Frances Acesta-Scandariato - Brooklyn and Beyond

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Copyright 2012 by Frances Acesta-Scandariato

ISBN 978-0-7414-8120-7 Paperback
ISBN 978-0-7414-8121-4 eBook
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012919934

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Philip Jack Scandariato was born on February 02, 1923 in New York City; he has three sisters: Frances, Lillian, and Angelina. His parents, immigrants of Sicily, Italy moved to Brooklyn, New York. He had an interest in sports and airplanes at an early age.

During World War II he was drafted into the Army and was sent to France and then Germany during the height of the war and earned the Silver and Bronze Stars for bravery. He was wounded and spent many months in hospitals in England and Massachusetts, U.S. I did not know him at that time.

When he was discharged, I noticed him in the neighborhood and he appeared shy and introverted. There was something about him that I liked. At the time, I wanted to get my drivers license and asked him if he would teach me how to drive, since he had the oldest car in the neighborhood. Before the lessons, Phil had gone to flight school and earned his recreational Pilots License. Needless to say, the driving lessons turned to laughter, fun and then love. He was 26 and I was 19the year was December, 1949.

We were married on September 23, 1950, when Phil was 27 and I was 20. In December, 1968, we moved to Florida from Bay Shore, Long Island, New York. We have three boys, Bill, Philip, Mark and one daughter, Angela and six grandchildren:- Arianne, Lia, Hanna, Sofia, Tyler and Roman, for whom this book is written, and one daughter-in-law, Patricia Ann, whom we call Patti.

My husband, Philip J. was a very good son, excellent father, concerned husband, and best friend in every aspect of life. He passed away on February 28, 2006. I am writing this book in his honor and for my family to always remember him.

Respectfully and With Love,

Frances Scandariato
2010

To my children, Bill, Philip, Mark, Angela and to Sammy Bruno for their encouragement to continue writing my memoir and to all the people who were part of my life.

I also wish to thank wholeheartedly, Claudia Marcus, my editor, for her expertise and guidance.

I am writing my memoirs for my wonderful grandchildren, and I dedicate this book to my family and to my deceased husband, Philip J. From childhood through adulthood, my life has been one of adventure and experience. The most important lesson that is found within the pages of my writing is the importance of setting goals. I want every member of my family to set goals and work hard to reach them.

My lifes journey has taken me from a childhood apartment in Brooklyn, New York, to a beautiful home in South Florida. My life has been a series of wonderful adventures, and I have had an amazing opportunity to travel and to experience the wonders of life. I have been fortunate to work behind a bank tellers window and as a teacher in front of the classroom, and I have embraced the lessons that I have been taught both by life and via a formal education.

I want my children to know of my journey, and I think they will embrace my legacy of thoughts, feelings and revelations. Each child and grandchild needs to know that any mountain can be climbed with care and confidence. Success, happiness and experience emanate from our ability to go with the current and flow with the tide.

The beginning

I want to tell my story starting with the day I was born on Suydam Street in Brooklyn, New York, December 8, 1929. My parents were immigrants, Rocco Acesta and Lena Infranco, both born in Sicily, Italy.

We lived in a six-family house owned by my mothers parents, who were my grandparents. My mother had two brothers who also lived in the building with their families. My mothers brothers were Paul, who was married to Katherine and their children were Joseph, Albert, Paul, Junior and Jeanette. Her other brother was Dominick who was married to Pauline and their children were Joseph Joey and Annette.

My parents had three children I was the oldest, then came Antoinette and Benedetto Benny. The cousins were very close; we were like brothers and sisters.

I had a poor childhood; my parents were janitors, and we had to clean the hall, stairways and take care of the sidewalk. Since I was the oldest in my family, I was chosen to clean the hallway once a week. I resented the fact that my cousins could go out to play while I cleaned the hallway and stairs from the six-family house where we lived. I also had the responsibility of going to the butcher to buy the meat for supper and also learned to do a little of the cooking when I was 13 or 14. Many years later in my life, I realized I would be a stronger person because of my childhood.

My grandparents had a house in the country in the town of Rosedale which was near Valley Stream, Long Island, New York. I have a lot of happy memories of that time period, and one especially comes to mind. My Uncle Tony, My Aunt Roses husband, (my mothers sister) had a large Model T Ford and when my grandparents were going to the country, as we called it in those days, my grandmother said I wont go unless Francie goes, too. I had to sit on a small wooden bench behind the drivers seat, near all the feet. Another scene that comes to mind was the house on the corner in Valley Stream, Rosedale which was built from concrete and stones of all sizes and there was a wishing well created from the same material as the house.

Grandma Infranco was a good business woman. Many years later I wondered how my grandparents, who emigrated here from Sicily, Italy, were able to own a six-family house in Brooklyn and also a house in the country (Rosedale, Long Island, New York). I found out after talking to my downstairs cousin, Albert, that grandma imported olive oil from Italy, rebottled it in quart bottles and sold it to people in the surrounding neighborhood.

I went to P. S. 53 on Star Street which was a kindergarten through grade 6 school. There were no educational materials at home and we did not miss anything because we did not know any better. When I went to Junior High School which was 7th, 8th and 9th grade, life would start to change gradually. When I was in the 9th grade about 13 or 14 (attending Grover Cleveland High School), I decided to get a part-time job on Thursday night and Saturday in McCrorys 5 and 10 cent store. I worked in the soda fountain and sandwich counter. It was a lot of fun and I learned how to socialize by dealing with people.