Remembering Stanley

Stanley was the first born of the five children born in our family. I was the next in line, born approximately 19 months later which made us both immediate baby buddies. He was already sitting up and walking but, it didn't take me long to catch up, walking at eight months. As big brothers would, he'd share everything with his baby sister. I have vivid memories of him sitting on the wooden step with me, I was wearing in a pretty dress and had ribbons in my hair, he in a stripped t-shirt and shorts. We were both blue-eyed blondes. Stanley had eye surgery, due to the illness which crossed his eyes, "measles". It didn't stop this intellectual from learning, and books were number one on the list,(one summer, we were interviewed on WESO Radio, having completely read twenty books). Then came his rocking horse, and--Hop A Long Cassidy, a popular TV fare. We had, a very small picture TV that came out around 1948. I also recall that each afternoon, as we walked home from school for lunch, we would watch, cartoons and raising our glasses of milk, would say the pledge of allegiance of the flag. Of course, there was Clara Bell the Clown every Saturday morning on, "It's Howdy Duty Time". Along with Hi Ho Silver, and Buffalo Bob and many other shows, like Lawrence Welk and Ed Sullivan. Gosh, I even can recall seeing us in front of the set, wiggling our ears, (Micky Mouse Hats) that we would put on in the evening. He liked tinker toys, and building things, rubber stamps and had a coin collection. I know he had an interest in print and would use clay to capture comics from a newspaper. He was particularly proud of being able to speak French, which enabled him to engage in the language of my mother and aunts. Stanley was named after my mom's dad. He carried both grandfather's names as was the custom then, Joseph was his middle name. As I recall, even as a youngster, he wanted to help mommy and auntie Doris, who lived on the first floor getting into household things which got him into trouble. One day, he put comet all over auntie's floor, with his cousin, Susan, preparing it for a wash. This intellectual had difficulty learning to ride the red Columbia bike that my parents got for him, and I still can see my dad running after him, and picking him up after the crash. I recall, he was not the athletic type. The summer brought pic-nicks and fireworks and a circus that used to come to town, at Henry Street Field. There was always Sunday Mass and fishing which he didn't care for. We would fly kites and blow bubbles, and catch insects, to place in a jar. There were the usual birthday and Halloween parties. One time, he couldn't see where he was going and walked into a pole on the sidewalk, (getting a concussion was no fun). Holidays were special at our house. Stan loved classical music which he shared with me. I know he sang in the choir, but I don't remember that he had an exceptional voice like my sister Ruth. Photography was his thing. I recall the time he got one of those instantly developed black and white cameras which we could see the image as it dried. Thankfully, he provided many of the photos that he so proudly kept of us through the years. We spent many Saturday nights going to the drive-in theatre, Strand theatre, and bowled at the Hippodrome. Stan enjoyed purchasing movies for the kids to watch when they visited grandma, which became one of their favorite past-times together. Stan loved to eat, especially whoopee pies, and would buy us donuts when he came to visit. He was always just a phone call away. (Many knew he had to have a phone in every room.) I'll never forget how excited he was about his first new car. I think it was red. I remember his speech the day of graduation, being valedictorian of his class, having graduated from Cole Trade, as an electrician, which made the family so proud of his accomplishments. He always thought about pleasing others. Charity was at the top of his priority list. Many times he would surprise my mother with large appliances and purchased many things for the home, like dimming light fixtures. While he was in school, he worked under a school sponsored program, giving over his full paycheck to mom, to help care for our family, during the absence of our father, who was hospitalized due to illness. He loved going to New York to visit me in the city. Stanley was close to the family, keeping for us names, addresses and phone numbers. We could always depend on him for information and help, when needed. He was a 3rd. degree Knight of Columbus and former Exalted Ruler of the Fraternal Order of the Elks. The baton is now being passed on --as his remains will be placed over the mother he spent a lifetime loving, she having died some years prior from cancer, and along the side of my dad. Stanley, will be given a Christian burial on Wednesday, and will share in the hope of Resurrection and life eternal. We will see you again in a better place. Thanks for the many things you've done for us and for me and my family. Stan, may you know the peace of Christ and have the knowledge that you were and are loved by many, my friend and brother. I will miss you.