Born August 25th, 1918 named Americo Lawrenco Gago to immigrant parents from Portugal Antonio and Maria Gago of New Bedford, Massachusetts. He was the second child and had an older sister by two years Celeste. Antonio was from Faro, in Southern Portugal and in Portugal he had a cart and Ox and drove cork bark from cork oak trees in neighboring Alentejo to the ports of Southern Portugal in the Algarve, Lagos and Faro. He married Maria Gonsalves and they came to America for a better life. They named Americo in honor of their new loved country.
Americo grew up in the streets of New Bedford. During the depression of 1929 his father ran a bakery truck route so they never went hungry. As a teenager his father looking for work moved to Waterbury, Connecticut and worked for American Brass. His mother still worked in a shirt factory in New Bedford. His father frequented the local bar in Waterbury named the Victor Grill. He befriended the owner Dempsey Ermida. He was away from his wife and drank a lot in the bar. Mac…as Americo was now called, even at this young age of 19, had a serious talk with his father. He told him to send for his mother and get the family back together again. His father listened to him and got Maria a job in the shirt factory in Waterbury as the family reunited.
Mac met Dempsey Ermida's daughter Jacqueline. They married in 1940 and had four children. First Joyce and Tom were born. Mac worked in a barbed wire plant during the first part of the war. Then Mac enlisted in the Army in WWII. The war ended right after Mac enlisted and also Dempsey died and the family was devastated. Mac had to come home and run the Victor Grill. He did so and one night he broke his arm breaking up a fight. That was the night their third child Ricky was born. The year was 1949. A few years later they took an historic trip to Europe. They went over on the Queen Elizabeth, the largest ship in the world with their 1950 Chevrolet. They visited France, Spain and Portugal. Bing Crosby and his three sons were on the trip over as well as Charles Boyer. They didn't go to England that trip because it was too crowded as Queen Elizabeth was being crowned. They traveled in their car and visited many relatives in Portugal. They returned on the Queen Mary.
Mac and Jay moved to California in 1954. Mac and Tom drove out first to scout the place out. Jay and Joyce and Ricky flew out on a propeller plane. The family finally settled in Ontario on H Street in a brand new 50's tract home. There were many good times in that neighborhood. In 1955 the "California Child" Deborah was born.
A natural salesman, Mac worked first at American National and then Metropolitan Life. He then opened up a nightclub the Golden Penny in Pomona. Later he got in the Car business. He sold cars at Pomona Valley Dodge. The Little Old Lady from Pasadena was the promoter for those Dodges. One of the salesmen there was named Mac so from that day on Mac went by Larry. Next he worked in Upland at Chadbourne Chevrolet. A number of years later he and a fellow salesman opened up United Auto Mart in Ontario. Many things had passed during this time. JFK was assassinated. A staunch Democrat Mac loved John F Kennedy. Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King also were assassinated. The Vietnam War was in full bloom. And we landed a man on the moon in 1969. Times were very different. Jay and Mac were having their differences too. They divorced a couple years later.
Mac married Idonna. Still working at United Auto Mart his grandkids, seeing him there more than anywhere else, called him Grandpa Car Lot. He later retired and moved to Apple Valley. He built a couple houses there as he lived near his daughter Joyce. Then he and Idonna moved to Colorado as they followed Idonna's children.
After a number of years they moved to Largo Florida where Mac's mother and father and his sister Celeste and dear cousins Jack and Dolly lived. They had some good times there. Always fond of traveling they traveled the world and went on many a cruise. As years went by my grandfather's mother and father died and his sister died of cancer. They eventually moved back to Colorado. Now at a later age they were in an assisted living home in Grand Junction. My grandfather died on July 21, 2009 from complications from a Parkinson's like disease. He was 90 years old.
My grandfather will always be remembered as someone who loved life. He loved to sing and he loved to dance. Idonna's family and her 3 children talk about him as someone who brought a life of joy to them. That is easy to understand. Anyone who knew him knew he was the life of the party. He could talk up a storm with anyone. Only having had formal schooling to the tenth grade he was self educated. He knew history like no one else. And don't get him talking about politics if you weren't a Democrat. He knew everything about politics and our two party system and would get in rages over the "dumb Republicans." He also never took a piano lesson or an accordion lesson…and he could play both by ear. He could get a room singing as he loved playing any song on request. He even belonged to a barbershop quartet at one time. He loved singing the old songs like 'Heart of My Heart." He also loved the old crooners that sang a good song. His favorite was Bobby Darin singing Mack the Knife.
My grandfather lived a full joyous life. A born salesman, a Democrat to his bones, he loved cards, he loved to sing and he will always be remembered for the twinkle in his eye and the way he enjoyed having fun with people. He was always saying "good morning" to people in the afternoon and "good afternoon" to people in the morning. He wasn't good at remembering actual names, but he always had his favorite nick name for them ready at the drop of a hat. If you were a waitress and Gramps was in the booth you were serving…watch out….you were about to have some fun!
When I moved to the same city my grandfather lived in, he took me on trips to the dump, & trips to be his caddy at the golf course. I remember, during the trips to the dump, him singing old songs by Perry Como & Frank Sinatra. He wasnt a great singer, he was loud & bold with his singing & proud of it too. His singing always put a smile on my face.
My grandfather was & always will be my idol & my model. I'll miss him dearly. His body is not on this Earth anymore, but his spirit, love & part of him is in me. I named my son's middle name after my grandfather. In fact they share the same birthday, plus he has hazel eyes, like my grandfather had. I love you gramps. Wherever you are, I'm sure your not suffering anymore & that your making people smile & laugh. I love you. :)
(The preceding bio was written by my Uncle Rick because it was very well written, I changed the "dad" to grandfather & the last 4 paragraphs are written by me.)
Americo grew up in the streets of New Bedford. During the depression of 1929 his father ran a bakery truck route so they never went hungry. As a teenager his father looking for work moved to Waterbury, Connecticut and worked for American Brass. His mother still worked in a shirt factory in New Bedford. His father frequented the local bar in Waterbury named the Victor Grill. He befriended the owner Dempsey Ermida. He was away from his wife and drank a lot in the bar. Mac…as Americo was now called, even at this young age of 19, had a serious talk with his father. He told him to send for his mother and get the family back together again. His father listened to him and got Maria a job in the shirt factory in Waterbury as the family reunited.
Mac met Dempsey Ermida's daughter Jacqueline. They married in 1940 and had four children. First Joyce and Tom were born. Mac worked in a barbed wire plant during the first part of the war. Then Mac enlisted in the Army in WWII. The war ended right after Mac enlisted and also Dempsey died and the family was devastated. Mac had to come home and run the Victor Grill. He did so and one night he broke his arm breaking up a fight. That was the night their third child Ricky was born. The year was 1949. A few years later they took an historic trip to Europe. They went over on the Queen Elizabeth, the largest ship in the world with their 1950 Chevrolet. They visited France, Spain and Portugal. Bing Crosby and his three sons were on the trip over as well as Charles Boyer. They didn't go to England that trip because it was too crowded as Queen Elizabeth was being crowned. They traveled in their car and visited many relatives in Portugal. They returned on the Queen Mary.
Mac and Jay moved to California in 1954. Mac and Tom drove out first to scout the place out. Jay and Joyce and Ricky flew out on a propeller plane. The family finally settled in Ontario on H Street in a brand new 50's tract home. There were many good times in that neighborhood. In 1955 the "California Child" Deborah was born.
A natural salesman, Mac worked first at American National and then Metropolitan Life. He then opened up a nightclub the Golden Penny in Pomona. Later he got in the Car business. He sold cars at Pomona Valley Dodge. The Little Old Lady from Pasadena was the promoter for those Dodges. One of the salesmen there was named Mac so from that day on Mac went by Larry. Next he worked in Upland at Chadbourne Chevrolet. A number of years later he and a fellow salesman opened up United Auto Mart in Ontario. Many things had passed during this time. JFK was assassinated. A staunch Democrat Mac loved John F Kennedy. Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King also were assassinated. The Vietnam War was in full bloom. And we landed a man on the moon in 1969. Times were very different. Jay and Mac were having their differences too. They divorced a couple years later.
Mac married Idonna. Still working at United Auto Mart his grandkids, seeing him there more than anywhere else, called him Grandpa Car Lot. He later retired and moved to Apple Valley. He built a couple houses there as he lived near his daughter Joyce. Then he and Idonna moved to Colorado as they followed Idonna's children.
After a number of years they moved to Largo Florida where Mac's mother and father and his sister Celeste and dear cousins Jack and Dolly lived. They had some good times there. Always fond of traveling they traveled the world and went on many a cruise. As years went by my grandfather's mother and father died and his sister died of cancer. They eventually moved back to Colorado. Now at a later age they were in an assisted living home in Grand Junction. My grandfather died on July 21, 2009 from complications from a Parkinson's like disease. He was 90 years old.
My grandfather will always be remembered as someone who loved life. He loved to sing and he loved to dance. Idonna's family and her 3 children talk about him as someone who brought a life of joy to them. That is easy to understand. Anyone who knew him knew he was the life of the party. He could talk up a storm with anyone. Only having had formal schooling to the tenth grade he was self educated. He knew history like no one else. And don't get him talking about politics if you weren't a Democrat. He knew everything about politics and our two party system and would get in rages over the "dumb Republicans." He also never took a piano lesson or an accordion lesson…and he could play both by ear. He could get a room singing as he loved playing any song on request. He even belonged to a barbershop quartet at one time. He loved singing the old songs like 'Heart of My Heart." He also loved the old crooners that sang a good song. His favorite was Bobby Darin singing Mack the Knife.
My grandfather lived a full joyous life. A born salesman, a Democrat to his bones, he loved cards, he loved to sing and he will always be remembered for the twinkle in his eye and the way he enjoyed having fun with people. He was always saying "good morning" to people in the afternoon and "good afternoon" to people in the morning. He wasn't good at remembering actual names, but he always had his favorite nick name for them ready at the drop of a hat. If you were a waitress and Gramps was in the booth you were serving…watch out….you were about to have some fun!
When I moved to the same city my grandfather lived in, he took me on trips to the dump, & trips to be his caddy at the golf course. I remember, during the trips to the dump, him singing old songs by Perry Como & Frank Sinatra. He wasnt a great singer, he was loud & bold with his singing & proud of it too. His singing always put a smile on my face.
My grandfather was & always will be my idol & my model. I'll miss him dearly. His body is not on this Earth anymore, but his spirit, love & part of him is in me. I named my son's middle name after my grandfather. In fact they share the same birthday, plus he has hazel eyes, like my grandfather had. I love you gramps. Wherever you are, I'm sure your not suffering anymore & that your making people smile & laugh. I love you. :)
(The preceding bio was written by my Uncle Rick because it was very well written, I changed the "dad" to grandfather & the last 4 paragraphs are written by me.)
Born August 25th, 1918 named Americo Lawrenco Gago to immigrant parents from Portugal Antonio and Maria Gago of New Bedford, Massachusetts. He was the second child and had an older sister by two years Celeste. Antonio was from Faro, in Southern Portugal and in Portugal he had a cart and Ox and drove cork bark from cork oak trees in neighboring Alentejo to the ports of Southern Portugal in the Algarve, Lagos and Faro. He married Maria Gonsalves and they came to America for a better life. They named Americo in honor of their new loved country.
Americo grew up in the streets of New Bedford. During the depression of 1929 his father ran a bakery truck route so they never went hungry. As a teenager his father looking for work moved to Waterbury, Connecticut and worked for American Brass. His mother still worked in a shirt factory in New Bedford. His father frequented the local bar in Waterbury named the Victor Grill. He befriended the owner Dempsey Ermida. He was away from his wife and drank a lot in the bar. Mac…as Americo was now called, even at this young age of 19, had a serious talk with his father. He told him to send for his mother and get the family back together again. His father listened to him and got Maria a job in the shirt factory in Waterbury as the family reunited.
Mac met Dempsey Ermida's daughter Jacqueline. They married in 1940 and had four children. First Joyce and Tom were born. Mac worked in a barbed wire plant during the first part of the war. Then Mac enlisted in the Army in WWII. The war ended right after Mac enlisted and also Dempsey died and the family was devastated. Mac had to come home and run the Victor Grill. He did so and one night he broke his arm breaking up a fight. That was the night their third child Ricky was born. The year was 1949. A few years later they took an historic trip to Europe. They went over on the Queen Elizabeth, the largest ship in the world with their 1950 Chevrolet. They visited France, Spain and Portugal. Bing Crosby and his three sons were on the trip over as well as Charles Boyer. They didn't go to England that trip because it was too crowded as Queen Elizabeth was being crowned. They traveled in their car and visited many relatives in Portugal. They returned on the Queen Mary.
Mac and Jay moved to California in 1954. Mac and Tom drove out first to scout the place out. Jay and Joyce and Ricky flew out on a propeller plane. The family finally settled in Ontario on H Street in a brand new 50's tract home. There were many good times in that neighborhood. In 1955 the "California Child" Deborah was born.
A natural salesman, Mac worked first at American National and then Metropolitan Life. He then opened up a nightclub the Golden Penny in Pomona. Later he got in the Car business. He sold cars at Pomona Valley Dodge. The Little Old Lady from Pasadena was the promoter for those Dodges. One of the salesmen there was named Mac so from that day on Mac went by Larry. Next he worked in Upland at Chadbourne Chevrolet. A number of years later he and a fellow salesman opened up United Auto Mart in Ontario. Many things had passed during this time. JFK was assassinated. A staunch Democrat Mac loved John F Kennedy. Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King also were assassinated. The Vietnam War was in full bloom. And we landed a man on the moon in 1969. Times were very different. Jay and Mac were having their differences too. They divorced a couple years later.
Mac married Idonna. Still working at United Auto Mart his grandkids, seeing him there more than anywhere else, called him Grandpa Car Lot. He later retired and moved to Apple Valley. He built a couple houses there as he lived near his daughter Joyce. Then he and Idonna moved to Colorado as they followed Idonna's children.
After a number of years they moved to Largo Florida where Mac's mother and father and his sister Celeste and dear cousins Jack and Dolly lived. They had some good times there. Always fond of traveling they traveled the world and went on many a cruise. As years went by my grandfather's mother and father died and his sister died of cancer. They eventually moved back to Colorado. Now at a later age they were in an assisted living home in Grand Junction. My grandfather died on July 21, 2009 from complications from a Parkinson's like disease. He was 90 years old.
My grandfather will always be remembered as someone who loved life. He loved to sing and he loved to dance. Idonna's family and her 3 children talk about him as someone who brought a life of joy to them. That is easy to understand. Anyone who knew him knew he was the life of the party. He could talk up a storm with anyone. Only having had formal schooling to the tenth grade he was self educated. He knew history like no one else. And don't get him talking about politics if you weren't a Democrat. He knew everything about politics and our two party system and would get in rages over the "dumb Republicans." He also never took a piano lesson or an accordion lesson…and he could play both by ear. He could get a room singing as he loved playing any song on request. He even belonged to a barbershop quartet at one time. He loved singing the old songs like 'Heart of My Heart." He also loved the old crooners that sang a good song. His favorite was Bobby Darin singing Mack the Knife.
My grandfather lived a full joyous life. A born salesman, a Democrat to his bones, he loved cards, he loved to sing and he will always be remembered for the twinkle in his eye and the way he enjoyed having fun with people. He was always saying "good morning" to people in the afternoon and "good afternoon" to people in the morning. He wasn't good at remembering actual names, but he always had his favorite nick name for them ready at the drop of a hat. If you were a waitress and Gramps was in the booth you were serving…watch out….you were about to have some fun!
When I moved to the same city my grandfather lived in, he took me on trips to the dump, & trips to be his caddy at the golf course. I remember, during the trips to the dump, him singing old songs by Perry Como & Frank Sinatra. He wasnt a great singer, he was loud & bold with his singing & proud of it too. His singing always put a smile on my face.
My grandfather was & always will be my idol & my model. I'll miss him dearly. His body is not on this Earth anymore, but his spirit, love & part of him is in me. I named my son's middle name after my grandfather. In fact they share the same birthday, plus he has hazel eyes, like my grandfather had. I love you gramps. Wherever you are, I'm sure your not suffering anymore & that your making people smile & laugh. I love you. :)
(The preceding bio was written by my Uncle Rick because it was very well written, I changed the "dad" to grandfather & the last 4 paragraphs are written by me.)
Americo grew up in the streets of New Bedford. During the depression of 1929 his father ran a bakery truck route so they never went hungry. As a teenager his father looking for work moved to Waterbury, Connecticut and worked for American Brass. His mother still worked in a shirt factory in New Bedford. His father frequented the local bar in Waterbury named the Victor Grill. He befriended the owner Dempsey Ermida. He was away from his wife and drank a lot in the bar. Mac…as Americo was now called, even at this young age of 19, had a serious talk with his father. He told him to send for his mother and get the family back together again. His father listened to him and got Maria a job in the shirt factory in Waterbury as the family reunited.
Mac met Dempsey Ermida's daughter Jacqueline. They married in 1940 and had four children. First Joyce and Tom were born. Mac worked in a barbed wire plant during the first part of the war. Then Mac enlisted in the Army in WWII. The war ended right after Mac enlisted and also Dempsey died and the family was devastated. Mac had to come home and run the Victor Grill. He did so and one night he broke his arm breaking up a fight. That was the night their third child Ricky was born. The year was 1949. A few years later they took an historic trip to Europe. They went over on the Queen Elizabeth, the largest ship in the world with their 1950 Chevrolet. They visited France, Spain and Portugal. Bing Crosby and his three sons were on the trip over as well as Charles Boyer. They didn't go to England that trip because it was too crowded as Queen Elizabeth was being crowned. They traveled in their car and visited many relatives in Portugal. They returned on the Queen Mary.
Mac and Jay moved to California in 1954. Mac and Tom drove out first to scout the place out. Jay and Joyce and Ricky flew out on a propeller plane. The family finally settled in Ontario on H Street in a brand new 50's tract home. There were many good times in that neighborhood. In 1955 the "California Child" Deborah was born.
A natural salesman, Mac worked first at American National and then Metropolitan Life. He then opened up a nightclub the Golden Penny in Pomona. Later he got in the Car business. He sold cars at Pomona Valley Dodge. The Little Old Lady from Pasadena was the promoter for those Dodges. One of the salesmen there was named Mac so from that day on Mac went by Larry. Next he worked in Upland at Chadbourne Chevrolet. A number of years later he and a fellow salesman opened up United Auto Mart in Ontario. Many things had passed during this time. JFK was assassinated. A staunch Democrat Mac loved John F Kennedy. Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King also were assassinated. The Vietnam War was in full bloom. And we landed a man on the moon in 1969. Times were very different. Jay and Mac were having their differences too. They divorced a couple years later.
Mac married Idonna. Still working at United Auto Mart his grandkids, seeing him there more than anywhere else, called him Grandpa Car Lot. He later retired and moved to Apple Valley. He built a couple houses there as he lived near his daughter Joyce. Then he and Idonna moved to Colorado as they followed Idonna's children.
After a number of years they moved to Largo Florida where Mac's mother and father and his sister Celeste and dear cousins Jack and Dolly lived. They had some good times there. Always fond of traveling they traveled the world and went on many a cruise. As years went by my grandfather's mother and father died and his sister died of cancer. They eventually moved back to Colorado. Now at a later age they were in an assisted living home in Grand Junction. My grandfather died on July 21, 2009 from complications from a Parkinson's like disease. He was 90 years old.
My grandfather will always be remembered as someone who loved life. He loved to sing and he loved to dance. Idonna's family and her 3 children talk about him as someone who brought a life of joy to them. That is easy to understand. Anyone who knew him knew he was the life of the party. He could talk up a storm with anyone. Only having had formal schooling to the tenth grade he was self educated. He knew history like no one else. And don't get him talking about politics if you weren't a Democrat. He knew everything about politics and our two party system and would get in rages over the "dumb Republicans." He also never took a piano lesson or an accordion lesson…and he could play both by ear. He could get a room singing as he loved playing any song on request. He even belonged to a barbershop quartet at one time. He loved singing the old songs like 'Heart of My Heart." He also loved the old crooners that sang a good song. His favorite was Bobby Darin singing Mack the Knife.
My grandfather lived a full joyous life. A born salesman, a Democrat to his bones, he loved cards, he loved to sing and he will always be remembered for the twinkle in his eye and the way he enjoyed having fun with people. He was always saying "good morning" to people in the afternoon and "good afternoon" to people in the morning. He wasn't good at remembering actual names, but he always had his favorite nick name for them ready at the drop of a hat. If you were a waitress and Gramps was in the booth you were serving…watch out….you were about to have some fun!
When I moved to the same city my grandfather lived in, he took me on trips to the dump, & trips to be his caddy at the golf course. I remember, during the trips to the dump, him singing old songs by Perry Como & Frank Sinatra. He wasnt a great singer, he was loud & bold with his singing & proud of it too. His singing always put a smile on my face.
My grandfather was & always will be my idol & my model. I'll miss him dearly. His body is not on this Earth anymore, but his spirit, love & part of him is in me. I named my son's middle name after my grandfather. In fact they share the same birthday, plus he has hazel eyes, like my grandfather had. I love you gramps. Wherever you are, I'm sure your not suffering anymore & that your making people smile & laugh. I love you. :)
(The preceding bio was written by my Uncle Rick because it was very well written, I changed the "dad" to grandfather & the last 4 paragraphs are written by me.)
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