I was born in Rochester, New York on 2 September 1935. I was born at home, 76 Santee Street. My mother, Lucia, died of childbirth complications following my delivery. I could not be kept at home following my birth and I was placed in foster homes until I was five years old. My foster parents were very loving. I have nothing but fond memories of my time in foster homes. The foster home I particularly remember is the home of Mrs. LeFrois at 87 Harvest Street. I have lost contact with this wonderful woman and her family.
When I was about eight years old, my father remarried and Virginia Lobene moved to our home with her children. My stepmother, Virginia was a wonderful person. She cared for me in the same manner as she cared for her biological children. Virginia was a wonderful cook. Her pasta was usually hand made and her meals left nothing to be desired.
My two biological brothers Silvio and Aldo were ten and eight years older than I was. Both left home as soon as they reached seventeen years of age. Silvio went into the Army Air Corps as we were engaged in World War II. He became an aircraft navigator. Aldo went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) near Troy, New York. Aldo left RPI and joined the Marines in the waning years of World War II. Both are diseased.
At the age of five, I returned home to live at 76 Santee Street. I started school in the kindergarten at General Otis Public School Number 30 on Otis Street. I remember Mrs. Quinn my seventh-grade teacher, however, I cannot remember any of my other teacher's names. I will add them as they come back to me. After grammar school, I went to Jefferson Junior-Senior High School in Edgerton Park. I remember Mr. Fotch, Mr. Lowell, and Mr. Harmon. High school graduation was in June of 1953.
In the fall of 1953, I enrolled in the University of Missouri School of Engineering, Columbia, Missouri. While in school, I worked at a gas station. The first gas station was owned by Bob Caldwell. He was a friend of Scotty Carstenson who referred me to him.
In those days someone actually put gasoline in your gas tank for you. This person also washed your windshield and checked under the hood. This is what I did to get through my first year of college. I applied for and was accepted into the Westinghouse cooperative training program. It was anticipated that a student would work for one year with Westinghouse and spend one year in college. In this manner, a student would obtain valuable hand's on training while getting one's college degree.
This picture was taken at the Panda Bear Breeding and Research Center near Chengdu, Sichuan Province China. May 2016.
