Monday, July 25, 2022
I did not have a typical "growing up" experience with my only brother Angelo; for I was only 6 or 7 when he went into the Army. I do recall one incident from our very early years together. Well, I can't really say I recall it - what I recall is my mother telling me about it many years later. It seems my big brother (probably about 14) enjoyed bouncing his two younger sisters (c. 2 and 4) up and down on the bed mattress. The two chubby babies probably giggled and enjoyed it too. I apparently took a bad bounce on one occasion and ended up with a broken arm. Ang recently confirmed that it was my right. I guess I made a good recovery, as I never held this against him. But as I think about it, that might account for my lousy tennis serve. In fact after he married Mimi and before their much-loved son Gary came into their lives, they would often take our sister Doris and me to movies or Sunday beach outings. I can definitely say they were a good big brother and sister to us.
During his stint in the US Army, Angelo was stationed in Italy-no doubt the fact that Italian was his first language had something to do with that. Not only did he and Mimi have many happy trips there, but on one of my first visits in Italy when I finally met extended family for the first time in my life, some of our cousins recalled seeing an army jeep coming down the dirt road toward the ancestral homesite carrying the young soldier with whom they had spent their first ten years and what a wonderful sight that was.
As we all know, no matter the age someone is-even 95-and the fact that they lived a good and happy life, we are never ready to say goodbye. But now I do say "ciao & arrivederci Angelo."
Your sister,
Gina Pagura Mosher
