Clifton Merchant Magazine - February 2020 by Clifton Merchant Magazine

IT’S OUR

BOOK OF LOVE

Love Story EDITION!

LOVE AT FIRST FRY By Ariana Puzzo

It’s safe to say, it’s a good thing Fred Armona didn’t order beets the day he met Mary (Berk) Armona. Despite her notorious food swiping, beets are one thing she avoids. Everything else, though, is fair game. “Even if it’s not invited, she finds a way to get some of [my food],” said Fred, 72. “Even if she doesn’t think she likes it, she’ll try it.” “What can I say?” quipped Mary, 69. “It’s part of my charm.” She isn’t wrong. When the pair met, it was by complete accident. They were both mutual friends with Robert Mullen, who was in the Army reserves with Fred and taught at WWMS with Mary. Mullen and Mary were eating lunch in 1981 at the Hearth on Route 46, now the Maple Valley Diner, when Fred joined them because he needed to pick up notes for an Army class the men took together. What were their first impressions? “I thought Fred was adorable,” she said. “I thought he was good looking and very sweet. Just a nice man.” 16,000 Magazines

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Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE “She was very friendly, open, good-looking,” said Fred, before a pause. “And had great hands.” After the laughter subsided, Fred elaborated how Mary made such a memorable first impression. “She was picking at my French fries. She didn’t need encouragement. That was pretty cool. I just met her, and it wasn’t like it was a date. It was fascinating because it was very relaxed.” Paths Merged Born to parents Sidney and Louise Berk, Mary grew up on Day St. in the Middle Village Apartments and attended School 1, CCMS, and graduated CHS in 1968. Mary was close to her mother, especially after losing her father at age 12. She loved her time at CHS.

“I didn’t have too much angst in high school,” she said. “I loved going to football games and having my circle of friends.” Stand-out teachers were Helen Rudin for CCMS English and Walter Voightlander for contemporary civilization at CHS. However, perhaps the most important teacher was Helen Claire Chambers, who taught speech arts. Mary, who later got a speech and language degree from C.W. Post College in New York, gives her former teacher credit. “I don’t think I would’ve looked at the word speech if not for Helen Claire,” said Mary. A couple of years ahead was Fred, who grew up in Paterson. He and brother Richard were sons to Fred and Dorothy Armona. Fred’s father, a Paterson Fire Department captain, was killed in line of duty in 1975. After graduating Paterson Central in 1964 and attending the University of Georgia, Fred enlisted in the Army where he was an infantry officer at Fort Benning, Ga., then the Panama Canal Zone, before he was discharged from Fort Sam Houston in Texas. His active duty lasted four years but he remained in the Army Reserves for 19 additional years. He later worked for McLean Trucking Company in sales and operations, working in North Carolina and Tennessee before eventually transferring back to New Jersey. He finished his career with Yellow Freight for the final 17 years. February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

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BOOK OF LOVE

Mary got a job in Clifton as a speech/ language pathologist. She started in 1972 at School 14 and WWMS, then School 16 and WWMS, later transitioning to School 5 and CCMS, and finished in 2010 at Schools 5 and 4. Despite their different paths, the pair found each other and wed 36 years ago, July 17, 1983. For Mary, the highlight of the last 36 years are her stepchildren and their children. The couple’s ability to not have a “real knockdown, drag-out fight” is another. “We’ve had disagreements, but we always sort of just laugh at them or have gotten over them,” said Fred. “Yeah, that in itself,” said Mary. “We’re 100 percent partners. That whole thing about never going to bed angry; there’s something to be said for that. “My favorite thing about Fred is his kind heart. I respect him,” said Mary. “He’s 100 percent trustworthy.” However, Mary admits that she is the sentimental one. When they learned that the Hearth was gone, it hit her hard. They went often—where they not only took Mary’s mother, but also where Mary celebrated her 60th birthday. “I was devastated. Absolutely devastated,” she said. “I also went there every Monday for lunch for 20 years with some of the teachers from school, so I had much more invested in the Hearth.” “The best onion rings in New Jersey,” Fred added.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Favorite Things When asked his favorite thing about Mary, Fred said, “I couldn’t find somebody to make my life more interesting every day than Mary. I never know what to expect. When I think I have her figured out, I’m wrong. When I do figure her out, I’m still wrong.” “It’s just ever-changing and it’s just an adventure. She puts a lot of investment into people she loves and that carries through her life. I never get bored with her.” Perhaps the couple’s biggest adventure was deciding to move south. They relocated in July 2018 to Ocala, Fla., to be closer to his mother before she passed, and their children and grandchildren, who live in Georgia. “We’re more involved in their lives now,” said Mary. “We’re closer to them and can go to their games and practices because they’re very into sports.” “Sitting here in shorts, it’s a good move,” Fred said. Mary said she does miss spending time with her friends, and Fred misses his golf buddies. “I miss the Park West Diner tuna fish,” Mary added. In October, they are traveling to Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria. It means spending a lot of time together but they aren’t concerned. Doing individual and partner activities has led to the success of their marriage. “And it all works,” said Mary. “And it’s just great,” said Fred.

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BOOK OF LOVE

ROBIN & BILL GIBSON

You write your own book of love. When I think about the love that I have for my husband, what comes to mind is happiness. To me, making sure Billy’s OK makes me happy. It’s rushing home to share good news with him that brings me so much joy or shopping in a supermarket for his favorite snacks. We stand tall together and that makes me happy and proud. So, when an obstacle may get in the way of our happiness, the love and happiness that we share will always get us through the tough times. — As told by Robin Gibson

JOANNE & LEONARD GLENN

“Faith is the key ingredient to manage everything in life,” said Joanne Glenn. “It has helped me in my marriage, and it helped me to weather the storm of losing Everett.” “I honestly don’t know how people manage life without it,” she added. Glenn, 62, said her faith was affected in a significant way after the sudden loss of her son Everett in May 2012. Before his passing, she rated her faith as a seven on a scale of 1-10. “Now I’m around a 25,” she said, with a laugh. February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Her faith is what gives her the comfort and knowledge that she will see her son again. It is also what helps her tolerate the pain of the interim period. It is a part of her life that she also shares with her husband, Leonard, 65. They read the Bible together daily and after their son’s death, they found strength not only from going to grief counseling, but also marriage counseling. “When a couple loses a child, I don’t care how tight a relationship they have,” said Glenn. “It rocks a marriage. The reason why we are still together is because of God and how we have pulled Him into this whole situation and into our marriage.” As for her hopes for her marriage in the future? “That’s a funny question because we have everything,” she said. “We really do. I just hope the two of us will continue for many years to come, and that’s just living. Loving—that’s a given.” “We’re just continuing to pray on it,” she said, “and I do believe God is answering prayers.” — By Ariana Puzzo

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE

TOGETHER FOREVER A happy marriage seemed destined to happen after they met at the Clifton Casino. By Jack DeVries For Gene and Gloria Toma, both 82, it’s been a 56-year run. As the old saying goes, it was meant to be—right from the very start of their relationship. “My parents love connection happened when my dad came back from his service in the Navy,” said Christine (Toma) Miragliotta. “They saw each other at the Clifton Casino in June 1962 and became engaged that November.” However, the Tomas were together even before that time. Born a month apart, their parents were friendly and they played as children in Passaic. “We knew each other since we were in the womb,” joked Gene. “We lived a half-block from each other. We’ve always been together.” “We used to go sleigh riding,” said Gloria. Gene’s father owned a chicken store in Passaic, Toma’s Poultry.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“Her parents used to shop there,” he said, “and I used to deliver to her house and saw a lot of her.” They lost touch when the Tomas moved to Clifton when Gene was about 9. He later joined the Navy in 1955, serving aboard the USS Northampton, and returned home in 1958. Gene got a job at Dixon Press in Passaic—coincidentally where Gloria’s brother Harold worked. When he walked into the Clifton Casino, love bloomed. “He was a nice-looking guy,” said Gloria, “tall and good-looking. We danced and started dating.” “She was a beautiful girl,” said Gene. The two would go to movies, often at the Clifton Theatre, and spent summer days at Greenwood Lake. On May 5, 1963, they married at St. Anthony’s Church in Passaic.

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After getting an apartment on Summer St. in Passaic for a year, the Tomas moved upstairs from Gene’s family, living on Sheridan Ave. in Clifton. They welcomed sons Nick in 1964 and Michael in 1966. Their daughter Christine was born in 1969. In 1972, the Tomas moved to their own home in Clifton’s Maple Valley section, where they live today. By the mid-1970s, Gene opened his own business, Commercial Printing. This May 5, they’ll be together 57 years. Their secrets to a happy marriage? “Never go to bed mad at each other,” said Gene. “Find humor in everything,” added Gloria, “especially when things go wrong. We always did and it all works out. Today, the Tomas look forward to enjoying their grandchildren and spending more time with family. “They have shown my two brothers and me what true love is,” said daughter Christine. “They have had good times and bad, sickness and health, rich and poor... just as their marriage vows state. “They are living proof of those vows.” And meant to be together.

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BOOK OF LOVE

VERONICA & RICH AMATI

Respect and great role models are the cornerstones of Veronica and Rich Amati marriage. The parents of three will celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary this summer and met when they were teenagers. “Every new day brings challenges,” said Veronica. “We learn new things every day... and have known each other since 1993. When you’re building a family... you build something beautiful every single day.” Growing up and seeing how her parents treated each other was important in how she treats her own marriage. Her parents, she said, celebrated 53 years last month. “What I’ve always seen in them is how respectful their relationship is, and I think it’s key to respect each other,” she said. Similarly, Rich’s parents served as role models. His father, who had a hearing loss, married his mother who spoke little English. The couple were married for more than 20 years and despite the seemingly large communication obstacles, they found ways to overcome those hurdles.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“Growing up in that family showed me the importance of love and respect and what it meant for two people to be together,” said Rich. As for treating each other with respect, Veronica and Rich agree on certain ground rules. “One thing I know Veronica and I talked about early is we knew with anything there’s always ups and downs,” said Rich. “But the staple is that whatever disagreement or issue there might be, we try to make sure we nip it and the next day, we start fresh.” “We try not to go to sleep angry,” he added. The way they work on that is keeping a foundation of talking to each other in a respectful way. They don’t always have to agree with each other, Veronica said, but it’s important that both of their points of view are understood without offending the other person. “When we talk to each other, we do it nicely,” she said. “There’s no screaming [and] there’s no cursing in my house.” As for the “little things,” Rich said telling your significant other they are beautiful or sending a heart emoji should not be taken for granted. “Remind your other half that they really mean a lot to you,” he said. — By Ariana Puzzo

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE

ERIC & PATTY RONNEAU A good sense of humor and different interests are the cornerstones of Patty and Eric Ronneau’s successful marriage. The couple celebrated their 30th anniversary this past December and have found their different hobbies bring them closer together. Their polar opposite work schedules while working at NBC also played a role. “When we had time together, it was quality time,” said Patty. During those early years, when one of them was at work, the other was home with son Andrew (CHS ’13) and would find their own things to do. “Eric likes to go out on his boat; I don’t enjoy doing that that much,” said Patty. “I enjoy reading and spending quiet time.”

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

That does not mean that they don’t have partner hobbies. They used to camp often and still hike and travel. It’s a healthy dose of independence and willingness to keep their marriage interesting that makes all the difference. “You should continuously work on [a marriage],” said Eric. Patty agreed with him. “You’re not always going to agree on everything,” said Patty, “but it’s the way you handle the disagreements and the way you come together and grow because you grow differently, but you can still share your growth.” “The old lady’s always right,” said Eric, teasingly. “Thank you, honey,” laughed Patty. — By Ariana Puzzo

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BOOK OF LOVE

FIRST

COMES FRIENDS...

...THEN

COMES MARRIAGE By Ariana Puzzo

When Alan Paris and Karen (Pilloud) Paris became friends in CHS, they unknowingly laid the foundation for the next several decades. The couple met as members of the Mustang Marching Band—a true Clifton love story. They met during a band bake sale on Main Ave., both working to help earn money toward a trip. “I thought he was funny,” said Karen, 61. “He made me laugh—that was the first thing that I remember about him.” Having Karen as his audience was all the encouragement Alan needed. “It was a good audience for me,” admitted Alan, 61. “I had fun entertaining her.” Shortly after they met, a group of band members decided to go to a nearby pizzeria and soon, they were all inseparable. Alan recalled the group of six doing all sorts of things together throughout high school, including ice skating at the Montclair ice rink and skiing. During those years, he and Karen were simply friends; it was not until the summer of her high school graduation that they started dating. Now, when they look back at that time, they reasoned that it was a good idea that they waited before getting together. “I had such a good friendship with Karen that I didn’t want to ruin it,” said Alan. “So, I did date some other people, but Karen was always a constant friend of mine, a companion.” “Eventually, I wised up,” he added, with a grin. February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

ALAN & KAREN PARIS Family Matters Moving out of Clifton was never a consideration. Karen and Alan both grew up and went through the Clifton school system, all while developing a deep love for the community. Karen, a member of the CHS Class of 1976, lived on Broad St. with parents Frank and Elizabeth, and her sister Jeanne, attending School 2 and WWMS. While at CHS, she was a member of the Marching Mustangs for two years holding the titles of color guard and sergeant. After working in secretarial positions in New York for ABC and HBO, then spending about 13 years as a stay-at-home mother, Karen now works at CCMS teaching French.

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BOOK OF LOVE Alan (CHS ’77), a third generation Cliftonite, attended School 13 and WWMS. He lived with his parents Arthur and Gladys, and sisters Jane and Jan, in Athenia. He spent three years with the Marching Mustangs, holding multiple titles including alto sax, rank sergeant, band librarian and truck crew. Like Karen, he attended Montclair State and today works as a director of applied microscopy. Along with deep roots and memories, a large part of the reason why they stayed local was so their daughter, Alaina, 34, could know and spend time with her grandparents. “We always thought the most important thing is to be near your family,” said Karen, “and all of our family was always here.” Alan agreed, adding the community was a great place to live and raise a family. After the couple married on June 12, 1982, they lived in the Styertowne

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Apartments before purchasing their current Allwood home in 1992. “I’m starting to see it now in our neighborhood where a lot more young couples are here,” said Alan. “I just think with the proximity to the city and to the shore and good school system... we just have a lot going for us here in Clifton.” The same is now true for their daughter, Alaina (CHS ’04). She and her husband, Dan Garcia, are raising their 21-month-old daughter, Autumn, about a block away from Karen and Alan. Alaina, like her mother, is a teacher in the district at School 2 and Dan is a vice principal in Millburn. Living near their daughter and granddaughter brings Karen and Alan immense joy. “I am so proud of [Alaina],” said Karen. “I am extremely proud that she’s become this beautiful, educated woman.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE Best friends for life Karen and Alan genuinely enjoy each other’s company, whether going into the city to see shows, dining at favorite local restaurants and trying new ones, or traveling around the world. Looking ahead, though, they look forward to one thing in particular. “I’m looking forward to having a fun retirement together and enjoying our family,” said Karen. “Same,” said Alan. “Retiring and really watching Autumn grow up.” Karen and Alan, daughter Alaina, son-in-law Dan Garcia and granddaughter Autumn.

One of the things that they enjoy most is playing with Autumn. She already shows a love for music like her grandparents and her mother, who was in the Mustang Band and, along with Alan, was part of the Community Band. Alan said Autumn also enjoys when they read to her. “She likes to sit in your lap and flip the pages as you read the book to her,” he said. All of these memories were made possible by the fact that their relationship was built upon mutual respect for one another and a genuine friendship. “Alan is my rock. I always say that; he’s my rock. He’s always there for me,” said Karen, choking up. “He’s my best friend and person that I want to be with all the time.” Alan couldn’t agree more. “Karen is just the kindest person I’ve ever known and the most giving person I’ve ever met,” he said. “The greatest thing is that I got to marry my best friend. We still say we’re best friends.” “It’s a neat combination that there’s a lot of couples that get married as high school sweethearts and they don’t make it that far,” Alan added, “but when you do and you have something special, they’re not only your spouse but your best friend for life.”

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE

Newlyweds ENJOY A

Slam-Dunk

Romance By Michael C. Gabriele

LISA & JOUMER MEDINA

It’s only a two-minute walk from Lisa Farrar’s home in Dutch Hill to her house of worship—Hope Reformed Church. It’s a walk she’s made hundreds of times during the last 10 years. But that short stroll was extra special on Jan. 31 because that was the day she arrived at the church to marry her valentine, Joumer Medina. A honeymoon to the Dominican Republic followed the joyous wedding day. Some Cliftonites might know Lisa from her work as the station manager at the Clifton Cable TV. She runs the studio, directs programs and handles most of the video tech work. Joumer, a Paterson resident, is employed at General Glass International in Secaucus, a custom fabricator and distributor of commercial and industrial glass products. Their love story began when they were high school students at Passaic County Technical Institute (PCTI) in Wayne. Joumer graduated in 2008 and Lisa graduated the following year. They explained that during their years at PCTI they “really didn’t know each other, but they did notice each other,” which, roughly translated, indicates there was an unspoken attraction with a few sparks. In the years that followed they were active on social media, communicating through a network of common friends. As enthusiastic basketball fans, Lisa and Joumer soon began sharing messages. In one exchange they began an online banter regarding NBA superstar LeBron James. For reasons that she declined to disclose, Lisa said she’s not fan of Mr. James. Joumer picked up on this and the two February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

began texting good-natured “trash talk” on basketball and other matters. When asked if either one had any ulterior motives in initiating this online jousting, they paused, smiled and didn’t offer any confessions. “Sports and social media—that’s what brought us together,” Lisa said. (For the record, LeBron James has won three NBA championships, two Olympic gold medals and has been named the league most valuable player four times. He’s currently a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.) Joumer asked Lisa for a date so that they could settle their friendly sports-related differences in person. They dined at a local Italian restaurant, declared a truce and found common ground, as both are dedicated Yankees fans. Once again, the sparks that started at PCTI started to fly. Other dates followed and soon they became a steady couple. “It wasn’t exactly love at first sight,” Lisa recalled, “but every time we would go out together, I kept asking myself: ‘can this guy be this perfect?’” They fell in love and began to discuss marriage. Joumer acknowledged he was ready and knew Lisa was “the one.” However, Joumer also knew his proposal had to be smooth and memorable. He also wanted it to be a surprise. On Saturday Sept. 14, 2019, they went out for a brunch at a rooftop restaurant in Manhattan. After they had consumed a few mimosas and were in good spirits, Joumer felt the moment was right.

He gathered his thoughts, took out the engagement ring, looked at Lisa and said: “I’m asking you to marry me.” Her immediate reaction was: “what?” He repeated the proposal. She accepted. Mission accomplished. “He was so genuine,” she recalled. “We started out having a normal conversation that morning, and then he asked me to marry him. Yes, he surprised me that day.” Tears of happiness followed and wedding plans emerged. They decided to have a small wedding and low-key reception. “We wanted it to be more about our love for each other rather than have a big party.” Their choice for a honeymoon destination has significance, as Joumer’s parents were born in the Dominican Republic. Joumer received a business certification from Lincoln Technical Institute in Mahwah in 2012,

while Lisa graduated from William Paterson University in 2014. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies, Lisa began volunteering as an intern at Clifton Cable TV. Her hard work, technical expertise and persistence paid off. She was hired as the station manager in April 2019. It’s highly likely that, as a married couple, Lisa and Joumer will make a few trips to Yankee Stadium this season. And when it comes to basketball, well, maybe that’s a topic best put “on hold” for the time being. This magazine recently confirmed that LeBron James wasn’t able to attend the wedding. Unfortunately, he and the Los Angeles Lakers had an important game in Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 31.

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Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE

I Married A Party Doll A chance meeting between two Mustangs has led to a happy romance. By Jack DeVries It was an off night for Kim Latiano. Instead of performing with her group, The Party Dolls, she was enjoying herself at The Cottage. “It was a place on Hazel St. that’s not there anymore,” said the singer, who now performs with the Clifton-based band, Swingman and the Misfit-Mutts. “Everybody used to go there.” Kim recalled the 2000 moment that was about to change her life. “It was a Friday night and very crowded,” she said. “I walked by this guy who stopped me and asked, ‘Aren’t you Kim Konikowski who graduated from Clifton High?’” That was how she met her future husband, Joe Latiano. “He was part of my 1983 class,” Kim said, “but I didn’t know him. We started talking and I liked his eyes, smile and personality. He was a friendly guy.” “I knew of her,” said Joe, “from seeing her in the halls at school. I was going through a tough time in my life after my dad’s passing. She was very pleasant—a nice sweet girl. There was just something about her… something I never experienced before. “I remember telling my friend John Ustas the next day, ‘Don’t be surprised if I marry her.’” Joe was about to embark in a romance with a singer who had entertained audiences in places like Las Vegas and Hawaii, and worked with performers like Dick Clark, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Connie Frances.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“By the time I met Joe,” she said, “I was 35 and the group was not touring as much, now performing at small events and private parties.” Kim grew up on Holden St. in Botany Village and sang in the choirs at Saints Cyril and Methodius Roman Catholic Church on Ackerman Ave. At CHS, she was part of the Chorus and Dance Club; outside school, she pursued musical training. After graduating in 1983, Kim took a secretarial job. A co-worker mentioned that The Party Dolls were auditioning. What followed was nearly 20 years of touring and performing with the group. Joe’s path involved performing on courts and fields. He played basketball and baseball for the Mustangs but college was not in his plans after graduating.

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Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE “My dad was raising four kids after my mom died,” he said. “Financially, it wasn’t an option.” Later in life, Joe took a position with the Tenafly Board of Education where he has worked for the past 20 years. He also continued to star on the diamond, playing in a multitude of local softball leagues. The Latianos married in 2003 and moved into Joe’s house on Hadley Ave. in Dutch Hill. Today, they live in the Montclair Heights section. They have one daughter, Elena Rose, named for her grandmothers. “She’s a sophomore at Paramus Catholic and an honor student,” said her proud mom. “She’s danced for 10 years, is involved in musical theater, and sings and plays piano.” Along with performing with Swingman and the Misfit-Mutts, Kim is also the teacher, director and

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Joe and Kim with their daughter Elena Rose.

owner of Music Together of Bergen County and Clifton, a “mommy and me” music and movement program for children up to preschool age. While some might feel uneasy with a performing spouse, Joe accepts and supports Kim’s career. “He loves it,” she said. “Joe has met lots of new friends who have become like family. People know him wherever we perform, many times from softball. He is a likeable, personable guy. I’ve never heard him complain or be jealous or possessive about me performing.” “That’s her gig,” said Joe, “that’s what she does. I didn’t marry her to change her—I married her because I love her. We’re just so comfortable with each other.” In fact, Kim believes that if Joe had his chance, he would be a music performer, too. “I think he really wants to be up there with us,” she said. “Every chance he gets, he comes up and plays the cowbell.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE

A Mustang

Match

A strong work ethic and love of family and each other are the Rossi’s marriage foundation.

Vic and Kathy Rossi have been together forever… 46 years to be exact, 36 as a married couple. Their secret? “Tomorrow is another day,” said Vic about any obstacles. “We’ll figure it out. The secret is don’t take life too seriously.” While Kathy believes the secret to togetherness is “patience and humor,” she also lives by advice learned at the supermarket. “I met a guy at ShopRite near the cheese section,” she said. “He comes up to me and says, ‘Are you all right?’ I must have looked stressed. And then he says, ‘You have to let life go.’ “So, every time I get myself a little worked up, my kids say, ‘Mom, you have to let life go. Let it roll off your shoulders.’” Looking at Vic, she smiled and said, “I let him roll off my shoulders a lot. Nothing bothers him. He takes it all in stride.” Vic grew up in Botany Village and his family lived above Rossi’s Tavern. His grandparents, Teresa and Gaudenzio, started the business in 1946 after coming over from Italy. When he was 14, Vic’s parents, Victor and Anna, bought a home in the Allwood section. His family included siblings Roger and Louise. “The best education I got,” Vic said, “between the Clifton School System and Montclair State College, was the education from the blue-collar workers in that tavern, as well as in the Botany streets. That was a common sense education. February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

By Jack DeVries “I saw hard work, saw hard life. I learned from the elderly. They still influence me today.” Vic’s father and his Uncle Felix took over the tavern. After selling it more than a year ago, the building was unfortunately damaged during renovation and had to be torn down. As a boy, Vic liked sports, running track and cross country for the Mustangs, as well as playing a season on the baseball and football teams. He also liked to hunt and fish, but work always took precedence. He had a newspaper route at 10, delivering to more than 100 customers and remembered always having $100 in his pocket at age 13-14. “I got introduced to the Clifton High work program,” he said. “Senior year, I worked at Colfax Cabinet. I learned my trade through Mr. Fred Lombardo, an industrial arts teacher.” Kathy also has deep Clifton roots, starting in the Albion section. “My dad, Herbert Vroeginday, was a truck driver,” she said. “Always working. My mom, Mildred, was a stay-at-home mom. We were not really allowed to do too much. “At 14, I started working at Mainway Supermarket for Al Sabeh, up on Valley Rd. We all worked there— my sisters Darlene and Eileen, as well as my mom.” Early on, Kathy planned to become a secretary. “Clifton High had the best secretarial program ever,” she said, “better than Katherine Gibbs or Berkley College.” Like Vic, Kathy was part of CHS’s Cooperative

Business Program. Both later attended Montclair State and became teachers—Kathy taught business, while Vic taught industrial arts. Romance Begins Their love began at Woodrow Wilson Junior High in November 1973 after being introduced by Kathy’s friend, Val Routsis. “We started dating,” Kathy said, “but I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere. We’d walk around school together. In the summer, he’d ride his bike over.” “Dating then is not like dating now,” said Vic. “You were like good friends.” The two would go to the park, talk on the phone and hold hands. Their first real date was in 1974, seeing Murder on the Orient Express at the Allwood Theater. Other dates included hikes, bowling, and trips to White Castle after ice skating at Main Memorial Park. To get around, they got rides in Vic’s friend Tony “Sach” Prawetz’s Pontiac GTO. Because of his work ethic, Kathy’s father liked Vic. “They say you marry a guy like your father,” she said.

“After all these years, he is so much like my father—good and bad. Vic used to help my father build additions and fix the pool.” Vic felt the same about Kathy’s dad, saying, “He was old school, military, truck driver, seen it all. Common sense and streetwise, a touch of wild—in a good way.” While many believed they would be married by age 20, it would be another seven years after before the wedding took place. Road to the Altar Both Vic and Kathy started teaching after earning their degrees—he in Wanaque and Hoboken, she at Morris Knolls. Their paths would change. Vic quit teaching and formed his own company, Rossi Construction; Kathy left to work as an account manager for Baker Personnel on Clifton Ave. The long-awaited but unplanned proposal took place at an Italian restaurant on Rt. 46.

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE “He had ‘rules’ before he got married,” Kathy said. “I needed to be financially prepared,” said Vic. “I’ll be honest—I had no intention that night of asking her to marry me. We were dancing. They had a band. We had dinner. I was totally unprepared. Then I just asked her, ‘Will you marry me?’” Kathy accepted, but they needed to tell Vic’s mom first before announcing. Vic and Kathy Rossi with daughter Victoria (left) and son-in-law Frank “I couldn’t tell my mother,” she DeVito and Briana Rossi-DeVito. said, “because he didn’t tell his mother.” That August, Clifton offered Kathy a teaching job. “That’s real Italian,” Vic said. She took a pay cut, but accepting it was fortunate. She “Finally, we did,” Kathy said. “His mom said, has taught at Clifton for 33 years, helping lead the ‘Take him!’” Co-op Program she was once a part of as a director. Engaged for two years, they married Aug. 9, 1986, at St. Andrew’s in Clifton and held their reception Staying Power at the Wayne Manor. Their first home was a house Starting their marriage, the Rossis adjusted to their owned by Vic’s parents’ in Allwood. new life.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“He just worked and worked and worked,” Kathy said. “We were totally different. I walked a straight line; he loved to have fun. Maybe that’s what I liked about him.” Vic acknowledged that he and Kathy can be opposites, but he’s happy with their similarities. “We both work,” he said, “that’s the one thing we both have. And family values. But we are different. She valued education; I was a cut-up. I loved shop. I would run around and have fun, but clean fun.” The Rossis say the best part of their marriage has been their children—Briana, born in 1992, and Victoria, who arrived five years later. The family lived in Clifton until 1999 when Vic built them a new home in Parsippany. Despite his many work hours, he was always there for his daughters—coaching softball, sledding and swimming. Today, his company assists restaurants with their maintenance and construction. Kathy continues to teach at CHS, but retirement has crossed her mind. “I just called my old co-op teacher, Mrs. Kasenchar, who is 94,” she said. “I told her I was still trying to be her, but it’s getting tougher. And I wanted to thank her for instilling a work ethic in me.”

The Rossis’ daughters are also teachers—Briana in Summit and Victoria at CCMS in Clifton. And last June, Briana married husband Frank DeVito and the couple live in Morris Plans. Solid Foundation When asked for marriage advice, Vic and Kathy have the same beliefs. “Our parents were an example that you don’t quit,” said Kathy. “You didn’t quit on a marriage because you worked around the clock. We used to watch my father shave at 5 am—just so we could see him. “My parents learned this is it, and you’re going to work it out.” “Not that I’m a marriage counselor,” Vic said, “but why did we work? Along with a strong work ethic, it’s because of two things: health is No. 1 and, sad to say, money is No. 2. “When your financial foundation is sound, you can build from there. It makes life easier. Today, unfortunately, a lot of people are so pressured. That’s why a lot of marriages don’t work.” And, after almost a half-century together, the Rossis’ values, beliefs and love continue to endure.

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE

REUNITED AT THE CLUB Love happens in an unexpected place for these former Mustangs.

When Clifton last read about Rose Burlingham and Louis Robert Weigele, they were pictured on a motorcycle in the Nov. 17, 2017, edition of the New York Times. The article told of their wedding the next day and how they reconnected at the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton after meeting in 1966 at the old Camp Clifton in Jefferson. “As a young girl,” Weigele, 66, told the Times about his future bride, “she was a bit quirky and had a great interest in art; she saw the world through very creative eyes. We just hit off and became the best of friends.” They stayed in touch through the years and their first marriages. “I always cared about him,” Burlingham, 65, said in the article, “and I know he cared about me. But we always seemed to be in relationships with other people.” Burlingham, 65, an independent art dealer and writer, is the daughter of former School 12 teacher Genevieve Tamburr Generalli of Lakewood and the late Ernest J. Generalli of Clifton. Weigele, 66, is a clinical social worker with a private psychotherapy practice. He is the son of the late Marjorie Sayre Weigele and Louis C. Weigele, who lived in Northampton, Mass. Formerly, the family lived on Clifton Ave. across from the Boys & Girls Club. “Lou worked at the old Quarantine Station during high school,” said Rose. “After he left for Oberlin College, he never came back to Clifton.” Former Mustangs, Lou graduated CHS in 1970, Rose in 1969. February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

By Jack DeVries In 2014, both were single again and reconnected in the most Clifton of ways—at a beefsteak held at the Boys & Girls Club. “Throughout the years,” Burlingham told the Times, “I always looked forward to seeing him. Those feelings, regardless of the circumstances, never went away.” At the beefsteak, Burlingham began “feeling something spur of the moment happening between us. It’s kind of silly, because we were basically in a bingo hall with fluorescent lighting, not exactly a romantic setting. But all that mattered was that we were together again, and this time, I didn’t want him to leave.” The romance continued. Burlingham, who then lived in Manhattan, moved in with Weigele, who lived and worked in Cleveland. Before marrying in New York City, they held their rehearsal dinner at the place that sparked their relationship, the Boys & Girls Club. “After all these years,” Weigele told the Times, “our relationship is solid to the core, we’re very comfortable around each other, and most importantly, we have the greatest amount of respect for one another.” So what has happened since the Times article? Lou continues to ride his motorcycle on long trips, while Rose prefers shorts ones, preferably to lunch. He also plays lacrosse in various leagues and tournaments. The couple continues to reside in Cleveland but maintains an apartment in Yonkers, N.Y., allowing Rose to work with New York City artists.

Professionally, Lou still works in private practice along with teaching courses at Case Western. Rose is now in the process of opening an art gallery in Cleveland this spring. “It’s called, ‘Abattoir,’ which means slaughterhouse in French,” she said. “It will be housed in an old sausage factory.” Finally, to keep their Clifton connection, the couple returns to attend the Boys & Girls Club Alumni Beefsteak each year. A fitting ending to this Clifton love story.

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE

Time AND Distance

Can’t Keep Them Apart For this Clifton couple, love was their destiny… even if they had to wait. By Jack DeVries For Ana and Oscar Buonafina, it was a love that couldn’t be denied. “We met when we were kids around 11 years old,” said Oscar. “She would come up from Florida to visit her dad on Christmas and summer breaks.” Oscar was best friends with Ana’s step brother, Afrim. “When I met her,” he said, “I just knew I liked her. Ana used to act different around me. Afrim knew we liked each other—most people knew. I was young and shy, but it was clear that we had crushes on each other.” Initially, Ana had a different view of Oscar. “I didn’t see his shyness at first,” she remembered. “He was more of a tough guy. But I did have a crush on him. I would go back to Florida and talk about him with my best friend.” Their first kiss came at age 14 during a New Year’s Eve party thrown by Oscar’s parents at their Passaic home. “I took her on the side of my house,” he said, “with as much courage as I could gather and kissed her. The rest of the kids saw us and started joking around.” Ana said that kiss revealed Oscar’s true personality.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

“That’s where I saw the shyness,” she said. “He never talked about it, never brought it up. It was our unspoken kiss. “But he always resonated with me. The connection was kind of magical. We knew eventually that we’d be together. It was like the movie Twilight—it was almost as if he had imprinted himself on me.” But the romance would remain a long distance one. Ana returned to Florida, and the two saw less and less of each other as years passed. Both began their lives. Each met other people and had children—Anna gave birth to daughter Alyssa, while Oscar became father to sons Isaiah, Liam and Justin. They reconnected at Ana’s cousin’s wedding in 2003, seeing each other for the first time in years. “That night we went out,” he said, “and I pulled out all the stops—no more shy little Oscar. That day, she met ‘Oz,’ the hot shot. “After that, I would fly down to Florida, and we would run the Miami streets. I would do anything to make her smile.” “I think it was more of us being adults now,” said Ana. “Yes, he was a bit different, but now that we were adults, we had more confidence.” Ana would come up to see Oscar for trips to New York City, but eventually the distance got between them. “I ended up marrying someone else,” said Oscar. Reuniting Their Love Oscar would next deploy overseas with the U.S. Army as an MP for three tours, his first in 2009.

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BOOK OF LOVE During his second tour in Afghanistan in 2012, he was going through a divorce. Far from home, he thought of Ana. “One day,” Oscar said, “we were naming our weapons, and I decided to name my M-4, ‘Monchi,’ Ana’s nickname. “When I returned from the deployment, it just worked out that as my divorce was finalizing, and she reached out to me.” Through social media, Ana had learned Oscar was single again. Soon, she came to see him. “That weekend,” he said, “we spoke about how she always wanted to move here and have two little boys with me.” Things sped up after that. Ana, who worked for Swarovski, called her company’s HR dept. and requested a transfer to New Jersey. Swarovski agreed— in fact, they had an opening in Jersey now... if she could move in two weeks. “We felt like this was our chance,” Oscar said. Ana and Oscar moved to Fair Lawn. They were married in 2015 (the couple enjoyed a big reception in 2017) and soon were expecting their first son, Landon. But the dreaded distance soon returned. “After having Landon,” Oscar said, “I ended getting orders for another deployment in 2018. “And that wasn’t the only news—we found out we were expecting again.”

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Though getting through Oscar’s deployment while being pregnant was tough, Ana made it work. “It was like a movie—one I’d seen before on TV, but now I was living it,” Ana recalled. “He relocated me back to Florida while he was gone to have the support of my family.” Today, the couple lives in their home for last four years, located in Clifton’s Athenia section. Oscar runs his business, Buonafina and Sons Plumbing, while Ana continues her successful career with Swarovski. “Now we get to say our family is complete,” said Oscar. “We have our children from prior relationships and have our two boys, Landon and Zayden, known as ‘Baby Oskar.’ It seems like love brought us together the way it was meant to be. “I got to marry the girl of my dreams, and she got her Jersey guy with the two little boys she always wanted.” Ana agrees. “Since we’re older,” she added, “and had a chance to experience life, we’re with the person who we truly love. Many people get married because they say it’s the right time in their life. Not us. “Though we’re not religious people, there has always been an almost spiritual connection between us. We married when we were ready for each other.”

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Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

In June of 2019, I made an important decision in my life that apparently changed the way people looked at me. At the ripe old age of 58, I decided to wear my yarmulke, kippa, skull cap, or as some haters might say, beanie, in public. Ironically as a child growing up in Brooklyn, I fought against the wearing of my kippa. I attended a very Orthodox yeshiva and I did not want to announce my Judaism to the world. It was a personal decision and I saw no reason that others needed to know my religion and who I was. As years passed, I came back to my roots and fell in love with it. I had no problem announcing to the world that I was Jewish. I ate only kosher meat. Went to synagogue but never enough to appease the rabbis, but enough for me. I organized Holocaust memorial services and Israeli flag raisings, and even took the thankless job of serving

Life had come full circle for me. I took off my yarmulke as a child because people told me I must wear it and now I put it back on because people told me I shouldn’t wear it. Within days of making this decision in my life, I boarded a plane to Israel and visited the Holy Land for the first time. I don’t call it the Holy Land as a nickname much like the Big Apple. I call it that because that is truly what it is. There I felt at home. I was Jewish and this was where I came from and where my soul felt at peace. After touring Israel and seeing all the sacrifices others made to save Jews and Judaism, I thought the least I could do was to identify always to be a Jew. I was saying to the haters that you won’t scare out of being a Jew. In a matter of fact, to the contrary, you make be a better and prouder Jew. Over the years, I watched anti-Semitism grow like cancer. When it was time for my daughter to go to col-

Life had come full circle for me. I took off my yarmulke as a child because people told me I must wear it and now I put it back on because people told me I shouldn’t wear it. as president of my synagogue, but yet I saw no reason to wear my yarmulke constantly in public. Shortly before I made my first trip to Israel an interesting event happened: Germany announced to Jews that it was unsafe for them to wear their kippa in public. I thought of my deceased father and members of my family who endured the Holocaust and I was embarrassed, angry, afraid and felt a need to do something. How dare anyone tell me I should not wear a yarmulke?

lege five years ago, while other parents looked for academic excellence, the main thing I looked for was a university where she could be unafraid in being Jewish. With a name like Goldberg, she would not be able to escape who she was and I did not want her college years to be marred by the horrors of anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism continued to grow in the world. Incident after incident occurred throughout the world but somehow I felt safe in America. As Jews from Paris

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

I’M NOT escaped to Israel, I felt sorry for them, but felt a false sense of security here in the U.S. Then the incidents began to happen here: So many gravestones destroyed, synagogues vandalized. Then the ultimate of horrors, Pittsburgh occurred, then San Diego and the incidents continue unbated. It doesn’t matter if the haters are on the left or the right, ultimately the hatred and damage they inflict is just as bad. Oh, and let me add, if you do not think Israel has the right to exist, then you don’t think Jews have the right to exist. Stop hiding behind your word games and admit your hatred of Jews. Would anyone tolerate me saying Italy, or any other country, doesn’t have the right to exist? Of course not, and if I did say it, I would be labeled a hater of the people of that country. Well, it should make no difference when it comes to Israel. Yes, here we are entering 2020 and the ugly ghost of the past that destroyed millions of lives seem to be resurrecting and inflicting more evil. For me the evil keeps getting closer to home. Last month, Jews were hunted down in Jersey City, a place where I’ve worked for the last 13 years. Now it occurs to

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

SCARED me just because I choose to wear a yarmulke the chance of me dying in an act of violence increases dramatically. The simple act of me going to work is more dangerous merely because I choose to identify to the world that I am a Jew. I think about this now everyday when I put on my kippa, Will my children be left fatherless? Will they be lighting candles for me one day? Will children in the school where I am a principal be hurt in the attack on me? That is the reality of being a Jew in 2020. I am sure many of you are thinking, why don’t I stop wearing the kippa? After all I lived happily for over 40 years not wearing it. I will not let the bastards win, I almost wish I could wear a bigger one. I will not be scared out of being a Jew. It is my way of fighting those who want to destroy me and my people. They must know that we will never be destroyed. Never again will Jews have to cower and pray in darkness. If there is one thing Jews have experience at, it is overcoming evil and we will overcome this and be stronger because of it. Am Yisrael Chai. The nation of Israel lives. Steve Goldberg’s essay first appeared in the Dec. 31, 2019, Star-Ledger.

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Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

The Clifton Track above courtesy of E. A. Smyk; Lonnie Clayton photos from the Keeneland Library Hemment Collection.

In 1889, lonnie Clayton began his professional riding career in Clifton. Three years later, he won the Kentucky Derby and still holds the record as the youngest jockey to ever win the crown. 46â&#x20AC;&#x192;

February 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ Cliftonmagazine.com

Babe Ruth got his start at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys in Baltimore, Md. After being cut as a sophomore, Michael Jordan starred for the Laney High School varsity in Wilmington, N.C. When his bike was stolen, Muhammad Ali took up boxing in Louisville, Ky. And young jockey Alonzo “Lonnie” Clayton first tasted success in what would become Clifton, N.J. Clayton, unknown to today’s sports fans, is a lost Clifton legend. But over a century ago— when horse racing was the nation’s No. 1 spectator attraction, more popular than baseball or football—he was one of the nation’s highest paid and most successful athletes. Traveling the country in an era when most people usually never ventured beyond their hometown, in 1892, Clayton became the

On the land where Lonnie Clayton (above) raced, Passaic’s Jack Tatum waged gridiron war in the 1960s. Ten years later, Clifton’s own great African American athletes—Mustangs running backs Jim Jenkins and Garey Taylor—thrilled recent day fans.

youngest jockey ever to win the Kentucky Derby. He is also significant for another reason. In an era when African Americans often faced ugly hate and heightened discrimination, black jockeys like Clayton dominated the sport of kings. As example, 13 of 15 jockeys in the 1875 Kentucky Derby were black and African American riders won 15 of the first 28 Derby races. Clayton was part of this legacy. Besides winning the Derby in 1892, he finished second there twice and third once, and was one of three African American jockeys to compete in the Preakness, finishing third in 1896. Clayton was incredibly popular for his time. In fact, after riding Ornament to victory in the 1897 St. Louis Derby, he had to be rescued by police from adoring crowds so he could board

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

Lost legends of Clifton his train in a city then known for its racial intolerance. And, it is at the long gone Clifton Track—the land where Main Memorial Park and Clifton Stadium sit today—that Lonnie Clayton first tasted triumph. Clifton’s Sporting Past Then part of Acquackanonk Township, the Clifton Track opened in 1875. A decade later, it featured a glass-enclosed 10,000-seat grandstand made of Georgia pine and a “betting ring” where bookmakers rented booths for $50 to $75 a day. The “sporting gentry” loved the Clifton Track despite, as the Passaic Daily Herald described, having the reputation as being “no straighter than a corkscrew.” The 65-ft. wide track (75-ft. wide in the straightaways) featured electric lights and steam heat, and charged men $1 and women 50 cents to enter. The Erie Railroad built a spur from Lakeview Ave. up to Piaget Ave. to drop passengers there, and three New York City trains made stops on racing days. By the time Clayton arrived, the Clifton Track’s ownership was under siege from a trio of unlikely bedfellows—local clergy, a newspaper and New York City’s pool halls. While betting and horse racing weren’t illegal in New Jersey, running an establishment where gambling took place—like the Clifton Track—definitely was. The clergy hated gambling and the Paterson Daily Press knew anti-horse racing crusades sold papers. Pool

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

halls—establishments where people went to bet, not play billiards—were upset because the Clifton Track owners “did all in their power” to prevent them from getting racing news, as the New York Times reported. The Clifton Track countered, saying pool halls “interfered with attendance.” In Jan. 1891, the track’s management was found guilty of running a gambling establishment. Track president George H. Engemann was sentenced to a year in prison, effectively ending racing in Clifton. By 1897, New Jersey had banned all forms of gambling. The Clifton Track was later used for circuses, Wild West shows and bicycle and motorcycle racing. By 1920, the property was purchased by the Clifton Board of Education. But while the Clifton Track was still in operation, young Lonnie Clayton learned his craft. “Toad on a Limb” Born March 27, 1876, in Kansas City, Mo., Clayton moved with his large family to Little Rock, Ark., at age 10. His father was a carpenter but had 13 mouths to feed. Lonnie, described as “bright,” worked as an errand boy and bootblack to help out. But what he really wanted to do was become a jockey like older brother Albertus. When his parents objected to his plan, the boy ran away from home to join his brother in Chicago, getting work as a stable hand and exercise rider. Lonnie then followed Albertus to a track in Brighton Beach, N.Y., where he rode in his first race. In a Buffalo Enquirer story, the horse’s owner Dan Hoing said: “I had two horses in a race. I put Al upon one and Lonnie upon the other. The latter was about the smallest kid you ever saw upon a horse. He looked like a toad on a limb, and he was as green as you ever saw.” Hoing told the brothers, if possible, he want-

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

Lost legends of Clifton

The Clifton Track, circa 1890, now Main Memorial Park and Clifton Stadium.

ed Al’s horse to win. However, after both Claytons were defeated in the race, Hoing found Lonnie hiding and crying. The young jockey said he could have won but didn’t since Al’s horse was supposed to. “He felt so bad over it,” Hoing said, “that he said he was going home and never ride another horse. I cheered him up and he soon got over it.” The Brighton Beach Track was managed by the same group who controlled the Clifton Track where Hoing also had horses. Newspapers show by 1888, a “Clayton” (either Albertus or Lonnie) riding in Clifton. The late Edward Hotaling, author of The Great Black Jockeys, said in a 2006 interview that Lonnie’s first career win came aboard a horse named Redstone at the Clifton Track on Oct. 26, 1889. He was only 12 years-old. Two years after his debut, Clayton rode in 441 races at various tracks, winning 73 times with 62 second-place finishes, and 67 third-place mounts. He was better in 1892, riding 351 times and winning 81 times—23 percent of his races. The Broad Ax, a Utah newspaper, described Clayton as “handsome as a Raphael cherub and a little gentleman in deportment...” The paper added he that “seemed to be gifted with that instinctive ‘feel’ of his horses which told whether a waiting policy or an instant sprint for the lead was most conducive to success.” The New York World wrote Clayton had “more engagements than he could attend to.”

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Derby Mount At the May 11, 1892, Kentucky Derby—aboard the reddish-brown colt Azra—Clayton, 15, would make history in the three-horse field, the smallest in Derby history. Most of the 12,000 people at Churchill Downs were betting on the other horses—Huron and a colt named Phil Dwyer. Smart money figured Huron would take the lead and battle Phil Dwyer in the stretch. Clayton and Azra had other plans. Just before the race, Clayton gazed at the gray Kentucky sky and felt the unseasonable chill in the air. During the next two minutes, that chill would turn to intense heat. The starter’s flag dropped and the race began as predicted with Huron setting a fast pace. But with 200 yards to the wire, Phil Dwyer faded and Azra—summoning surprising strength—closed to within three lengths of Huron. The Courier-Journal wrote, “Clayton climbed up his neck and worked like a demon.” Down the stretch, he guided his horse to the inside, but Huron pinned Clayton and Azra on the rail so close that Lonnie couldn’t use his whip. It didn’t matter. His magnificent colt kept charging and the crowd began shouting in unison: “Azra! Azra! Azra!” Clayton and Azra finally pulled even with Huron. Just before the finish line, Lonnie adjusted his body and eased Azra’s nose up at the wire—making Clayton the youngest jockey ever to win the Kentucky Derby. The New-York Tribune wrote: “Both horses were do-

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

Lost legends of Clifton ing their level best, and it was simply the case of the best jockey.” “I’m glad I won it,” said Clayton, describing the furious finish, “but Lord it was hot!” After the Derby, Clayton and Azra won several more races, capturing the 1892 Clark Handicap and Travers Stakes in Saratoga. The horse apparently gave Lonnie everything he had. One morning, Azra’s trainer brought a few guests into the stable to see the Kentucky Derby winner—only to find the colt dead in his stall. But Clayton continued racing. By 1896, his salary exceeded $10,000 a season (the average American made about $300-500 a year during this time). He built his parents the finest house in Little Rock, owned other buildings and had already earned a reported $65,000 from racing. He also employed four people—including a bookkeeper to keep his finances straight. But things would not end well for Clayton. Lonnie’s Story In 1901, Clayton was arrested at Aqueduct Race Track just before a race. The year before, he had cracked a spectator with the handle of his whip for taunting him for losing a race. He was taken into custody and fined $1,500. And, like other African American riders, he continued to face discrimination. White stable boys refused to eat with the black jockeys, and white riders were even worse. Writing about the African American jockeys, the Brooklyn Eagle said: “These lads have complained that the white boys gave them the ‘razz dazz,’ which in race mien parlance means colored boys were jammed (and) knocked against the fence when they attempted to ride in a race.” Getting older, Clayton grew heavier, sometimes unable to ride. In 1904 and 1905, he attempted comebacks in New Orleans and Montana before fading from the public eye.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

By that time, what had happened in Clifton was now taking place across the country. By 1908, because of attacks by anti-gambling forces, U.S. racetracks dropped from 314 to 25. The first to suffer were black jockeys. “Because of economic pressures,” said Hotaling, “most were forced out. They might have taken jobs as stable hands first, before ending up living in the cities they once raced in. It was one of the saddest chapters in American sports history.” Clayton moved west, buying property in Vancouver, B.C., and going into business. Newspapers say to satisfy a tax lien, he sold off his property in Little Rock. It is speculated that bad luck followed. By 1913, he had joined his family in Los Angeles where the great jockey was forced to work as a hotel bellhop. By 1917, he was dead from tuberculosis at age 40. “Black jockeys had forced America to recognize their talent,” said Hotaling. “After his Derby win, the Courier-Journal called Clayton a ‘hero’—an unusual term for a black in the segregated south. They integrated their sport, long before Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color line.” Clifton has seen great African American athletes, including Negro League baseball stars like John Henry Lloyd, Smokey Joe Williams, and Oscar Charleston who played behind the old Doherty Silk Mill in the 1920s. Decades later, Paterson’s Larry Doby—the second player to break baseball’s color line—belted balls far out of Richardson Oval for Eastside High. And on the very land where Clayton once raced, Passaic’s Jack Tatum waged gridiron war in the 1960s. Ten years later, Clifton’s own great African American athletes—Mustangs running backs Jim Jenkins and Garey Taylor—thrilled fans. But none of them reached the pinnacle of success at such a young age as Lonnie Clayton—formerly a jockey racing in Clifton, now a part of history. This occasional series features Clifton’s forgotten tales of legendary people, places or events. In recognition of February’s Black History Month, we presented Lonnie Clayton’s story.

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

BIG THANKS TO

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February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

With Great Pride, We Recognize the Clifton Office’s Highest Achievers. September January 20182019 AwardAward WinnersWinners

Alma Billings Patricia “Patty” Badia

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Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020 Cliftonmagazine.com • June 2018

55 37

Cast members check online profiles in “Last Chance for Romance.com,” the dinner theater production by the Theater League of Clifton. The theme is online dating for the 60-plus crowd and the challenges it poses. From left are Andy Sina, Beth Kearney, Steve Adubato, Donna Fraissinet and Victoria Lopez. The show opens Feb. 15 at Mario’s Restaurant. Call 973-928-7668.

John Panzenhagen’s painting is on display at CAC.

An Art Partnership is an exhibit and sale at the Clifton Arts Center by The Tuesday Painters. Members of the coop create in various mediums including pastel, drawing, watercolor and acrylics. The exhibit runs Jan. 29 to Feb. 28, and the CAC gallery is open Wed.-Sat., 1-4 pm. A Feb. 8 reception is at 1 pm (snow date Feb 9). For exhibit info, call the CAC’s Roxanne Cammilleri at 973-472-5499 or visit www.cliftonartscenter.org. To learn about The Tuesday Painters, a group of artists who meet in Allendale every Tuesday, call Mike Bertelli at 551-579-0426. It’s time to eat pancakes and support a great cause! As they have for years, the O’Neil family, owners of Clifton’s IHOP located at 680 Route 3 West, will participate in Feb. 25’s National Pancake Day. Beginning at 7 am and going to 7 pm, customers are invited to enjoy one free short stack of IHOP’s famous buttermilk pancakes. In return, IHOP and the O’Neils ask them to make a donation to support Children’s Specialized Hospital, the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital’s beneficiary. Diners can also enter to win pancakes for life and other prizes. Ready to serve are (from left) Shawn Moreland, Junior Espinoza, Duwayne Settles and Julisnna Librado.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

The Rainbow Montessori School’s 22nd annual “Spring Fling Tricky Tray” is at the Boys & Girls Club on May 15 from 6-10 pm. Tickets are $20 which includes small category starter tickets, coffee, dessert, prizes and 50/50 raffle. Contact Staci at 973-772-2330 for info. Passaic Public Library presents the Second Sunday Concert Series, features Dr. David Podles performing, Africa to India: Musical Odyssey of Exotic Lands on Feb. 9 at 3 pm. The library is at 195 Gregory Ave. in Passaic. Call 973-779-0474 ext. 11. BOE Commissioner Franklin S. Montero, Esq., was named Municipal Court judge for the Borough of Bergenfield. The mayor made the nomination during the borough’s annual reorganization meeting. Bergenfield council members voted to accept Montero’s nomination, and he will join the Bergenfield Municipality for a three-year term as judge.

The Mustangs Marching Band will travel to San Francisco Feb. 6-10 to perform in the annual Chinese New Year Parade. On Jan. 10, the Band Parents Association hosted its beefsteak fundraiser dinner held at the Boys & Girls Club and over 350 attended. Funds raised will be used for scholarships for band students. Bryan Stepneski (left), the Mustang Band director, and Mike Termyna, president of the Band Parents Association, were in attendance, and students Max Rubin, Jesse Felder-Pfaff and Lucius Patti led efforts to build a bread tower.

Grease is the show at Woodrow Wilson Middle School Feb. 6 and 7 at 7 pm. The musical is a homage to the days or greasers, hot rods and summer romance. The cast, some pictured above, includes Deijah Kelly, Kate Majowicz, Andrew Macalino, Casey Wellins, Stefanie Feliciano, Natanya Rodriguez, Eri Spear, Mark Tarkany, Ryan Wellins, Madison Leibowitz, Negin Saidian, Tristan Rivera, David Abbott, Jayden Toledo and Lily Kearney. Purchase tickets at the door.

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Knapp Legacy of Service On February 27, 1960, the day my mom and dad married, they opened R.F. Knapp Roofing. It was a bold move for Dorothy and Richard. But six decades later, I’m proud to celebrate the 60th anniversary of our family business. While my brother and I worked together until his death in 2014, I proudly continue our family business. On this page, I wanted to share a few photos... and let you know how much the Knapp Family has appreciated your support and trust over these six decades. At right in 1990, that’s my family just before my dad died... at the bottom is Richie, a great skipper and fisherman... and at right, that’s mom and me in 2007, supporting the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton.

Thank You, Clifton! - Don Knapp

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14 Pilgrim Dr. Clifton • (973) 777-1699 Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

Passaic County Clerk Danielle Ireland-Imhof announced five Clifton students were selected as winners in the coloring contest associated with the 2020 Passaic County Poster Calendar. From School 15, they include fourth graders Samah Zeidan, whose art honored the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. Also pictured is Tamjida Parvin, who won an honorable mention, as did Melvin Montes (absent when the photo was taken). From School 5, fourth graders Joshua Gormley and Stella Martinique won spots on the poster as one of 12 pieces of art featured. Posters can been seen at passaiccountyclerk.org or in Passaic County building and facilities.

The annual Troop 21 Boy Scout Pancake Breakfast will be held in the St Philip the Apostle School Auditorium at 797 Valley Rd., March 1, from 8 am to noon (last seating 11:30 am). Tickets are adults $10, seniors $8, and children 12-and-under $5. Children under 4 eat free with paying adult. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For info, contact troop21clifton@gmail.com.

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February 2020 â&#x20AC;˘ Cliftonmagazine.com

Clifton’s first Volunteer Expo was a great success. Nonprofits filled the Boys and Girls Club on Jan. 12, sharing volunteer opportunities. Organizers (from left) Keith Oakley, Kim Castellano and Ray Robertello—with help of the CHS Key Club—welcomed more than 100 interested in volunteering. Nonprofit groups included those assisting animals, youths, arts, literacy, veterans, social services, and historical preservation. A St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, featuring a corned beef and cabbage dinner, will be held March 14 from 3-7 pm. Sponsored by the Families of Vets, the event will be held at VFW Albion Post 7165, located at 491 Valley Rd. Donation is $20 per person and includes beer wine and soda. For info and tickets, call Ken Wasiewicz at 973-670-4745 or stop by the Albion Post. The Rosary Society of St. Paul’s Church is hosting its annual FishN-Chips Dinner/Raffle March 26 in the parish hall. Donation is $15 for adults; $7 for children under 12. Tickets must be purchased in advance, no tickets sold at the door. Take Out orders can be picked up between 5-5:30 pm after which the sit-down dinner begins. To purchase tickets and for info, call Louise Moccia at 973-478-2605. The Advisory Committee for Individuals with Disabilities reminds all their monthly meetings are open to the public. Meetings are held Feb. 10, March 16, April 20, May 18, June 15, July 20, Sept. 21, Oct. 19 and Nov. 16 in the Board of Health Conference room and begin at 6:30 pm. For info, or to attend, call 973-253-9579. Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

Mohamed Abouelnaga, Angel Guanga, Abigail Loeb, Kaylee Unis-Hinojosa.

February has arrived for Mustangs of the Month.

The vice principals from each Clifton High wing have spotlighted four students who have gotten a head start on the latest activities on the campus, one from each grade. Mohamed Abouelnaga, Senior Mohamed Abouelnaga has his sights set high. “I would like to study aeronautical science,” said the senior, “so I can achieve my dream to become an airline pilot. This career will show me a lot of cultures and allow me to discover a new world, and it is not a routine job.” Abouelnaga is not a routine student. His favorite subjects: physics and chemistry. “Studying physics,” he said, “strengthens quantitative reasoning and problem-solving skills that are valuable. Studying chemistry helps me to make informed decisions.” He credits teachers Mr. Gouliamos and Mr. Mansour for their positive influence and “making the classes easier than what I expected.” He also thanks his family for their support and his best friend Mahmoud Abouelnaga for “always pushing me forward.” Abouelnaga added, “When I see someone who has achieved something, I like to know more about them so I can take the good advice.” Additional learning comes from the Pre-Med Club. “Pre-med club,” said Abouelnaga, a two-year member, “allows me to see behind the scenes of medical processes. The guest speakers make me have a greater appreciation for science.”

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Angel Guanga, Junior Music is a way of life for Angel Guanga. His favorite subject is strings class where he is “very passionate” about playing the violin. He is also a member of the Marching Mustangs and he and others in the band will be performing in San Francisco this month. “I have grown much in the Marching Band,” he said. “Other than learning to play an instrument and doing physical activities, Mr. Stepneski continues to teach us discipline, respect and leadership.” He is also inspired by Mrs. Babiak. “She may be tough on me sometimes,” Guanga said, “but believes I can do better and improve. She continues to push me to get better with my musical skills. Mrs. Babiak also pushes me to become a leader in the orchestra because I am the concertmaster, one of the highest positions with great responsibilities.” Guanga is also a member of the Wind Ensemble, Brass and Jazz Bands, and Tri-M Music Honor Society. His biggest obstacle at CHS is managing his time with studies and many rehearsals. “Although it may be stressful,” Guanga said, “I’ve learned to get things done before my activities.” Guanga wants to study music in college. “I would love to privately teach,” he said. “I would also like to endeavor in coaching chamber orchestra and perform in orchestra or chamber groups.”

Abigail Loeb, Sophomore Abigail Loeb has much going in her life. “I am a part of the CHS Orchestra, Key Club, Mural Club, Model United Nations, Math League, Tri-M Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and Roman History Club,” she said. “Of these, I most enjoy Key Club. “There aren’t many other activities I would like to join because I feel I have taken on as much as I can handle.” Her favorite subject is art, and Loeb credited her middle school teacher Mrs. Luto for inspiration. “The environment she created in my past classes,” she said, “as well as the lessons she taught, showed me art can be a future instead of just a hobby or side job. Mrs. Luto taught me to be a better artist and a better person. It is because of her that I want to be an art teacher.” Inspired by her twin sister Emily, who “has shown me the importance of family and support throughout life,” Loeb said trying hard in classes and being involved in extracurricular activities helped her adjust and thrive at CHS. Next up is further taking part in the Advanced Placement program. “I am already in AP United States History 1,” Loeb said, “but I plan on taking more AP classes in the future.”

Kaylee Unis-Hinojosa, Freshman Kaylee Unis-Hinojosa is off to a promising start. Her favorite subject is biology. “Science is important,” Unis-Hinojosa said, “as well as interesting. I enjoy learning about topics in biology such as genetics and DNA. I am interested in careers that use biology and science.” Getting used to the busy pace of CHS has been an adjustment. Unis-Hinojosa focuses on staying organized. “Making many friends also helped with the transition,” she said. “Clubs and activities helped me meet people. And my great eighth grade teachers challenged me with learning new things and practicing old things so that I would be prepared.” Part of the Marching Band and Stage Crew, Unis-Hinojosa hopes to participate in indoor track and join the Model U.N. Club. She is also interested in robotics. For inspiration, Unis-Hinojosa looks to sister Kiara. “I am inspired by her because I want to achieve and do whatever she can,” said the freshman. “She also inspires me to do new things, as well as do things to the best of my ability.” Unis-Hinojosa added, “I’m already in the STEM Academy with a health services concentration. I see myself possibly taking advantage of other CHS programs.”

Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

Birthdays & Celebrations - February 2020

Happy Birthday to.... Send dates & names .... tomhawrylko@optonline.net

Happy Birthday to sister Donna Hawrylko on Feb. 25. Ernie Rodrigues celebrated his 44th birthday on Jan. 14. Ashley Rose Montague is 14 on Feb. 6. Maxine Presto turns 32 on Feb. 29. The Lux siblings— Eric turns 24 on Feb. 3 and Renee will be 18—on Feb. 14. Orest Luzniak turns 65 on Feb.14. Alison Degen....................... 2/1 Robyn Feldman................... 2/1 Jack Houston...................... 2/1 Kristin Reilly........................ 2/1 Mary Jane Varga................ 2/1 Emil Soltis, Jr...................... 2/2 Joseph Fierro...................... 2/3 Bob Naletko....................... 2/3 Catherine Grace Burns........ 2/4 Diane Di Pietro................... 2/4 John Nittolo........................ 2/5 Richie Szepietowski............. 2/5 Courtney Carlson................ 2/6 Don Knapp........................ 2/6 Joseph DeSomma................ 2/6 Ashley Rose Montague........ 2/6 Robert D’Alessio................. 2/7 Nicole Tahan...................... 2/7 Tara Fueshko...................... 2/8 Natalie Pych...................... 2/8 Jamie Carr......................... 2/9 Craig Grieco...................... 2/9 Steven Becker................... 2/10 Bryan Kelly...................... 2/10 Matthew Seitz.................. 2/10

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

Aria Federle is all smiles about her 9th birthday on Feb. 15. Valentine Le Ster............... Sarah Mikolajczyk............ Nick Zecchino.................. Joseph Hilla......................

2/11 2/11 2/11 2/12

Anthony Musleh................ Dolores Rando.................. John Hodorovych.............. Amin Zamlout................... Mark Gallo...................... Jeanette Ann Saia............. Orest Luzniak................... Christine Canavan............ Chickie Curtis................... Ashley Brandecker............ David Fazio..................... Leann Perez...................... Lorraine Rothe.................. Sam Citero....................... Michael Del Re................. Richie Bandurski............... Stephanie (Peterson)Yoda... Michael Papa................... Robert Mosciszko.............. Taylor Jesch...................... Diana Murphy.................. John T. Saccoman............. Robert Adamo.................. Eileen Feldman................. Kimberly Mistretta.............

2/12 2/12 2/13 2/13 2/14 2/14 2/14 2/15 2/15 2/17 2/17 2/17 2/17 2/18 2/18 2/19 2/19 2/20 2/21 2/22 2/22 2/22 2/24 2/24 2/24

LeeAnn Iapicca and Andrew Rosado married on Nov. 22, 2019.

Robert Krupinski................ Kimberly Gasior................ Jayke Williams................. Joseph J. Schmidt.............. Brittany Helwig................. Joyce Penaranda.............. Brittany Pinter................... Lauren Ricca..................... Charlie Galluzzo.............. Mark Zecchino.................

2/25 2/26 2/26 2/27 2/27 2/27 2/27 2/27 2/28 2/28

Brinda Chauhan celebrates a birthday on Feb. 20. Cliftonmagazine.com • February 2020

Gondolier and One-of-a-kind Mustang Say the name “Mike Novack” to Cliftonites and you’ll get a smile and a funny story. With a wacky sense of humor and a ready-to-party attitude (even in his 82nd year), Novack brought laughter to people’s hearts and smiles to their faces. Energetic, eclectic and effervescent, Mike passed away on Jan 23. Whether he was starring for the 1957 Mustangs on the basketball court, launching a business (from machine parts to a travel agency), or piloting his century-old gondola (built for Lord Byron) in New Jersey and Florida waters, Mike made people happy. As one of Santa’s helpers, he started the city’s Christ-

February 2020 • Cliftonmagazine.com

mas Eve ride with Tom Insinga in 1971. Intensely patriotic, Mike hung American flags from overpasses and distributed thousands of yellow ribbons for the troops. Mike was always there for Clifton, helping launch political careers (like former Mayor Jerry Zecker’s), running the city picnic or appearing in Clifton’s Centennial Parade. He even appeared on The Sopranos, piloting his beloved gondola. Every story about Mike always ended with people laughing and wanting another. He’s survived by his wife of 51 years Gail Kocian Novack, three children, their spouses, and three grandchildren.

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