Aunt Ann said that when she was young, she was “backward” in that she was not outgoing. She was especially afraid of her father. Her sister (Rose) was just the opposite and Rose was the one who got her out of the house (see Rose stories below). Her brother Pat was always very protective of her even though he had left the house at an early age.
According to my father Dominic, Ann was introduced to her future husband, Mike Kusklyk who lived in the Bronx, through friends of her sister Rose. Rose’s best girl friend Mickey married Danny and moved to NY. My mother Rose was the godmother of her first child and she, my father, and Aunt Ann went to the christening in NY where Uncle Mike, who was a friend of Danny also attended. According to my father, Mike said to Danny, “who are all these ‘hicks'” referring to the people from NJ. Aunt Ann answered him back and from that moment my mother and Mickey decided to get them together. They began dating and eventually were married, but not in church because Mike was divorced. They moved to the Bronx (near her brother Pat, Mickey, and Danny) and she began working in New York City as a seamstress.
Uncle Mike’s first marriage occurred just before he went in the military service. When he returned, he found that his wife had deserted him, and so he got a divorce. This divorce meant that Aunt Ann and Uncle Mike who went to church religiously, could not receive the sacraments. This was painful to my aunt but they refused to seek an annulment, although several people, including myself and Fr. Brown, encouraged it. They didn’t want to stir up things with Mike’s former wife who hadn’t told her family about the failed marriage. What a poor reason to give up what they so much desired.
They lived in the Bronx for most of their life but had no children. They were always the nicest people you could meet and were loved by everyone for their love, kindness and gentleness. They eventually returned to Carteret when Uncle Mike retired from the Post Office. They lived there quite some time just a block away from our Carteret home. Uncle Mike got lung disease due to his heavy smoking and had all but half a lung removed. Although this slowed him down, it did not stop him. When Uncle Mike got very sick near the end of his life, they moved to a retirement home in Toms River near her niece Jean (Walko). Uncle Mike died about a year later. Shortly after that, Anna began showing signs of Alzheimer and moved to an assisted living home first in Edison and then in Toms River. Although she is still alive (2008), it has been several years since she has been able recognize anyone in the family due to Alzheimer’s. It is a shame because she is still healthy but has lost her mind to this disease.
Recollections by Joe & Rose Ragucci (nephew): Many of this information is first hand stories from Aunt Ann and my father Dominic .
Note: Joe & Rose Ragucci have 8mm video (converted to CD) of Ann and Mike Kusklyk’s wedding
