Disney Vacation Remembrances

As we are about to leave on another Disney World vacation,  it brought up the need to add stories about “memorable” disney vacations like:

  • First visit – “do you think we’ll ever come back?”
    Our first visit to Disney World was in 1972 when we took a vacation touring Florida.  Disney World was in the middle of nowhere and the only hotels where those on the monorail – nothing outside the park.  So we stayed in Orlando which had the closest hotels.  Only the Magic Kingdom existed and we spent a day there.  As we were leaving Rose commented “Do you think we’ll ever come back?”  Well, that was an understatement as we are a frequent visitor now!
  • Rosalie & John Engagement (and the dropped ring in garage)
  • John in the wheelchair going on Disney Cruise –
  • Disney visits with Mom
  • Disney visit with Rosalie’s college friends
  • Ben and the pool slide

60’s Remembrances

Rose & I went to a Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary) concert last night and it brought back  lots of memories of the 60’s when I was in High School and College.   Here are some stories/remembrances worth describing:

  • Marge and going shopping by bicycle. – see below
  • Atlantic City Steel Pier – and lots of live shows – see below
  • NYC Plays – see below
  • Summer trips to the Jersey Shore
  • Saturday evenings in the Tony Ragucci basement…
  • what  else?

Continue reading

Anthony Ragucci – Funeral Eulogy (Ronny)

Anthony Ragucci Sr. passed away on Feb 28th, 2011. The following are words said by his son Ronny at the Funeral Mass:

Through the years we learn of great men.  Some are skilled carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricans and masons.  Others can build entire homes from the foundation up.  Some men train to be auto mechanics, fix appliances and repair televisions.  Others have minds capable of teaching themselves computer programming. Continue reading

Anthony Ragucci – Funeral Eulogy (Linda)

Anthony Ragucci Sr. passed away on Feb 28th, 2011. The following are words said by his daughter Linda at the Funeral Mass:

First I have to say that I rewrote this at least 5 times.  Father, I don’t know how you  do this every week.

I want to say the best things about Dad, but there is too much to say and difficult to keep it short,  but I will.  Dad was a do it all man.  Continue reading

Dominic Ragucci – Barber

Dominic has always been a man of many talents.   He joined the marines during WWII and found himself on many small islands in the Pacific.   One of the many issues for the soldiers was how to get a haircut since there were no barbers.  So Dominic decided that it didn’t look too difficult and began cutting the hair of the other soldiers (and it gave him some more spending money to boot).   He continued this throughout the war.

After the war he went to work at the Reading Railroad in Port Reading.   Since he was able to cut hair, he began to do that for his co-workers for a reasonable price.  Thus, he became the railroad barber.    Another interesting fact is that he learned to cut his own hair, which  is no small feat.   

When he had children, it was natural that he saw no need to pay for a barber, so he began to cut their hair also.  In fact, he cut his son Joseph’s hair until he was in his 80’s.

Dominic Ragucci – WW II Marine

Recently HBO has been airing a miniseries called “Pacific” which focuses on the role of the Marines in the Pacific during World War II.  My dad, Dominic Ragucci, was part of the Marine effort in the Pacific but rarely talked about it.  This was an opportunity to get his to talk about this time in his life.  There are marine photos in the Family History Photo Gallery.

Continue reading

Aunt from Elizabeth episodes..

Recollections of Dominic Ragucci – 4/16/2010
Recorded by Joe Ragucci

I was talking to my Dad (Dominic Ragucci) about a page from the 1930 Census that I found with a record of the Antonio and Maria Ricucci (affectionately called the Uncle and Aunt from Elizabeth) who were living in Port Reading at the time.  My Dad began to talk about the Aunt and her “episodes” which I believe were due to epilepsy.   Continue reading