It was the summer of 63 In Gloucester- Cousin Elisa In Detroit explains

The Christmas before last was the last one we had my Dad with us for the holiday.  With his Alzheimer disease he had been slipping pretty badly but could carry on a conversation to a degree.  it was just before that Christmas that a box arrived from Detroit with my father Libby Ciaramitaro’s Navy Uniform in it.

You may recall this post from back then if you’ve been with the blog-

My Dad’s Navy Uniform 50 Years Later Shipped From Detroit

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Joey C

About three months ago I got a phone call from my dad’s first cousin Joe from Detroit (yet another Joe Ciaramitaro).  Joe follows the blog daily and tells me he knows more about what is going on in Gloucester due to GMG than he does in his own town in Michigan.  This is something that I hear from Friends of the Blog all over the country.  Joe tells me he feels as if he could walk down the street and know everyone in town.

Anyway, cousin Joe’s mom, my dad’s aunt had his Navy uniform hanging in her closet for almost 50 years. I’m not sure how the uniform found it’s way to Michigan, perhap[s cousin Joe will write in the comment section and explain the story better than I can.

My dad was stationed in Key West- tough gig, huh?  He was aboard the USS Saufley and from what he tells me part of his tour included circling Cuba during The bay of Pigs aboard the Saufley.

Well Joe shipped a box with his Navy uniform and sailors cap directly to my house where we stashed it away so we could wrap it and have my dad open it for Christmas.

The uniform wouldn’t have even fit me but nephew BJ tried it on while everyone sat around stunned.

It was a great surprise and made this Christmas super special.

Thanks Cousin Joe.

I got an email today from my Dad’s first Cousin Elisa explaining how my Dad’s Navy Uniform ended up in Detroit and about how she spent her days in Gloucester back in the summer of 1963.

Elisa writes-

I am elisa. My mother angela {angelina} was your grandfather (captain joe’s) sister. Your dad is my 1st cousin. I spent a whole summer in gloucester one year when cousin angie ciaramitaro and nick taormina were getting married. Summer of 1963.

I left michigan when school let out in the middle of may and didn’t return home till the 2nd week of september. I spent a lot of time with aunt felicia your grandmother and uncle joe (Captain Joe). I remember packing yarn and needles and walking to cressey’s beach to meet up with her sister anne and other ladies and they would knit sweaters,hats,and booties for who ever was having a baby.

At lunch time we would walk up the hill home and make lunch and drive it to the dock so your father, uncle charlie and grandfather could eat.

It was that summer your dad gave me his navy uniforms. One white and one blue. I have 2 younger brothers ~ joe and carlo. Joe would wear your dad’s unifom and go dressed as a real sailor on halloween.  My mom passed dec of 09 and going through the closets we found what I thought was my dad’s navy uniform and when joe looked inside it had your dads name on it.  Hope you got it ok.  Maybe it might spark a memory for your dad. 

My brothers and I were born in san pedro california (1947~1952) . In the late summer of 52 we moved cross country to gloucester where my mom had her brother joe and a sister mary.  My dad had his brother captain carlo and his sister rose. My mom and dad are both ciaramitaro’s cousins. My mothers parents as you know are carlo ciaramitaro and gerolama brancelone.  My dad’s parents were giuseppe ciaramitaro and elisa tocco.  Carlo and elisa are buried at mt olivet cemetary in detroit.  Gerolema is burried there in gloucester the same one your grandfather is at. I visit the site every time I come to gloucester.     

Me I am totally computer challenged.  I don’t own a computer but I got a smart phone for xmas and am hand pecking on that. I’m loving the goodmorning gloucester web site.  You and your crew are doing a remarkable job for your community.  When I finally semi retire I’ll come down with cousin agostina (she was born there moved here with her mom~mary when her dad died in 1957). We talk about it all the time.  Give my love to everyone especially your mom, dad if he is in a memory mode and angela. 
            Cousin elisa

Thank you for this cousin Elisa.  Dad doesn’t have memory mode moments enough to take this in but I’ll go see him and tell him anyway at the nursing home.