructing Sunday School
at Hope Reformed Church at
Burgess Pl. and Third St.
Once at Pace, Ramos-Perez
found audiology more to her liking.
It was one of her professors, Dr.
Abbey Berg, Ph.D, who helped put
her on the path towards a career in
audiology.
“I was two years in and she
asked if I was available for an
internship at Columbia New York
Presbyterian,” she recalled of the
internship which turned into a job.
“She got me that internship. She’s
always been there for me.”
Dr. Berg, along with her boss at
Columbia Presbyterian, Dr. Maria
Olmeda-Jenkins, have both become
important mentors for Ramos-
Perez, and ultimately influenced
her to enroll at MSU.
“I don’t know if I would be so
passionate about audiology
Free Hearing ScreeningsClifton’s Deidra Ramos-Perez among those offering services at MSU
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 47
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May 2013 • Clifton Merchant48
without those two,” she said. “Dr.
Berg, who got me my internship,
told me to apply there.”
The Broad St. facility which is
within an office park, is not only a
teaching center but also a hearing
clinic. The public can come for
hearing testing, auditory processing
disorder testing, complete hearing
aid services, custom earmolds, bal-
ance testing and auditory brainstem
response testing.
“My program, in my class alone
there are just 10 people. It’s a very
small, tight knit program,” she
explained of the Doctor of
Audiology program. There are just
over 40 people in the program.
After graduation, students from
this field are offered a wide variety
of opportunities for employment.
One of the most popular fields of
employment is pediatrics, either at
a private practice or in a hospital.
“Hackensack has a great pro-
gram,” added Ramos-Perez “One
of the professors at Montclair is the
head of the newborn area over
there.” Given her inclination to
teaching, Ramos-Perez said she
envisions herself one day working
at a busy hospital.
“I really like the medical field. I
love being in the hospital,” she
said. “I love that whole dynamic.
You’re working on a team with
EMTs, doctors, occupational thera-
pists. I like being a part of that
whole cooperative.”
Ramos-Perez said she would
also like to do charity work and
help low-income individuals get
care for their hearing problems.
“I would really like to do a hear-
ing mission,” she said.
Ramos-Perez recalled seeing the
hearing aid manufacturer Starkey
use its non-profit foundation to
donate hearing aids to a school in a
low income neighborhood in the
Bronx.
“All this money is coming in,
and they use it to give back to the
community and have audiologists
go out and fit hearing aids. That
would be an excellent way to uti-
lize my education and give back.”
While that option may lay in her
future, these days Ramos-Perez
remains busy. During the week,
Ramos-Perez is at the audiology
center. In addition to the clinic
time and classroom work she does
at MSU, her internship which
piqued her interest in the field of
audiology has turned into weekend
employment at New York
Presbyterian.
“We’re under the supervision of
an audiologist,” she explained.
“Basically we go into the nursery
rooms and test all the babies that
are born the day before. Usually
we wait until about 11 hours.”
The small probe emits a tone
that is able to detect if the sounds
are being properly received and
processed by the brain. “It is the
little things like that which make
me feel blessed to be in this field,”
said Ramos-Perez. “The science of
audiology is a gift and I am so
proud to be practicing it.”
Despite the pace and the long
hours, she loves the career path she
has chosen.
Cliftonites Deborah Verderosa (left), graduate advisor and Joann Kuebler(right), administrative assistant, with Fredi Jarmel, MSU’s clinic director.For more on the services of the center on Broad St., call 973-655-3934.
Free Hearing Screenings:For Better Hearing and SpeechMonth in May, the MontclairState University Center forAudiology & Speech-LanguagePathology will offer free hearingscreenings from May14 to 24by appointment at the Center’soff-campus clinic at 1515Broad St., Bloomfield. To sched-ule a time, call 973-655-3934.
Better Hearing Month
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 49
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May 2013 • Clifton Merchant50
Beating Cancer
In late January, Brendan Schreiber was snowboardingwith friends when he noticed a lump under his armpit.
After a few doctor’s visits, on March 1 he got the news:
Lymphoma. Since then, he has undergone surgery to
remove two large tumors, and began an aggressive round
of chemotherapy.
Throughout it all, the CHS Junior has been doing all
the stuff a Clifton teen does. He continued to work and
attend school. That cleared him to return to the lacrosse
field where he plays on defense for the Mustangs.
After a few rounds of chemo, Schreiber began to lose
his hair so he went for the buzz cut. In a show of support,
his teammates decided to make a statement of friendship
and went and buzzed their heads as well.
Photo by Quinci Peri
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 51
On April 7, the entire Varsity
team, along with some junior varsi-
ty members and even one member
of the junior program gathered at
teammate Joe Cupoli’s house.
They lined up and fell under the
clippers of Anthony Bianchi of Pal
Joey’s Salon in North Arlington,
who donated his time.
Three hours later, more than 20
lacrosse players were bald.
Brendan’s mother, Stephanie, came
to witness the event.
Schreiber, who had treatment all
day Monday, arrived at the Varsity
game midway thru the first quarter
to find the stands and fans dressed
in purple clothing, purple streamers,
and purple bandanas to support the
Cure for Lymphoma. Schreiber,
who works at the Venetian in
Garfield, played as if nothing was
out of the ordinary. It was not until
halftime when his teammates
removed their helmets that he saw
all of the shaved heads.
As of April 26, Schreiber was
still strong and had one chemo
treatment left. His blond hair has
begun to grow back—white—as he
is pictured on the facing page.
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theme is Viva Las Relay, Do Not Bet onCancer, Bet on A Cure. Participate as an indi-
vidual or hook up with a group, such as
United Against Cancer. They will be at the
Downtown Clifton Street Fair on May 18.
selling food and snacks to benefit their
efforts. To participate and for more details on
volunteering or becoming a sponsor, visit
www.relayforlife.org/cliftonnj.
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant52
Interesting Jobs
In late 2003 Josh Naranjo was a pretty average Ohio State Buckeye.
Studying music performance and business management information
systems, the former Marching Mustang tuba player was only a few
semesters short from graduating and entering the work force.
But at the end of the 2003, a lightening bolt of opportunity hit. He
decided to drop out of school to pursue a career as a personal body
guard. It was a risky decision, but one that has come to pay off.
Ten years later, Naranjo, now 31, it seems what some may have
considered foolhardy had turned to good fortune. Over the past
decade, Naranjo, who still calls Clifton home, has visited almost 50
countries on every continent except for Antarctica while serving as
personal body guards for artists such as the Backstreet Boys, Mary
Kate and Ashley Olsen, Sum 41 and others.
Naranjo is also an aspiring entrepreneur, and one of three owners in
Kros International USA, a company that sells uniquely designed uri-
nals that cut down the wait line at restrooms at entertainment events.
Since there is no clear path to becoming one, Naranjo charted his
own path to the personal body guard industry. While still in Ohio
Mustang Suit in the Shadow
Clifton’s Josh Naranjo got Nick Carter’s back.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 53
State, be began making the move by doing part time
security at Nationwide Arena, which is the home of the
Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL.
Naranjo would network with the personal security
outfits that would come in during concerts. Hang around
enough and eventually, a job opportunity appeared.
Soon thereafter, opportunity prevailed. The 2000
CHS grad became the man in the middle.
“The Brittney Spears Dream Within a Dream Tour
came through at the end of 2001, and I was the liaison to
her security and our security,” he said. “I spent quite a
bit of time with them. One of their security guys, I made
a connection with. He was from New York and I’m from
New Jersey. So basically I just pursued that. They saw
that I wanted to get into it, to break into the industry.
Eventually, he took me under his wing as my mentor.”
Over the next couple of years, Naranjo had an unpaid,
on the job training program as he was traveling around
the country to do various jobs with the outfit.
Eventually, he got his first crack at personal security in
January of 2005, when he was assigned to the Olsen
twins of Full House fame, Mary Kate and Ashley.
“You’re no longer responsible for an arena or a stadi-
um,” he explained. “You’re now responsible for two
individuals. You’re now on somebody’s personal time.”
Unlike venue security, personal security is no punch a
clock and go home. Naranjo’s work mirrored the life of
the celebrities he was covering. Hours fluctuated
depending upon their appearances or performances so he
spent a lot of time standing by waiting for the next move.
But that never posed a problem.
“They lived in the city. It was close so I can go home
to Clifton every night,” he said. “You’re basically there
from the time they get up to the time they go to bed.”
“Certain people have security guys up from 7 am to 4
am,” continued Naranjo. “If they decide they want to be
up early, you just sleep whenever you can in the car.”
Naranjo worked for the Olsen twins for about a year
before moving on to other opportunitys. In 2007, he
started to work for The Backstreet Boys. He has traveled
with the group on and off since then, going on three
world tours: Unbreakable, This Is Us, and the NKOTB-
SB tour with the New Kids on the Block.
“With the Backstreet Boys, we went to Vietnam. I’ve
been to China four or five times now,” he said. Naranjo
said that he’s been to 48 countries on his travels. “I’m
blessed. I didn’t think, coming from Clifton, that ‘s be
going to any one of these places.”
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant54
When on tour, each guard is assigned to one per-
former, and Naranjo paired up with singer Howie D. In
2011, Howie D went on a solo tour to South America,
and the Cliftonite went as the star’s personal body
guard.
“Howie and I hit it off. His mother is Puerto Rican
and my mother is Puerto Rican. You become part of
that family,”said Naranjo. “Howie D of the Backstreet
Boys, he likes to go sight seeing. He’s adventurous,
likes to try new foods.”
While the ability to see many new countries is a plus,
eventually, life on the road becomes tiring.
“Three months straight, you do begin to miss your
bed,” said Naranjo, who still lives in Clifton. “You
miss your friends at home, your family. Granted, you
do make friends in these other countries. But you miss
your friends, and you miss food from home.”
Currently, Naranjo is on a three week tour with
Emblem 3, the group which achieved fame on the
show, Xfactor. But when he’s not traveling around the
globe, the Cliftonite invests his time into his business,
Kros International USA, Inc. The company sells cross
sectional urinals which are rough about the same size as
a normal portapotty, but can hold four people at once.
The urinals are popular across Europe, which is
where Naranjo first saw it being used.
“My business partner is a Dutch international, and he
told me to take a look at it when I was over in Holland
last year during Queensday,” he recalled. Naranjo
immediately liked what he saw, and became a business
partner this past February. “This is my entrepreneur
side coming out. What I really want to deal with is
increasing the participant experience.”
Ultimately, Naranjo would like to add in token
machines to his company’s product line.
“It would be used at venues for beer and food,” he
said. It is designed to cut down theft and streamline
services.
Naranjo and his partners are now in the process of
attending trade shows to make headway into industry in
the United States. Though he has a lot on his plate at
the moment, the Cliftonite is very happy with the direc-
tion his life is heading.
“I still think that I wouldn’t have had the opportuni-
tys I have had today if I had not left school in 2003,”
said Naranjo. “I feel I have learned a lot too culturally.
It’s a unique opportunity that I don’t think you’d get to
experience every day.”
Interesting Jobs
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 55
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant56
As a young boy growing up in Clifton, Bill Waltonused to watch the Route 66 TV series and thought to
himself one day, I’m going to do that. So in the summer of 2009, the 1966 graduate of
Clifton High finally got around to doing the drive, taking
a 38 day road trip in his red 1968 Cadillac de Ville with
his good friend Sal Santoro.
Afterwards, the two compiled and edited more than
8,000 photos and 125 pages of journal notes into a book,
Route 66, The People, The Places, The Dream. That
book caught the attention of Jay Leno, who flew out the
two to Los Angeles on April 6 to tape a segment for his
book club show.
It’s still a lot to process for Walton, 65, who original-
ly just wanted to knock off a childhood dream off of his
bucket list.
“It just has an atmosphere, almost a mystique. A lot
of Europeans say if you really want to see the US, you
have to drive Route 66,” he said. Known as the Main
Street of America, Route 66 originally ran from Chicago
to Los Angeles. “What that mean is so much of what
Europeans see of America is movies and television, and
movies and television take place in big cities.”
“The places on Route 66 are blue collar people,”
Walton added. “It is shop owners. They’re part of the
mystique. So many of the people that we met along the
highway were wonderful. Some of them we would
spend hours talking with.”
Though he had always wanted to take the journey
down Route 66, Walton never seriously considered the
trip until meeting Santoro though the Cadillac Club of
North Jersey, which Walton founded in 1991. His obses-
sion with Cadillacs started when he was a young boy
growing up on Greenland Ave. in Clifton.
“Ace & George’s was a block away on Madeline Ave,
and for many years the owner, George Balkjy, he was a
Cadillac driver,” Walton recalled. “It was not a Cadillac
neighborhood. It was a Chevy/Ford neighborhood, so I
would remember when he would drive by.”
Years later, the CHS 66 grad would end up working
for the owner of Ace & George’s. “He had this ‘59 sedan
with these giant tail fins and bullet lights,” said Walton.
Clifton Author
Route 66 Road Trip Leadsto Jay Leno Gig
By Joe Hawrylko
Bill Walton (far right) is a CHS
1966 grad who went on a road trip
down Route 66 with friend, Sal
Santoro, and wrote a book about it.
The two are pictured with Jay
Leno. On facing page is Walton
with his niece Allison Hoey who
did artwork for the book.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 57
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“I got to drive that thing when I started working for him
in 1965, sometimes doing deliveries.”
Decades later, Walton drives his own Caddy, a red
1968 de Ville. It was this classic that the former Mustang
took on the road in the summer of 2009.
Planning for the trip started in 2008, when Walton
retired after teaching middle school music and elemen-
tary school for 37 years in the
Bergenfield school district.
Walton and Santoro compiled a list
of landmarks, museums and cities
they wanted to see along the way,
hopped in their car and set out for
Chicago to start their trip, which
lasted 38 days and took them
across the heartland of America.
“We envisioned this as our
retirement gift to ourselves,” he
said. “We had zero responsibility.
We got in the car and just went.
We didn’t even know when to tell
our wives when wed be home!”
The trip allowed them to expe-
rience parts of America unlike
anything around here.
“Those of us who live in suburban New Jersey, we
don’t get to see the sky like they do out there,” Walton
added. “Arizona, New Mexico, even Texas, it is all flat.
You can see in miles for all directions there is all this
stuff and nothing blocking it. They have trains a mile
and a half long and you can see the whole thing. There’s
no building obstructing it.”
By the time they returned home over a month later,
the two had more than 8,500 photos and 150 pages of
journal entries between the two of them. Eventually,
Walton and Santoro whittled down the photos to 500 and
showed their collection friends in the Club. “People said
you should write a book, you should have a PBS special
and we were laughing, just, yeah right,” he recalled.
But the two friends changed their minds, and spent the
next two years writing, editing and
designing their self published
book, Route 66, The People, ThePlaces, The Dream, which was
released in July 2012. Walton’s
niece, Cliftonite Allison Hoey, did
the book’s artwork.
Walton and Santoro were
happy completing their book, but
definitely did not expect their
brush with fame that brought them
to Los Angeles. The two are fans
of Jay Leno, and decided to sub-
mit their book for review for his
bookclub.
“We didn’t hear from them, so a
couple months go by and I sent
them a letter. About a month ago,
I get a call: Sal? ‘No, this is Bob’ Oh, this is Jay Leno,”
he laughed. Leno apologized for not reviewing the book
promptly and invited the two friends out to LA to tape a
segment for his website, www.jaylenosgarage.com.
“I don’t know whether we were more excited to be
interviewed by him or see his collection. Visit
www.rt66cadillacguys.com to see more photos and sto-
ries or to purchase the book.
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant58
Arts & Music
Clifton’s Yuri Turchyn brings his
blend of Latin, Jazz and World Music
to Trumpets Jazz Club and Restaurant
in Montclair on May 5 at 7 pm. His
Grupo Yuri Jazz has played at world-
class jazz festivals, concerts and clubs
throughout the NY/NJ metropolitan
area. Visit trumpetsjazz.com or call
973-744-2600.
The Theater League of Clifton is
staging the French comedy BoeingBoeing by Marc Camoletti on May
10, 11 and 12 and May 17, 18 and 19
at the Aprea Theater, 199 Scoles
Ave., Clifton. Ticket prices and times
at www.theaterleagueofclifton.com
or by calling The Theater League’s
Box Office at 973-928-7668.
The Clifton Community Band pres-
ents the 12th annual Lollipops and
Roses Intergenerational Concert on
May 18 at 2 pm at Clifton High
School, 333 Colfax Ave. Tickets are
$7; children free. Proceeds will ben-
efit the Clifton Education Foundation
and the Clifton Community Band.
Email [email protected] or
call 973-771-3751.
The Hamilton House Museum, 971
Valley Rd., celebrate Thomas
Jefferson 270th Birthday April 6 at
noon with a luncheon typical of what
our third president might have served
his guests. Tickets are $22.
Reservations only: 973-744-5707.
Paramus Catholic High School pres-ents Little Shop of Horrors, a hit
broadway musical by Howard
Ashman. Showdates are May 3 and 4
at 7:30 pm, and May 5 at 2 pm.
Tickets are $10 for students and sen-
iors, or $10 for adults. Family rate is
$25. Call 201-445-4466.
From top, Yuri Turchyn leads Grupo Yuri at Trumpets on May 5. TLC presentsBoeing Boeing on May 10-19 with John Fraissinet, Danielle Petrucelli, KarolScott, Louis Balsamo, Kodi Milde and Susan McDonald. Face to Face is anexhibit of art by CHS students at the Clifton Arts Center which opens May 8.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 59
Face to Face, an exhibit and sale
by CHS art students, will run from
May 8 to June 1 at the Clifton Arts
Center. The theme comes from the
idea that a child’s first drawing is
almost always his or her face. The
student artists of CHS and the CHS
Annex have taken on the challenge
of creating portraits head-on,
exploring as many art media, styles
and interpretations as the human
imagination can conjure. A recep-
tion open to the public will be held
on May 9 from 6 to 8 pm.
Donation is $3. CHS Music
Department student will perform at
the reception. Exhibiting artists
will also be present to discuss their
art. Regular gallery hours are from
1 to 4 pm, Wednesday through
Saturday. Group tours are available
by appointment. For more info, go
to www.cliftonnj.org or look up the
Arts Center on Facebook.
The Passaic County SeniorCitizen Art Exhibition is open to
those age 60 and over. There is no
fee to enter but entries must be
show-ready and participants are
limited to one exhibit. All entries
will be displayed June 10-28 at the
Passaic County Senior Services
office, 930 Riverview Dr., Suite
200, Totowa. A reception and an
awards ceremony is on June 28 at 2
pm. Free; call 973-569-4060.
Impact 100 Garden State is offer-
ing $133,000 in grants. Proposals
from non-profit groups that have
programs or projects in Passaic,
Morris, Somerset and Sussex coun-
ties may apply. Applicants must
offer services in arts & culture, edu-
cation, environment, family, health
and wellness. Letters of intent must
be filed by May 10 with grant appli-
cations due on June 10. More details
at www.impact100gardenstate.org.
Be Part of the 7/13/13 Garage Sale. There’s a City-Wide Garage Sale on
July 13, rain or shine, to benefit the Clifton Arts Center. The fee is $25 of
which $10 will be used by the Arts Center to obtain a garage sale permit
and $15 is a tax-deductible donation to Clifton Arts Center Inc. “The goal
is to initiate a new ‘signature fundraiser’ for the Arts Center and strength-
en our connection with a larger cross section of our community,” said Jeff
Labriola, Clifton Arts Center Advisory Board Chair. “Bring out your
treasures from the attic and basement and make some lucky deals on
7/13/13.” The CAC will provide advertising and a listing of all participat-
ing home addresses on its website three days prior to the event. For info,
email [email protected] or call 973-472-5499.
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant60
Business & Commerce
Fette Automotive Companies cut the ribbon on its new
Infiniti facility at the intersection of Routes 3 and 46 on
April 18. The state-of-the-art building encompasses
more than 22,000 square feet and houses sales, service
and lots of high end vehicles. “It’s Infiniti’s flagship
model. The building is the only one of its kind in the
New Jersey District. Frankly you could even say the
great New York area,” said Fette Infiniti Executive
Manager Pat Murray. “It’s a total luxury environment.”
Part of the treatment that Fette Infiniti customers can
expect is complementary Starbucks and snacks, a free
hand car wash, and if necessary, a free loaner vehicle.
“There’s a three lane, enclosed service reception area,
which is a pretty big deal,” said Murray. “The customer
pulls into the third lane and we have their free loaner
there. They don’t even have to go outside.”
Construction on the new building had been taking
place over the past year. The financing for the project
was done by Valley National Bank, which has had a
business relationship with three generations of Fettes.
Started as a Ford dealership in 1952 on Main and
Madison Aves by his grandfather Henry, the Fette deal-
ership moved to its present location in 1977. John
worked with his dad, Larry, until his death on May 9,
2008, and has since taken over the helm. Over the
years, the family expanded the landmark building and
added other lines. Today, Fette sells Ford, KIAs and
Infiniti. In fact the new dedicated facility was added
because Fette’s Infiniti sales had been so high. “Over the
last two years, we’ve had so much growth that we ended
up as 12th in the nation (out of 214 dealerships) for
Infiniti new car volume,” he said. “We outsold Lexus in
our market area, which is unheard of.”
Visit fetteinfiniti.com or call 973-473-3100.
On April 18, Mayor James Anzaldi, North Jersey Regional Chamber Executive Brian Tangora, Valley National FirstSenior VP Thomas Sparkes, owner John Fette and his wife, Kristin, and Assemblyman Thomas Giblin cut the ribbon andstart the party for the opening of the new Infiniti facility. (John Agnello Photography)
The Passaic County 200 Club Valor AwardsDinner will be held on May 7 at 5:30 at The
Brownstone, 351 West Broadway, Paterson. The
event honors outstanding police, fire and EMT offi-
cerss for their acts of heroism in the past year. In
addition, the Club presents five $2,500 scholarships
to the family members of those serving public safety
in Passaic County. The Club is an organization of
individuals who stand ready to provide financial
assistance to the families of law enforcement, fire
and EMS personnel. Within 48 hours after the death
of a public safety officer, the club presents a $10,000
check to the family of the deceased to help them get
through the difficult times ahead. For more informa-
tion about the Club to become a member or a spon-
sor, call 201-450-1271 or visit www.pc200club.com.
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 61
NOC Autobody of Clifton isoffering a $500 scholarship for
high school students who have
been diagnosed with Autism
Spectrum Disorder or Asperger
Syndrome is now being offered
thanks to NOC Autobody.
Applicants must complete a form
and provide documentation of their
disorder, their acceptance of into a
school, and a written letter of rec-
ommendation, a personal essay of
up to 1,000. Applications must be
turned into NOC Autobody, 574
Van Houten Ave., by May 31. Be
sure to keep a copy of your applica-
tion. For info, call 973-594-1005.
The Boys & Girls Club of Clifton,will host the 34th annual North
Jersey Regional Chamber of
Commerce Career Exploration Day
on June 6 at the Club. Students will
meet at the Club for breakfast at
8:30 am, and will then accompany
their sponsor to the sponsor’s
workplace. The event still needs
sponsors at the cost of $5 per stu-
dent. To help out, call Debra
Lesnick at 973-773-2697, ext. 20.
On April 25, Boys & Girls Club Director of Education Debra Lesnick hostedMayor Jim Anzaldi and PSE&G President Ralph LaRossa in a face off againstyoungsters in a game of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader.” They compet-ed in five categories: science, technology, engineering and math —with someClifton-area trivia for good measure. LaRossa also announced that PSE&Gprovided Boys & Girls Clubs of NJ a grant for after-school programming.
May 2013 • Clifton Merchant62
Clifton Milestone
In the heart ofAlbion, Clifton’s
School 5 on the
M o u n t a i n s i d e
marked 100 years
of service on April
9. Former stu-
dents, teachers and
parents returned
home to see old schoolmates and teachers at 6:30 pm
in the School 5 auditorium
Coordinated by Physical Education teacher John
Silva, he narrated a power point presentation of the
history of Clifton and School 5. Those in attendances
were also able to walk around and view the historical
photos, documents and yearbooks that were on display
in the auditorium while enjoying some snacks.
After the presenta-
tion, the 200 or so
guests toured the
school and sat in their
desks in their former
classrooms, often meet-
ing their ‘old’ teachers.
“Despite genera-
tional differences,
there remains a connection between the students who
attended the school,” said Silva. “School 5 is truly an
amazing place. I am blessed to be employed here
amongst such dedicated and hardworking people. I
also want to mention that our current students did a
wonderful job at the parent assembly the next day,
April 10. The students performed songs from the past
and recited historical facts from the previous decades.”
100thAnniversary
1913-2013
School #5
Clifton Merchant • May 2013 63
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May 2013 • Clifton Merchant64
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Clifton Merchant • May 2013 65
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May 2013• Clifton Merchant66
Class of 1973
The Class of ’73 reunion committee, from left, Philip Read, Bruce Rissmiller, Bernice Knowlton Mekita, Diane NatonickGoode, Valerie Watterston, Pete Garnevicus, Doris Pohle, John Orlwosky, and Lori Struck DeSilva.
It was the height of the babyboom generation’s coming of age.
The graduating class of Clifton
High School in 1973 – a bell-bot-
tom-wearing, long locks crowd --
was a hair under 1,000 strong.
In those days, John Orlowsky
was steering his maroon 1965
Chevy Impala Super Sport, with
283 cubic inch engine, into the stu-
dent parking lot alongside CHS. There, the music com-
ing off all those car stereos included “Dream On” by
Aerosmith, just in time for summer, as well as tunes by
the Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, and Rod
Stewart.
Today, Orlowsky is steering something entirely dif-
ferent. It’s a group of alums putting together this year’s
40th reunion of the Class of ’73, many of whom are still
firmly planted in their old home-
town but others who hail from
such places as the Jersey Shore and
Pennsylvania .
All were just close enough one
late February day to make it to
Mario’s Restaurant for a strategy
session for the big gathering now
set for Nov. 9 at the Bethwood in
Totowa.
“I use to play New Year’s Eve in there,” said
Orlowsky, a keyboard player whose band
“Counterpoint” hit many such venues as the Bethwood
in the 1980s.
The highly organized Orlowsky – who had a hand in
the successful 35th reunion – came with his 4-inch-thick
binder, packed with emails and reunion documents sort-
ed with page tabs.
From Bell Bottomsto Baby Boomers
1973
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 67
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May 2013• Clifton Merchant68
Class of 1973
“This is Vol. 1. Vol. II is in the truck,” he quipped.
The docs included updates on the number of CHS
alum who had made contact via the group’s website,
www.chs73alumni-cliftonnj.net. The early numbers
were promising, with 188 already likely to reunite from
7 pm to midnight Nov. 9 at the Bethwood for an “elite
buffet” with prime rib, cocktail hour, and a DJ banging
out hits from the era. Call sheets were passed out, to
drum up more attendees.
The hunt for lost alumni could be daunting, with
committee member Bruce Rissmiller at times tracking
down classmates by scouring obituaries of their parents
to pinpoint addresses decades later.
Then came a somber moment, with word that as
many as 58 classmates had passed away, and some 222
others who could not be located, known on the excel
sheets as MIA, for missing in action. Still, many more
emails and phone numbers had been collected since the
35th gathering, setting the stage for a large turnout.
When Orlowsky reminisced about his ’65 Super
Sport, committee member Lori Struck DeSilva chimed
in: “That’s what I had. Oh, my God. I loved that car!”
“A ’66 Mustang Comet, turquoise blue,” Valerie
Watterston said of her first set of wheels.
“Blue 1967 MG Midget,” Philip Read said of his.
At one time or another, the committee members all
knew of one another. The familiar faces included Carol
Thorpe, who took accordion lessons as youngsters at the
same locale as Orlowsky but didn’t connect again until
the class’ “50th birthday bash,” a reunion tied to that
milestone.
Rounding out the reunion committee are Doris Pohle,
Pete Garnevicus, Bernice Knowlton Mekita, Diane
Natonick Goode, and Fred Sloan.
“Everyone brings something unique to the table,”
said Orlowsky, whose career in custom software design
sent him on international excursions to England, France,
and Malaysia. In fact, he first met the woman who
would become his wife on the United Kingdom trip.
The topic soon shifted to enticements. There would
be a “Free to Me” drawing that will enable one alum to
get a refund of the $80 ticket price.
Reaching into his briefcase, a half-joking Orlowsky
pulled out a flyer from a well-known Clifton institution.
It appeared there might be a replay of the 35th
reunion – when in a surprise mode, the wait staff deliv-
ered White Castle hamburgers to tables of CHS ’73
alums to reignite some of those long-ago memories.
“Anybody want to have a 50-50?” said Orlowsky as
he pulled from his briefcase a roll of tickets left over
from the 35th and no doubt will be put to use again for
the 40th on Nov. 9.
Some from the Class of ’73 from top left: Philip Read, Bruce Rissmiller, Bernice Knowlton Mekita, Diane Natonick
Goode, Valerie Watterston, Pete Garnevicus, Doris Pohle, John Orlwosky, Lori Struck DeSilva and Cheryl Paicer.
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 69
May 2013• Clifton Merchant70
On March 17, Cliftonite JessicaMarkovich was crowned MissNew Jersey USA Ambassador in a
regional pageant in Toms River.
Now, the Cliftonite, who attended
CHS and graduated from Queen of
Peace in 2008, will be competing in
the USA Ambassador national event
in Tampa, Florida, during the from
August 1 to 4.
For Markovich, this is her first
major win since she started compet-
ing in pageants as a freshman at
Clifton High. The former Mustang
became interested in competing
after the school invited a former
pageant winner to come speak.
“She was actually the title holder
for National American Miss. Mr.
Baker (the guidance counselor) was
like, you need to talk to her, this girl
sounds like you,” she recalled.
Eventually, Markovich was intro-
duced and a few months later she
was off competing in her own pag-
eants. And while she is an experi-
enced competitor, the March 17 win
was Markovich’s first win in a seri-
ous event.
Markovich and the other partici-
pants compete in interview, stage
question, evening gown, casual
wear categories, and optionally, in
photography and talent.
“If your talent scores higher than
your casual wear, it replaces it, “ she
explained.
After being declared Miss New
Jersey, Markovich decided that her
platform will focus on the fight
against bullying.
“Actually, while I was in high
school, I was picked on quite a lot,”
she said. “I was bullied pretty badly
while I was a freshman.”
Markovich is currently studying
early childhood education at
William Paterson University, and
would like to eventually get her
Master’s to become a counselor.
The Cliftonite’s goal is to inspire
young teens who were bullied in the
same way that she was as a fresh-
man at CHS.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a
while. Obviously, I love kids, but I
do want to continue school and get
my Master’s while teaching,” she
said. “I want to help kids who were
like me... when I was in school, the
counselors did try to help, but
according to them, there was bigger
issues than bullying at the time. I
want to be the counselor that I didn’t
have.”
For more information about USA
Ambassador, visit www.usaambas-
sador.com. If you’d like to contact
Markovich regarding publicity
work, call 201-953-9294 or email
Jessica Markovich is Miss NJ USA Ambassador—Next Stop Tampa
Cliftonite CrownedBy Joe Hawrylko
Clifton People
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 71
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May 2013• Clifton Merchant72
Events & BriefsSince 2010, Clifton Cares has
been supporting our service men
and women stationed overseas. To
date, over 3,000 packages have
been shipped to troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Filled with cookies,
candy, gum, beef jerky, powdered
drink mixes and small sizes of toi-
letries such as shampoo, soap and
deodorant, more donations are
always needed. Money for
postage ($14.85) is also needed. To
donate, visit Lizz Gagnon at the
City Hall Tax Office. Make a
check payable to Lizz Gagnon and
earmarked Clifton Cares.
Team Awesome’s Beer Pongfundraiser at the Rock Bar is on
May 18 at 9 pm. Team Awesome
is a group participating in the Relay
for Life at Clifton Stadium on June
8. Door fee is $5 per person, and
$10 per team, which entitles you to
drink specials. For info, visit
www.relayforlife.org/cliftonnj.
The Second Annual Clifton PBA36 Freedom Roast—a motorcycle
run and pig roast—is on June 9.
Register at 7:30 am, and the police
escorted ride departs at 10 am from
The Motorcycle Mall, Washington
Ave., Belleville. The ride will end
in Clifton, where participants will
feast on pig. Those who register by
June 1 pay $25; after is $30. Ride
passengers pay $15. Food and
drink only price is $25. Proceeds
from the event will benefit Adopt A
Soldier, the USO, and Wounded
Warriors. Make checks payable to
Clifton PBA Local 36, Freedom
Roast, PO Box 1436, Clifton,
07015. For info, call officer Wayne
Stine at 973-332-6279 or officer
John Kavakich at 973-885-5238.
St Paul’s Leisure Club meets in
the church basement in Downtown
Clifton on the second and fourth
Wednesday. The next excursion is
to Camp Hope on June 5. For info,
call 973-546-7690.
The Red Hat Angels, a team walk-
ing in the June 8 Relay For Life at
Clifton Stadium, has a fundraiser
on May 15 at Bruno’s Restaurant,
Clifton Plaza. Mention Relay when
dining in or ordering out and
Bruno’s will donate 20 percent.
The Richfield ChristianReformed Church hosts a free
open faith forum every Saturday at
10:30 am. It is a casual meeting in
which people discuss faith, spiritu-
ality and current events. Meetings
are in the parsonage at 267
Pershing Rd. For more on the
forum, call 973-632-1305.
The Dutch Hill Flea Market is on
June 1 in Weasel Brook Park from
9 am to 6 pm. Vendor spaces are
$35 in advance and $40 cash on the
day of the event. Food vendor
space is $100. There will also be a
free concert from 4 to 6 pm, featur-
ing Bobby Valli of the Jersey Boys
and JT Carter, the former founding
member of The Crests. For rates
and info on this event or the Dutch
Hill Residents Association, call
George Silva at 973-470-0679.
The Coalition for Brain InjuryResearch hosts a beefsteak on June
7, 6:30 pm at the Clifton Boys &
Girls Club. With entertainment by
Uncle Floyd, silent auctions and
50/50 raffles, tickets are $50.
Proceeds benefit the search for a
brain injury cure. Info, call Dennis
Benigno at 973-632-2066 or
Eighth grade science teacher Jill Hayes at left, co-coordinated the third NJASK Pep Rally at Christopher Columbus Middle School on April 26. Studentsgot charged up to take the state’s standardized testing on April 29 with musi-cal chairs, multiplication facts game and a video with test taking tips. “Ourgoal is to have the students feel excited and confident for test day,” said Hayes,who worked with eighth grade social studies teacher Mary Keenan. Hayes ispictured with students Yasmina Zaynoune, Nacin Adams and Albaroluis Vargas.
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 73
May 2013• Clifton Merchant74
Events & Briefs
Former Ramsey Mayor RichardMuti will speak at an anti-gun vio-
lence panel at the Clifton
Democratic Club meeting on May
13 at 7 pm at the Allwood Library,
44 Lyall Rd. Muti has authored
four books and has more than 100
publishing credits on public policy,
law, politics and government. He
has also spent 19 years as a trial
prosecutor, and has taught at three
New Jersey Universities. Muti’s
fourth book, Essays for my Father,is out June 17. To attend, or for
more info, call Club President John
D. Pogorelec, Jr. at 973-778-1604.
Project Graduation registration is
on May 14 and 16 at 7:15 am and
then from 6:30 to 8 pm, and on May
21 and 22 from 6:30 to 8 pm.
Tickets are $55, thanks to the CHS-
PTSA picking up $25 off of the
ticket price, and donations from
Mustang Clifton Pride, CASA, and
the St. Philips Knights of Columbus
so far this year. Only cash or
money order is accepted. Project
Graduation is an overnight drug and
alcohol free event that takes place
after graduation on June 28. At 10
pm, they board buses which will
caravan up to a party venue where
they will be locked in from 11 pm
till 6 am. Chaperones are still need-
ed. Inquire about volunteering at a
meeting on May 13 at 7 pm in the
Media Center of CHS. Call
Maryann Cornett at 973-779-5678.
Students and teachers atWoodrow Wilson Middle Schoolare supporting one of their own
who has cancer. The unnamed stu-
dent was given $2,800 by teachers,
who raised the money following a
district-wide dress down day. On
April 10, a fundraiser was held at
Grimaldi’s Pizza, and another
$1,000 was raised. The website,
www.childhoodcancersociety.com
also gave $1,000, and arranged to
have the student meet former NJ
Devils defender Ken Daneyko.
Donations are still be accepted at
the school. Call Forrest Elliott to
help out: 973-479-2350.
A breast cancer fundraiser spon-
sored by 58 Pearledrivers will be
held on May 19 from 4 to 8 pm at
329 Lakeview Ave. The event will
feature makeovers, massages,
refreshments, vendors and more.
Tickets are $10 and proceeds will
benefit Susan G. Komen
(ww5.komen.org) a breast cancer
foundation. Call Sandra Hamlin-
Rivers at 570-850-1484.
AARP 4192 meets on May 10 at
noon at the Masonic Lodge on Van
Houten Ave. The group is collect-
ing items for veterans. There is also
a luncheon at the Mountainside Inn
on June 7, and a regular meeting on
June 14, where members will cele-
brate AARP’s anniversary. There is
also an Atlantic City trip on May
14. Call 973-471-4271.
The St. Peter’s Haven TrickyTray will be on May 23 at The
Bethwood, Totowa. Tickets are
$45. This fundraiser is one of the
Haven’s largest events during the
year. Gift donations are needed.
Call 973-546-3406 or email
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will
host its ongoing market fair, start-
ing on May 4 and 18. Vendors are
also needed. Prices are $25 if
bringing a table; $30 if renting a
table. Future dates at www.saint-
petersmarketfair.com. For more
info, call 973-886-5105.
The Woman’s Club of Allwoodmeets on May 13 at 7:30 pm at the
Allwood Community Church, at
the corners of Merrill and Chelsea.
Club members will be presenting
their antiques. Call 973-778-5276.
Colleen Murray of thePhenomenal Grandmothers is the
curator of a display of prom and
bridal artifacts on display at Main
Memorial Library on Piaget Ave.
The exhibit will be on display
through June and is accepting pho-
tos and more. Call 973-253-9579.
The Passaic-Clifton UNICO andSante Fe Salon will hold a
fundraiser on June 2 at the Clifton
Boys & Girls Club in honor of Jill
Stolarz Rubio, above, who passed
away on March 27. Rubio was a
loving wife to husband Willie and
mother to three daughters. All
money from the fundraiser will go
towards the family to offset any
expenses. Any additional money
will be put in a trust for the children.
The event will start at 5 pm. Tickets
are $45 and includes beer and soda.
For info, call 973-417-0731.
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 75
Sixth grade math teacher KimDreher was selected as the Clifton
Teachers’ Association Educator of
the Year on March 28. Dreher,
who works at Christopher
Columbus Middle School, began
teaching in Clifton in 2002. She
actually began her career in
Germany and moved back to the
United States in 1994. At CCMS,
she goes the extra mile both in the
classroom and for extra curricualr
activities. Among her favorite
projects are the annual Locks of
Love cut-a-thon, the Diversity
Dinner, and the St. Jude fundraiser.
Dreher will be presented with the
award at the CTA dinner on June 6. Kim Dreher was selected as the CTA Educator of the Year.
Prior to joining the Board of Ed in May of
2011, Commissioner Judy Bassford had no
experience on an elected body. But in the year
and a half since, Bassford became a student.
Taking courses through the NJ School Board
Association, she amassed 20 credits and is now
recognized as a Certificated Board Member.
“Education is really important to me. I am
not an educator—I only have a high school diploma—
but I am now a certified educated Board member,” she
said. “The Board is giving me a certificate to say that
I am one, which I am proud of.”
While becoming a CBM is optional, all local com-
missioners must attend mandatory seminars in three
topics: roles and responsibility, finance and student
achievement. “You get board credits for these things.
Some people chose to go to them and some don’t,”
she said “You become a better board member,
absolutely. Now I know which questions to ask.”
“When I get into something, I’ve got to jump into it
feet first,” Bassford added. “I have to learn about it as
much as possible, like I did with my son’s disability.”
In addition to her role as a commissioner, Bassford
is also an advocate for special education. She first
became involved on behalf of her son, Keith, a CHS
junior. Bassford is currently a senior parent consult-
ant and training coordinator at the Association for
Special Children and Families in West
Milford. She also formed Clifton Praise, a
parent support group that meets on the fourth
Monday of each month at the Allwood
Library.
However, after taking the courses, Bassford
said that she would like to focus on improving
student achievement in the district. Through
the courses, Bassford has met many commissioners
from around the state, which has given her different
perspectives on how to deal with education issues.
“It’s given me so many opportunities to meet peo-
ple from other districts and hear the struggles they are
having,” she said.
Bassford said Clifton’s most pressing issue will be
the district’s switch to the common core curriculum in
2014. It will include state testing online, and the dis-
trict will be working on upgrades to make sure that
each student can connect.
Bassford said that the information she learned at
the School Board Association will help her guide the
district as it navigates upcoming challenges.
“As a Board, we have to come together to make
tough decisions on how to get the district up to
speed,” she said of the nine member board. “It’s been
working well thus far, but I think we can do better.
There’s always room for improvement.”
May 2013• Clifton Merchant76
Student of the Month
Family and culture are two of the most importantthings in Christian Patti’s life. For the CHS
Student of the Month, those two are often very inter-
twined.
Since he was a young boy, Patti has been
immersed in his mother, Ukrainian background.
Until the fifth grade, Patti attended St. Nicholas
Ukrainian Catholic school in Passaic, where he
learned to speak the language of his ancestors.
His mother, Daria (Halburda), is Ukrainian, and
her parents are immigrants from that nation. Patti
visits his grandparents who live in Clifton once a
week and speaks fluent Ukrainian with them.
Pretty good for a red-haired half Irish lad.
“I actively try to keep up on it,” he said of speak-
ing Ukrainian. “Especially through Plast. I speak it
with my grandparents.”
In addition to his involvement at St. Nick’s school
and parish, Patti is also a member of Plast, which is
a national Ukrainian scouting organization.
“I had been attending Plast since I was four or
five,” he said of his trips to upstate New York. “I
plan on being a member for the rest of my life.”
“Plast is a very cultural thing,” Patti continued.
He also attended Ukrainian Saturday school classes
in a Ukrainian Cultural Center in Whippany for
many years.
Christian Patti is a Proud Ukrainian & Volunteer
Family and Culture
By Joe Hawrylko
Name: __________________________________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________
City: _______________________________________State:____________________________________
Zip:______________________Phone:_____________________________________________
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Clifton Merchant •May 2013 77
May 2013• Clifton Merchant78
Student of the Month
“I have very close friends that I
met through Plast. You get people
frome Cleveland, Chicago, New
York... all up and down the eastern
seaboard. I have friends from
Canada and all over the world.”
Plast is how he fell in love with
volleyball, one of two sports he
plays at Clifton High.
The Student of the Month first
started playing on a club team with
Plast, and later went on to compete
on Varsity for two years at CHS,
where he is a captain this year.
Patti is also the captain of the
CHS swim team, and recently
wrapped up his fourth year in the
program, and the third on Varsity.
Outside of sports, Patti also vol-
unteers regularly. His time is pri-
marily spent between two groups:
Vovcha Tropa Plast camp, and
helping sisters at the St. Mary’s
motherhouse in Sloatsburg, PA.
Patti and his father, Joseph,
became affiliated with the house
because one of the sisters had pre-
viously belonged to St. Nicholas
in Passaic. What initially started
out as a favor has become regular
volunteer work. “We do a lot of
maintenance work for them.
Anything they need, really,” said
Patti. His dad and he also do vol-
unteer work at Vovcha Tropa, a
Plast camp in East Chatam, NY.
“My parents are involved there.
My mom is an administrator and
my dad is the head of facilities,”
he said. “It’s a camp for three
weeks over the summer. About
300 to 400 people from all over
the United States come.”
Patti had attended camp there
from ages seven to 16, and eventu-
ally became a volunteer.
“Now I am a counselor and the
main life guard,” he said proudly.
“We go every weekend from April
through June.”
“It’s fun to me. My father and I
have a good time and I get to spend
time around him,” Patti added.
“Counseling younger kids, you get
to see your work pay off later.”
Once he heads off to Rutgers
New Brunswick this fall, Patti
plans on making time to continue
his volunteering endeavors. He
expects to do club volleyball and
swimming for the Scarlet Knights.
As far as a major, Patti is still
undecided, but is leaning towards
something in engineering.
“I don’t want to be behind a
desk,” he said. “Just from volun-
teering, I’ve learned that I’d rather
be out in the field working with my
hands.” Who knows, it may even
lead him back to service in his
grandparent’s homeland, Ykraina.
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 79
May 2013• Clifton Merchant80
Birthdays & Celebrations - May 2013
Richard Hango ................. 5/1Mike Szwec ..................... 5/1Samantha Cruz ................ 5/2Lou DeStefano .................. 5/2Jessica Perez .................... 5/2Jordan Lynn Bykowsky ....... 5/3Maria DeGraaf ................ 5/3Julia Komarczyk................ 5/3Irene Kuruc ...................... 5/3Margie Maloney............... 5/3Thomas Zangara .............. 5/3John Anderson Jr............... 5/4Spencer Flynn................... 5/4Jordan Kulesa................... 5/6
Russell Courtney ............... 5/6Dolores Hatala ................. 5/6Vanessa Laine Montesano.. 5/6Mary Domyon .................. 5/7Margie Hatala.................. 5/7Ashley Kulesa................... 5/8Jim Findlay....................... 5/8Dorothy Alburo................. 5/8Terry Capilli ..................... 5/8Alexandra Homsany ......... 5/8Rory Houston ................... 5/8Frank Lo Gioco................. 5/8David Peter Mosciszko ...... 5/8Matthew Nagy ................. 5/8
Christine Siluk .................. 5/8Thomas Steranko .............. 5/8Petey Pathos..................... 5/9Ray Zang......................... 5/9Joe Gore........................ 5/10Rebecca DeChellis .......... 5/11Brandon Gorny .............. 5/11Jessica Camp ................. 5/12Joe De Liberto ................ 5/12Michael Lonison.............. 5/12Donna De Liberto............ 5/13Jeff Reilly ....................... 5/13Michael Zawicki ............. 5/13Chuck Amucka ............... 5/14Alice De Liberto.............. 5/14Dorothy Brown ............... 5/15Earl Grosser Jr. ............... 5/15Victoria Leja ................... 5/15Fred Gurtman................. 5/16Mark McGuire................ 5/16Rosemary Canavan......... 5/17John Hawrylko ............... 5/17Vick Ascencio................. 5/18Jamie Antal .................... 5/18Michele D’Amico ............ 5/18Walter Hryckowian ......... 5/18Mariana Pineda ............. 5/18Becky Kuter .................... 5/19Jennifer Mulick ............... 5/20Ken Bender .................... 5/21Joe Murolo..................... 5/21Matthew Palladino .......... 5/21
88 Birthday wishes to Glory Read on May 8. Rocco Locantore & Graziella Spinella celebrate their firstanniversary on May 12. Alexis Raine Vandenberghe turned 2 on April 20. Zachary Liam Tomaikoturned 2 on Feb. 17. Happy 4th Birthday to Chloe Skye on May 14.
Birthdays & CelebrationsSend dates &?names...tomhawrylko@opton-
Clifton Merchant •May 2013 81
Gia Camille Genardi is 13on May 2 and her cousinBrianna Mayer celebratesher 23rd b’day May 29.
Danica O’Brien ............ 5/22Kage Lord.................... 5/22Danah Alburo .............. 5/23Jessica Bielen ............... 5/23MaryEllen Krattinger ..... 5/23Michele Perez .............. 5/23Donald Lopuzzo ........... 5/24Michael Santosuosso..... 5/24Brittney Abell................ 5/25Olivia Hryckowian........ 5/25Connie Paladino........... 5/25Derek Bykowsky ........... 5/26Alyssa Dalbo................ 5/26Kaylee Pinter ................ 5/26Jonathan Rideg............. 5/26Fred Antes ................... 5/27Steve Bielen ................. 5/27Kyle J. Magaster........... 5/27David J. Ricca .............. 5/28Anthony Alcalde ........... 5/29Valerie Gancarz ........... 5/29Anthony DeSomma ....... 5/30Rachel Gergats............. 5/31Christopher Ramirez...... 5/31Christopher Smith ......... 5/31Logan Thompson........... 5/31
Congratulations to Geneand Gloria Toma who cele-brate their 50th WeddingAnniversary on May 5.
May 2013• Clifton Merchant82
Moments of Grace
And so it was for 23 years, my children
defining who I was in the house my
wife Roe and I bought 26 years ago. I
liked driving the children to the zoo. I
liked driving Michael to fencing les-
sons. I liked reading Treasure Island aloud to David. I
liked teaching Karen how to ride a bicycle. “Don’t letgo, Daddy!” Karen called out with nervous laughter as
she and I made our way down the street.
I didn’t realize that suddenly it would all end. Yes,
David went off to college to become a doctor. Karen
went off to college, and majored in English.
And Michael, well, he was the last, the youngest, he
was always around, then suddenly he was in college
and I walked up the stairs one night and found three
empty bedrooms.
It has been difficult for me to adjust to what is com-
monly called “the empty nest.” I call it an empty heart.
Where are my babies? What happened to the young
father who carried the little boy on his back as he
counted the stairs? What happened to the man who
pushed the little girl on the swing as she called out in
glee, “Faster, Daddy! Faster!”Somehow I think we human beings are built to say
good bye. We know how to nurture, to love, to build up
a home and a family and a place where routine and
Scrabble become hints of heaven, and we didn’t even
know it. And then it is all gone.
The games are tucked away in the hall closet, the
children grow up and fall in love, travel, set out for
other lives that cast long shadows back to where they
once knew the sound of their father’s voice.
Letting go is difficult, especially if what we must
relinquish is filled with our own inside sense for what
is good and conformable and safe.
But we are not creatures locked in time and space.
We grow old.
The earth revolves around the sun each 24 hours no
matter how much we wish we could hold back time.
But we remember the spinning wheels of a daughter’s
bicycle, and the laughter of a son’s voice when his
father made the pirate sound of Long John Silver.
At the end of the Robin Williams’ film Hook, one of
the lost boys in Neverland says to Peter Pan just before
Peter leaves, “That was a great game.”When I am close to my own end, I hope that I can
look up into the eyes of my children and whisper, “Thatwas a great game,” for it is in this game of living
among those we love where we do, indeed, find great-
ness.
Such greatness cannot be discovered unless we let
go of those we love and watch them blossom.
Essay by Chris de Vinck
Built to say Goodbye
Christopher de Vinck is theLanguage Arts Supervisor at CHSand the author of 13 books. His bestknown work is The Power of thePowerless a frank reflection on thestruggles and joys of loving hisseverely disabled brother. To orderhis most recent work, Moments ofGrace, call 1-800-218-1903 or lookfor it in bookstores or online.
Dad, can you help me with my English homework?Daddy? Did you see my baseball mitt?
Dad, I need a ride home. Can you come get me?