Then and Now -A Family Newsletter

August 2014

Then…

From Immigrant to Classical American Housewife

Rosamaria (Mary) Danisi was born in1904, in Palo del Colle, Bari, Italy, while her father, Francesco Danisi, was in New York paving the path for his wife and children. She lived with her mother, Domenica Sangirardi, in her Aunt Angelica’s household, along with her other siblings. Apparently, her parents must have sold their home in order to pay for Francesco’s trip to America, thus forcing them to live with her aunt. At the age of 3, she sailed for America, on the SS Regina d’Italia, along with her mother and siblings, departing from the harbor of Naples on 10/7/08. The only choice for the poor to take this dreadful trip, was to pay for the cheapest ticket and travel among 1900 immigrants in steerage. They arrived in New York on 10/23/08, after over two weeks upon the ocean. Upon entry to Ellis Island in New York, she and her brother Giuseppe were put in the island’s hospital. The reason or length of time is unknown, but it is most likely they became ill due to the deplorable conditions on the ship and perhaps from sea sickness. Once released, they were met by their father, who had already been in New York for 5 years, and was living in an apartment on 14th Street that he had prepared for them. According to family, she did not like the idea of her mother sleeping with her father, whom she had never met!

By 1915, the family was living in an apartment on First Avenue in Manhattan. None had yet been naturalized. Other tenants in the building were from Italy, Ireland, Turkey and Hungary. Mary was now 10 and a student in public school. By 1920, the family was living in a different apartment on First Avenue. Mary was now 15 and still a student in public school. Other tenants were also from Italy, Ireland and Germany. By this time, Eugenia, her older sister was married and not living with the family; Angelina was also married and living with her husband. By 1925, Mary was 20, living with her family in the same apartment on First Avenue, among tenants from Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. By then, she was employed by doing embroidery and beadwork. Mary had the opportunity to take piano lessons, but when her father saw that she and the professor were falling in love with each other, he promptly stopped the lessons!

Fair skinned and petite, she married James Zurlo, an Italian-American, who was educated at MIT and graduated as a mechanical engineer (uncommon for Italians at that time). The loss of her husband’s job during the Depression inspired their move from Philadelphia to Massachusetts with his family. Mary became depressed because she missed her family who was living in the Bronx, NY. In time, she gave birth to a daughter, Marie, and a son, James Jr. They moved to Belleville, New Jersey where her husband was able to find a job as a teacher of mechanical drawing in their local high school. He adored her and they lived in a beautiful house, with floral wallpaper and a fireplace; where she was a good mother, wife and cook, kept a “victory garden” during WWII, made apple pies, relishes and preserves, grew flowers, and was talented with hand work. When James Jr. (nicknamed Chucky because of his adorable laugh) was very young, he became ill and lost his hearing. Mary had become despondent but, nevertheless, she and her husband made sure he went to an excellent school and was educated. Mary was still far from her family and she still missed them terribly. Family reunions were always a special event. She and her younger sister, Elena, were very close since they were the two youngest of the family. After her husband died, she spent each Thanksgiving with Elena and her family. They would often travel by bus and train to meet in New York City to spend the day together, since each of them did not know how to drive.

Mary died at the age of 88 in 1992.

Mary was the daughter of Francesco Danisi and Domenica Sangirardi; granddaughter of Vito Danisi and Eugenia Grumo.

Now…

Multi Media Guy

Gregory Capra is a 32 year old guitarist, singer, song writer, guitar teacher, computer supporter, and cable television technician. He was born in Thornwood, New York in 1981. As a little kid, he always had a sunny personality, loved to be funny and imitate famous people like Michael Jackson and Richard Nixon. He tried everything in school – football, saxophone, boxing, softball, soccer, and wrestling. He became a loyal friend and counselor to his friends, especially if they were in need. He loved mac n’ cheese, but it caught up with him. When he was in middle school, he took on a self-imposed diet over a summer, lost 40 lbs. – and no one recognized him when he came back to school in September! Today, Greg is an avid supporter of exercise and healthy eating. As a young boy, he loved superheroes and action figures, as most little boys do. He started a collection of toy figures and still collects them to this day.

At the age of 13, he was given an acoustic guitar as a gift. So he taught himself to play guitar by the tablature method. Eventually, he took professional guitar lessons and has continued so over the years. He loves hard rock music and heads his own band, Striven, as lead guitarist and vocalist. He often writes and performs his own songs. Upon graduation from high school, he attended Westchester Community College in Valhalla, NY and graduated with a Performing Arts degree. He continued his education at SUNY Oneonta graduating with a B.A. in Music Industry. He got, yet, another degree at the New York School of Radio and Television Production in Albany, New York, and another degree for Video Production. As the economy went into a deep slump, the music industry followed and went through many changes. Thus, it became hard for him to break into the field. Nevertheless, he has gained multri-media experience working for Roadrunner Records, Nielsen Sound Scan, Rovi, Guitar World Magazine, Vicarious Visions, Ultimate Electronics, Northern Lights, Sirius XM Radio, and the Apple Store. He has enviable technical skills in TV Studio/Field Production, Audio Live/Post Production, and a myriad of computer skills. He even found time to volunteer at the Veterans Medical Center in Albany, NY.

Today, Greg lives in Pleasantville, NY, and works as a successful Field Technician for Cablevision in Ossining, NY. He has not given up his dream of working in the music industry. So, he now has his own DJ radio show (Grunge Metal Graveyard)! For all you hard rockers, you can hear him on WARY 88.1 FM, on Fridays from 6-8 PM, from Westchester Community College in Valhalla, NY. One can see his website at gregcapra.org, and connect with him on Facebook.

Submitted by Liz Crimi Olsson

Gregory is the son of Liz Crimi Olsson and John Capra; grandson of Elena Danisi and Charles Crimi; great grandson of FiladelfioCrimi and Maria Di Giorgio, great great grandson of Benedetto Crimiand Francesca Vasi.

CORRESPONDENCE AND SUBMISSIONS TO:

Liz Crimi Olsson

80G Independence Court

Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

Phone: 914-245-4904

Email: elizabeth@danisi.org