June 2014 Newsletter

Jun 1, 2014 by crimi42

Then and Now -A Family Newsletter

June 2014

 

Then…

Where Did You Come From?

 

Your ancestors came from Southern Italy, in the hilltop town of Palo del Colle. This simple little town is located in the region of Apuglia, in the province of Bari, along the Adriatic coast. The 6 Greeks colonized the town and honored pre-Christian Hercules as its defender and patron. The original coat of arms depicts Hercules ready for defense. Palo is ideally situated for military defense, so during the invasion of the Huns, during the Middle Ages, it defended itself successfully. The Romans left it to itself to administer its own government because they considered it too difficult to conquer! The present coat of arms now shows a Christian knight on horseback.

 

Your ancestors, Michele Danisi and Giacoma Suoranno, date back to the late 1700’s or early 1800’s. They were simple country farmers and peasants. Due to poverty caused by the neglect of the wealthy northern landowners, it was Michelle and Giacoma’s children who forged their way to America in the early 1900’s.

 

Today, Palo del Colle still has a piazza surrounded by two churches, a café and some shops. The Church of Madonna della Porta is where our family marriages and baptisms took place. It is not the most beautiful town in Italy because it is quite plain. Nevertheless, it holds history and charm and memories of those who came before us. So now you KNOW where you come from!

 

 

 

 

Now…

The All-American Family…with a doctor in the house!

John, Maureen, Colin and Iris Zurlo are a New Jersey branch of the Danisi family tree. They have lived in North Caldwell for nearly ten years arriving from Little Falls, NJ before Colin (age 6) and Iris (age 3) were born. John is a Musculoskeletal Radiologist at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. He is a graduate of Rutgers University, training at New Jersey Medical School and the University of Pittsburgh. Before the birth of Colin, Maureen was a Social Worker serving the elderly in Bergen County, NJ. Now, she is a full time mom. She earned her BA at Ramapo College and MSW at Fordham University. Colin is in Kindergarten, extremely bright, and an experienced soccer player now dabbling in TBall. He wants to be a scientist one day. Iris is in school three days a week, also very smart, and a vivacious ballerina who eventually plans to become an astronaut. Other future plans include birthday parties, zoo trips, a trip to Dutch Wonderland in Pennsylvania, sleep overs, and playing on their new outside play set and trampoline. Eventually, they will make it to Disney World. They are fortunate to see their Grandma and Grandpa Zurlo (Barbara and James) a few times a week since they live close by in Little Falls and are always willing to help out.

Submitted by Dr. John Zurlo

By the way, John and his sister were raised by the most wonderful and loving parents who each have hearing loss since childhood. Kudos to them for a job well done!

John is the son of James Zurlo II and BarbaraVan Court, grandson of Rosamaria Danisi and James Zurlo, great grandson of Francesco Danisi and Domenica Sangirardi.

 

CORRESPONDENCE AND SUBMISSIONS TO:

Liz Crimi Olsson

80G Independence Court

Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

Phone: 914-245-4904

Email: elizabeth@danisi.org