Uncle Pat’s father was a hard man to live with (as her daughter Ann recalled). Uncle Pat left as a teenager and went to live in New York City where he remained for the rest of his life. There he was involved in several interesting pastimes.
Nardi, Grandma – “Sunday visits”
Recollections by Joe Ragucci (grandson):
When my grandparents were alive and living in Carteret, my father and I would stop by and visit every Sunday, usually in the morning. My mother (Rose) had passed away and my father had remarried (Marge) but my Dad and I went religiously. My recollections are of my grandmother cooking in the kitchen and my grandfather smoking a cigar usually on the back porch. My grandfather was a tough man who said very few words. My grandmother was very “motherly” and was always trying to feed you (like a good Italian grandmother).
Nardi, Grandpa – “cursing parrot”
Recollections by Ann Nardi Kusklyk (daughter) as remembered by Joe & Rose Raguci :
Aunt Ann would tell us about her father’s parrot who would curse in Italian. They were so embarrassed when people came to visit. She also remembers being so afraid of her father. But her sister Rose wasn’t afraid. When he would turn his back, she would salute him with “heil-hitler”. But he never understood that she was insulting him with this action calling him a tyrant.
Minucci, Sam “Mimi” – “living with the Ragucci’s”
Sam Minucci, better known as Uncle Mim, had a difficult life with his wife. She was not faithful and eventually they separated and got divorced. After leaving his wife, he came to live with us. He took over my very small middle bedroom and myself, and my 2 brothers shared the one othe bedroom. It was quite crowded but we survived. Eventually, he left and bought a home which he shared with his son Sammy.
Minucci, Neil – “strange visits”
When I remember Uncle Neil, he lived in Woodbridge and was a carpenter. He was a man of few words. The strangest thing was his weekend visits to his parents house in Port Reading. He would come and sit on the front porch and start smoking. He never went inside, he never rang the bell or let anyone know he was there. He just sat and smoked for hours. Many times someone would realize he was there and come out but other times he just came and left without interacting with anyone. It was that strange.
Minucci, Carmen – “right-right says Carmen”
I vividly remember the phrase “right right says Carmen” as it was used by kids when referring to Carmen. Carmen was the youngest son of Fiore and Maria Minucci and was severely retarded. I remember people saying that when he was born he could “fit in a shoe box” (another way of saying he was premature). The result was that he was a very difficult child. Continue reading
Ragucci-Cook, Rosalie – The night Santa didn’t come
Every child is anxious for Christmas morning. Awakening to see the presents under the tree is every child’s dream come true. One Christmas Eve when I (Rosalie) was 5 or 6 years old, I woke up and assumed that it must be Christmas morning already. I snuck out of my bedroom and crept to the stairs to peek at the tree. I was devestated when I saw that the tree was empty and there were no presents! I remember looking in the stockings for coal. I couldn’t understand why there was no coal and no presents. Continue reading
Ragucci, Dominic (Recollections)
Since my grandfather’s 90th birthday is approaching, I feel that this is a good time to write some of my recollections of him throughout the years. As a child, I remember that grandpa would always have tootsie rolls on his end table and sometimes he’d even have other candy treats in his closet. I used to like looking at all the fruits and vegetables in his garden. He still always send every visitor home with zuchinni or tomatoes or other treats. .