Daddy was born and raised in Colli A Volturno (Casali) Italy, a Province of Abruzzi...now region of Molise...

Came to the USA on Nov. 17, 1937 and moved to Phil PA... then to Washington DC where he met and married my mother, Raffaela Marie Shavatt (Anna)... on Aug. 11, 1946.

Sisters, JoAnn, Patricia & I were born in Washington DC...family relocated to Central FL in the 1950's because of the beautiful weather & real estate opportunities as Disney World was going to be built there just outside of Orlando.

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~~DADDY'S MOTHER (My Paternal Grandmother):
Susanna Incollingo DiSandro(she never came to America) b. May 8, 1878 d. 1962 age 84 Italy.

Susanna had 5 Sisters-No Brothers (Daddy's Aunts & my Great Aunts):
*Julia, Philamenia, Malietta, Antonette and Louisa.

*Julia owned the school bldg where daddy & family went to school...schools in Italy in that time period went to the 4th grade only...

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~~DADDY'S FATHER (My Paternal Grandfather):
Giacinto DiSandro b. Apr. 19, 1876 d. 1957 age 81 Phil PA.

Giacinto came to America to work about 1921 & settled in Phil PA.

As they reached adulthood, the other brothers & sisters came to America for job opportunities.

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~~DADDY'S 7 SISTER'S & BROTHER'S, (My Aunt's & Uncle's):

1.& 2. Twin Sisters, Erminia & ?? b. 1900 Marsai France d. 1905 age 5 Marsai France.

3. Adelina DiSandro Amodei b. Mar. 1902 Marsai France d. Nov. 1972 age 70 NY.

4. Vinzqezo (Vincent) b. 1908 Abruzzi Italy d. 1920 age 12 Abruzzi Italy (shot & killed by neighbor who served 20 yrs in Prison).

5. Ginnaro (Jerry) b. Jan. 1, 1914 Abruzzi Italy d. Apr. 6, 1982 age 68 DC.

6. Raymond b. Aug. 6, 1915 Abruzzi Italy d. 1976 Haytttsville, age 61 Prince George's MD.

7. Ernesto Antonio b. Dec. 21, 1918, Abruzzi Italy d. July 29, 1989 age 71 Orlando, FL.

8. *Maria DiSandro Siravo b. 1921 Abruzzi Italy d. 1977 age 56 Phil. PA.

SEE NEWS ARTICLE UNDER PHOTOS NOT SHOWING~~~
While visiting relatives in Phil, PA. driving in their new convertible, Aunt *Maria ( # 8 above), my Great Uncle, & Cousin were killed in a head on collision by a drunk driver, who also died. Only cousin Theresa, survived... & does not remember the accident...

~~DADDY'S FIRST COUSIN:

Dr.Michael Diamond M.D. a Heart Surgeon in VA.

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READ ABOUT SOME VERY SPECIAL MEMORIES THAT HAPPENED IN THE "LA RUE" HOUSE~

~~~Located @ 133 Bay (St.) Ave. in downtown Historic Longwood, FL, & holds many, many special memories...listed below are just a few.

~~~BILLY GRAHAM:

Spent the evening with us in this house one evening after his Jesus crusade at the Central Florida Fairgrounds had ended that day.

~~~JOHNNY TIGER MOVIE:

Filmed the movie "JOHNNY TIGER"
with CHAD EVERETTE & ROBERT TAYLOR downtown in the Historic Longwood Hotel (and all over Longwood), located behind this house...and at the Wekiva River & Springs.

I was asked to play a extra:
A young Indian Girl pretends to be drowning in this movie scene & Robert Taylor comes to the rescue! A "trench" was dug & filled with water, right behind the train depot & railroad tracks on the corner of Church St. and SR 427 (behind what is now Nellies Diner).

~~~UNCLE MARIO:

Daddy always told us he (we)was/are related to the Cocozza Family from Italy and PA Great Tenor, MARIO LANZA the singer.

When Uncle Mario's wife Aunt Betty died shortly after Uncle passed, daddy wanted/tried to adopt their 4 children & got a passport to go to Italy to pursue what he said was a family obligation.

To the disappointment of my dad, we recieved a call from a relative in Italy saying there was no need for daddy to go & pursue, as it was decided the children were going to be taken care of by the grandparents.

Daddy was always proud of his heritage and family...we all miss you and love you daddy.