Clifton Merchant Magazine - July 2013

93

83

73

63

53

03

CONGRATS TO THE CLASS OF 2013!

Clifton Merchant July 2013 3

July 2013 Clifton Merchant4

Table of Contents

Class of 1963At the New Clifton High School

Class of 1973Bell-bottoms & Book covers

Class of 1993Creating a Caring Community

Class of 200310 Years Ago They Were Grads

Class of 2013At the June 28 Commencement

Events & BriefsHappenings Here & Nearby

Whats Inside?16

34

48

54

62

68

72

Class of 1983Technology in the Classrooms

16,000 Magazines

are distributed tohundreds of Clifton

Merchants on the firstFriday of every month.

Subscribe Page 67

$27 per year $45 for 2 years

Call 973-253-4400

Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko

Business ManagerCheryl Hawrylko

Graphic DesignerKen Peterson

Contributing WritersAlicia Feghhi, Tania

Jachens, Carol Leonard,

Philip Read, Jack DeVries,

Rich DeLotto, Don Lotz,

1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011

2013 Tomahawk Promotions

Class of

1953Pg.10

Freedom Roast Pg. 82

Dolores

Shiposh, the

CHS 1953

Girls Athletic

Association

President.


DECADES OF MUSTANGSBy Carol Leonard

It isnt unusual in Clifton for multiple members offamilies,includingthosefromdifferentgenerations,tobe Clifton High School alumni. But we were lucky

enoughforthisissuetofindathreesomefromthesame

familywhoeachgraduatedinoneoftheyearsinclud-

edinourcelebrationsectionofclassesendingin3.

Maryann Gross Hoffspeigel is an alumnus of the

Class of 1963, while her sister Joann Gross Dalton

graduatedin1973,andJoannsdaughterEileenwasa

memberoftheClassof2003.

Each had different and somewhat similar experi-

encesgrowingup inCliftonandattendingoneof the

largesthighschoolsinthestate.

The three women all spent their childhoods in a

home on Harding Ave. near the center of town.

MaryannandJoannlivedtherewiththeirparents,and

Joannandherhusbandlaterassumedownershipofthe

house,wheretheyraisedEileenandherbrotherBrian,

untilmovingtoBrightonRoadabout10yearsago.

Maryann remembers a simple life of playing with

dollswithanotherlittlegirlwholivedtwodoorsaway

fromher.ThetwoattendedSchool3togetherthrough

sixthgradebeforemovingontoSchool10forseventh,

eighthandninthgrades.

WhenJoannwasborn,Maryannwasoldenoughto

baby-sitforherandsheenjoyedtheroleofbigsister.

With 10 years between them, the sisters were some-

timesconfusedasbeingmotheranddaughter.

Iwould takeherwithmewhenIgotmyfirstcar

after high school, Maryann said. I can remember

beinginastoreandtheclerklookingatherandsaying,

nowdowhatMommysays.

Maryannspentherfirsttwoyearsofhighschoolat

whatisnowChristopherColumbusMiddleSchool.In

hersenioryearthenewCliftonHighSchoolopened

itsdoorsonColfaxAve.,soMaryanngottobeamem-

berofitsfirstgraduatingclass.

HeractivitiesatCHSincludedTriHiY,aleadership

development organization, and the Secretarial Club.

ShealsoservedontheHonorGuardforgraduation.

Iwenttothefootballgamesandpeprallies,andthe

schooldancesinthegym,shesaid.

MaryannsbestfriendsinhighschoolincludedEllen

Grexa,IngridJohanson,BeverlyDenBoerandValerie

Surgent.Shestillkeepsintouchandgetstogetherwith

Ellen, Ingrid and Beverly, but has lost contact with

Valerie.

At top today from left, Eileen Nicole Dalton, her momJoann Gross Dalton and Joanns sister Maryann GrossHoffspeigel. The gals in 1963, 1973 and in 2003.

WHERE ARE THESE MUSTANGS NOW?73736363 0303


When Beverly moved to North Carolina about a

year-and-a-halfago,sheandMaryannmadeapact to

continue their friendshipand theyhavestayed true to

theirpromise. We talkon thephoneeveryThursday

night,Maryannsaid.

Following high school, Maryann took a job as a

bookkeeper with State Farm Insurance in Wayne,

wheresheworkedfor twoyearsbeforemovingon to

Fette Lincoln-Mercury for 14 and-a-half years.After

that,sheworkedforAPCCorporationinHawthornefor

12years.

ShemetherlatehusbandArthurthroughherfriend,

Phyllis Pinck.ArthurwasPhyllis uncle andhe lived

upstairsfromher.

I would see him all the time when I was with

Phyllis andonedayhe told her that hewas going to

takeme out to cheerme up,Maryann explained. I

had just brokenoffmy engagement to someone else.

So,wewentout,onethingledtoanotherandwegot

married.

Maryannandherhusbandwerewedin1978atagar-

denceremonyinhermothersbackyard.Theylivedin

Wallingtonfor12yearsbeforereturningtobuyahome

in Clifton. They were married for 27 years, until

Arthurs2006passing.Thecouplehadnochildren.

Maryann currently does the payroll in the Finance

DepartmentatCliftonCityHall,whereshehasworked

for18years.

Shestill livesintheOakRidgeareahomethatshe

shared with her husband. She enjoys gardening and

going to summer concerts, and serves as fundraising

VPoftheClifton-PassaicchapterofHadassah.

Joann also attended School 3 through sixth grade.

She remembers spending time playingwith the other

neighborhood kids and going to the summer play-

groundprogram.

Aftershefinishedelementaryschool,shewentonto

ChristopherColumbus,which thenwas a junior high

schoolforgradesseven,eightandnine.

She enjoyed having Maryann as a big sister and,

becauseoftheagedifference,shesaiditfeltlikehav-

inganothermotheraroundbutinagoodway,she

added.Atpointsinourliveswevebeenmistakenfor

mother/daughterandastwins.

CLASS OF 73736363 0303


In high school she was a member of the Keyette

Club,agirls-onlyversionoftodaysKeyClubatCHS.

Shealsoworkedinthelibrary.

Outside of school, Joann worked part-time at the

CliftonBakeryonHopeAve.andlateratwhatwasthen

FetteLincoln-Mercury.

As her daughter would experience 30 years later,

CHSwasaverycrowdedschoolevenduringherdays

there, Joann recalled. The atmosphere was different

from when my sister was there and it was different

fromwhenmydaughterwas there, she said. Iwas

there during the Vietnam War and I can remember

protestsgoingonallthetime.Inevergotinvolved.It

wasinmyheart,butIwasafraidofgettingintrouble.

Joanns best friends included Barbara Worhach,

Debbie Miller, Linda Horvath and Dorothy Hansen.

Although she has lost touch with them, she fondly

remembersthegoodtimestheyhadtogetherjusthang-

ingoutateachothershomes.Noneofushadalotof

money,shesaid.

After high school, Maryann went to work as an

accountingclerkforInmontCorporation.

ShemetherhusbandKen,aCHS70grad,in1974,

afterhegotoutoftheNavy.Heworkedinagassta-

tion around the corner fromme, she said. Mygirl-

friendknewhimandweusedtohangouttogetherasa

group.

The couple was married in 1976 at St. Philips

ChurchandhadtheirreceptionatTheCobblestonein

Caldwell.

TheymovedtoPortland,Maineforayear-and-a-half

whentheywerefirstmarried,whereKengotajobwith

thepowercompanyandJoannworkedinahospital.

Wehadgoneonvacationthereandjustfellinlove

withthearea,Joannexplained.

Afterawhile,thecouplebeganmissingfriendsand

family, so theydecided tomoveback toNewJersey.

Myhusbandworkedarotatingshiftandourweekends

offdidntalwaysfalltogether,shesaid.Sowhenwe

werealone,wewerereallyalone.Wedidnthaveany

familyorclosefriendsthere.

When they returned to Clifton, Ken landed a job

with nearby ITT and later became aClifton fireman.

JoanntookapositionatHoffmanLaRoche,whereshe

worked until 1985, when Eileen was born. Her son

Briancamethreeyearslater.

Joannwasastay-at-homemomfor11yearsandwas

veryactivewiththeSt.Paulsparent/teacherorganiza-

tion,whereherchildrenwenttoschool.

Eventually, she returned towork outside the home

and is currently atAGLWelding, along with fellow

CHS 73 classmatesKeithVanDorn,RobertMarron

andMichelePixomatis.

In recent years, Joann and Ken have become

involved with several peace advocacy organizations,

includingVeteransforPeace,forwhichKenserveson

thenationalboard.TheyarealsoactivewithVietnam

VeteransAgainsttheWarandNJPeaceAction.

Ihavealwaysbeenagainstwar,eventhoughIdid-

ntactonmyfeelingswhenIwasyounger,Joannsaid.

MyunclewaskilledinWorldWarIIandIsawwhatit

didtomyauntandmymother.ButitwasntuntilIhad

my own kids that I realized how important this is.

WhentheIraqWarfirststarted,IrealizedthatIwould-

ntwantmykidstogotowar.

Likehermomandaunt,Eileenenjoyedplayingout-

sidewhilegrowingup.Shelikedallkindsofsportsas

wellassnowball fights in thewinterandwater fights

during the summerwithher neighborhood friends. I

rodemybikeallovertheplace,sherecalled.

Maryann at Joanns graduation from CHS in 1973.

WHERE ARE THESE MUSTANGS NOW?73736363 0303


She attended nearby St. Pauls

School through eighth grade before

moving on to CHS. It was a total

changeforhercomingfromaschool

with only 200 students to a high

schoolwithwellover2,000kids.I

just thought it was so huge, she

said.

Eileenmadenewfriendsquickly,

in part, she said, because she got

involvedwith interscholasticsports,

an experience that her mom and

aunt,aspre-TitleIXeragirlsmissed

out on in high school. She played

soccerherfreshmanandsophomore

yearsandwasonthebasketballand

spring track teams all four years of

highschool.

She alsoworked part-time at the

AllwoodTheaterandasacounselor

withCliftonRecreation.

Among her best friends at CHS

wereKimJundaandAliciaFeghhi,

and she still hangs out with them

today.

Aftergraduation,EileenwentontoMontclairState

University, where she earned a bachelors degree in

healthandphysicaleducation.Idecideditwouldbea

goodmajorforme,shesaid.Igrewupplayingsports

andIenjoyedworkingwithkids.

After receiving her degree, she took a short term

positioninLodiforateacheronmaternityleave.With

nootherteachingjobsinsightafterthat,shedecidedto

go on for her masters degree in

applied exercise physiology at

Columbia University. She also

worked for Project USE (Urban-

Suburban Environments) in West

Milford, a program that provides

hiking, camping and high ropes

experiencesforschoolgroups.

She spent a year teaching part-

timeinaK-8schoolinGarwoodin

2010-11, and during the past two

school years she taught in an ele-

mentaryschoolinNewark.

Eileenrecentlydecidedtochange

career paths into physical therapy.

Shehopes togeta jobasaPTaide

soonandsheistakingsomeprereq-

uisite courses at Essex County

CommunityCollegebeforeapplying

foradmissiontoadoctorofphysical

therapyprogram.

I decided that Iwant to usemy

exercise science degree more, she

said.Ivealwaysbeeninterestedin

thatstuff(anatomyandphysiology)andphysicalther-

apyisagrowingcareer.

Eileen Nicole Dalton at the July,2008 Mountain Bike Nationals.

Read on to relive memories of Mustangs...who graduated 60, 50, 40, 30, 20 and ten years ago. To find out who is on our cover, go to their graduationpages within this magazine. If you would like to sharesome info on these grads, send comments with yourname and number to [email protected].

CLASS OF 73736363 0303


Catherine Russin, Ronald Patierno, Arlene Rudbart, Virginia Hakim, Theodore Kalinka, Virginia Sadowski, Walter De Groot

5353

Class of

WHERE ARE THESE MUSTANGS NOW?

As the 1953 yearbook editors bade farewell toCHS, theystatedthatthecolumnsoftheirstate-ly school, (todays Christopher Columbus

Middle School), served to symbolize one of

thegreatestblessingsofGodDemocracy.

Itseems,life,libertyandthepursuitofhap-

pinesswereonthemindsofmanyMustangs.

ClassmateJohnPrestewasalreadyinUSMC

BootCampoandafterthreeyearsofafrustrat-

ing war, the US, China, North Korea and

SouthKoreasignedanarmistice,bringingthe

KoreanWartoanendonJuly27.

But the days leadingup to commencement

were filled with lightheartedness. Cliftons

future Fire Chief Walter DeGrootfinishing

firstinfivemeetswastheco-captainwholed

hiscrosscountryteamtothefirsteverPassaic

ValleyConferenceChampionships.

THE COLUMNS...

At left, Sports Editors;

William DePiero, AnnRamaglia, Jerry Ehrlich.

Below, Personality Plus: KittyFlorian and Walter DeGroot, Most

Class Spirited: Willard Ljungquist andJudith Scherago, Bottom right, All-State

Chorus: Norman Smith, Harriet Olldorf andNorman Doelling.

Fighting Mustangs

linedupbehindthen-jun-

ior QB Richie Dutch

Hoogstraten.(Inanillus-

triouscareerwiththeUS

Army, Dutch would

retire a Colonel, having

earned a Silver Star in

Vietnam.) But that sea-

son, Dutch commanded

the Mustangs to an 8-1

season (their only loss a

13-0 defeat to nemesis

Montclair) putting the

ball in the air to Bob

VanderLinda,MikeSchimpfandKenLenertandhand-

edoffonthegroundtoClarenceTate,CyrilSmithand

SalBarcelona.

The Girls Athletic Association officers Marie

Pollara,MaryAnnOsborn,DoloresShiposh, Patricia

RearandBettyClarksonusheredinaneweraofintra-

mural competition including basketball, volleyball,

softball,pingpong,archery,bowlingandswimming.

AsFreshmenin1949,

theybegan their journey

at the old ivy-covered

CHSAnnexonFirstand

CliftonAves.Theeditors

noted the building was

freshlypaintedandCoke

machineswereaddeda

nickle a bottle. Class

officers were President

BobRussellwithWillard

Ljungquist, JeanBudnik

andLouisDeGroot.

Memorieswereforev-

er cast within the pages

of the 1953 Columns by Editors Gloria Bungo andTerryIntelisano.Ongraduationday,astheypondered

their futures beneath the columns of our High

School,theywrote...werealizedthatthecolumnsof

the future may be somewhat hazy; nevertheless we

knowtheirfoundationmustbefirm,fortheyarebased

uponthedemocraticidealswhichwehavebeentaught

atCliftonHighSchool.


5353

Class of


President Robert Russell, Vice-President Willard Ljungquist,

Secretary Jean Budnik, Treasurer Louis DeGroot.

f


NancyShookGarretson,President

NJLic.No.3657

RoyB.Garretson,Manager

NJLic.No.3550

ThomasJ.Garretson,Director

NJLic.No.4988

KevinV.White,Director

NJLic.No.4964

JosephM.Shook,Sr.,Founder

1924-2008


5353

Class of


Far top left, Betty Lou Tritak,

John Tritak, John Preste, Louis

De Groot, Middle photo Class

Athletes Dolores Shiposh and

Henry Nalepka. Above, Paul

M. Oeser, Robert Pasch.

Back in 2001,Mustangs who gradu-ated in the 1950s gottogether at a Juneevent. From left:Michael J. Palko,Police Chief FrankLoGioco, Coach JoeGrecco, Coach BillVanDerCloster andWalt Calligaro andBob VanDerLinda.Bottom, from left,Felix Rossi, Judge JoeScancarella and AlMardirossian Jr.Pictured below is the1953 class in 1993 attheir 40th reunion.


Michael Zwier, Joan Bertoli, Jay Horwitz, Helen Latawiec, Dennis Kolano Vera Swiderski, John Peto

6363

Class of


It looked like a modern college campus. Threeclasswingsinalandmarkdesignedtohouse3,000students.

Ground was broken for the architectural gem of

CliftononJune15,1960.ThenonApril29,1962,the

formal dedication of the high school was held in its

modernauditorium.Ironically,thatfacilitywouldsoon

be renamed for Americas 35th President, John F.

Kennedy,afterhisassassinationonNov.22,1963.None

ofthatcouldhavebeenpredictedwhenCliftonsClassof

1963beganwritingtheirhistoriesandlegacies

BynamingtheiryearbookRotunda, theypaidtributetothemoststrikingfeatureofthestate-of-the-arthigh

schoolonColfaxAve.,thecircularareausedforcafe-

teria,instructionandactivitypurposes.

HistorywasindeedmadebytheClassof1963.While

the undefeated Fighting Mustangs brought the state

championship toClifton,156MarchingMustangs trav-

elled to Kerkrade, Holland, and put on performances

(below)wheretheytookfirstplaceinthemarchingevent

andsecondinthesymphoniccompetition.

THE ROTUNDA AND A NEW HIGH SCHOOL


Cowboy Steak

Try our Delicious

24oz.

SKIRTSTEAK

Home of the Famous

ChurrascoChileno

No Waiters...No Booze Just Great Steaks, Burge

rs & Prices

Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm Closed S

undays

No Credit Card No Debit Card

973-772-331324 Outwater Lane, G

arfield

Sandy Rutkowski putting finishing touches on a portrait

of U.N. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson, one of several

large paintings that adorned the 1963 graduation field.

Indeed these were heady and optimistic

timesforCliftonandAmerica.Thetransfer

from the belovedColumns to theRotundahasmarkedagreatchangeinthelifeofevery

student, Editors Abby Wasserman, Karl

SaksandEileenMeneguspenned.

This yearbook... strives to preserve the

memoriesofanimportantyear,toexpressa

feelingofprideintheschoolanditsstudent

body and to express hopes for the future.

What the yearbook documents is that new-

nesspervadeseverywhere...theycontinued,

acknowledging the new technology found

attheirschoolandinmanyaspectsoflife.

Buzz of electric typewriters, language

labs,sittingquietlyinclassandbeingstartled

bynow hear this! overtheintercom,migra-tiontotheauditoriumforgroupinstruction,a

modernlibrarywithmyriadsofbooks...

It would be quite simple to float in a

world of daydreams in these surroundings,

butinspirationandperseverancedriveusto

learn...Luckhassmiled,bestowinguponus

this excellent structure for education.

Tradition mingled with change, continual

studyandhopeleadingtoknowledgeand

learningThis is Clifton High School.Torelivethatera,HelenKubikandEllen

GrexahaveorganizedareuniononNov.29at

theMountainsideInn.Call973-742-4466or

973-365-2178topurchasetickets.

Drum Major Verna Fox at left and the

Varsity Cheerleaders above. At left, Dave

Van Dillen and Arnold Wunder.


6363

Class of



Above, Clifton's state champs give Coach

Grecco a victory ride after the final game. Top

right, Barbara Suto learns safe driving tech-

niques from Mr. Pallo. Middle right, a

weather station reading being

recorded by Ken Gershon and Mr.

Jacobs. Bottom right, Ann Potter

practices for All-State Chorus.

Bottom left, Mr. Struyk steadies John

Scalzo as he demonstrates the conser-

vation of angular momentum.

Hanging... Barbara Hazinski and

Leona Trojan solve a

knotty problem.

6363

Class of


In Atlanta Fulton County Stadium in 1982, a crew ofClifton guys are shown carrying a sign which reads:Clifton, New Jersey Class of 63 Loves the Mets

and Jay Horwitz and Ted Turner.

s.

s


Story by Jack DeVries

6363

Class of


Jay Horwitz learned early how to survive in LittleLeague. When it came his turn to bat, he would tuck hissmall body into crouch and bunt every time. It didnt

matter if there were runners on base or not, or how many

outs there were in an inning, Horwitz would square and

face the pitcher, holding the small bat in his hands.

That was until his father Milton spoke up.

He told me he wasnt going to let me play anymore

unless I swung the bat, Horwitz remembers.

Determined to continue his baseball career, Jay

stepped into the batters box at Cliftons Main Memorial

Park.

On the bench, his teammates sponsored by

Epsteins clothing store on Main Ave. cheered for

their friend.

On the mound, the pitcher from Jacques Wolf, one of

the powerhouse teams of Cliftons Northern Division

during the fifties, began his wind-up.

Jay waited, staring at the pitcher with his left eye

his right eye nearly useless after a bout with German

measles as a child. The pitcher released. To everyones

surprise including his Horwitz swung and connect-

ed. In many baseball stories, what follows is an ending

straight out of The Natural.The batter hits the ball, flies around the bases, and

goes on to glory in the major leagues.

Horwitzs story is a bit different. After hitting the ball,

Jay tripped and fell flat on his face, and then got thrown

out at first by the centerfielder.

Rich Less picked up the ball and threw me out,

Horwitz laughs. I think it was the only time I hit the ball

I was an uncoordinated kid. But I did hit it. But

whats similar to the story of The Natural is Horwitz didgo on to the major leagues but by a different path.

Now in his third decade with the New York Mets,

Horwitz is the teams vice president, media relations, and


one of the best-liked and respected

people in Major League Baseball

operations.

In the clubhouse, says Mookie

Wilson, a centerfielder on the 1986

Mets World Series winning team,

the players believed the team

couldnt exist without Jay.

And Horwitz couldnt exist

without his hometown of Clifton.

The city educated him, shaped

him, and reinforced his love of

sports.

It was in Clifton where

Horwitz learned many of the

skills he uses today while serving

as a manager of the Mustangs

baseball, basketball, track and

field, and cross country teams.

As a manager, I learned there was no task too big or

small to do, says Horwitz, a 1963 Clifton High gradu-

ate. Im grateful for coaches like Bill Vander Closter,

Ed Sanicki, Emil Bednarcik, Jim Grimes, and others who

allowed me to help the athletes and stay close to sports.

One of my only regrets is I dont stay in contact with

my Clifton friends because I travel so much, he says

and adds: I have a lot of warm feelings for Clifton.

Sporting Life

Horwitz was born in

the Fordham Road

section of the Bronx in

1945 and moved to Clifton at age 6.

His father was a general manager for a

coat factory; his mother Gertrude was

a homemaker and later a bookkeeper,

working at Daughters of Miriam.

After living in an apartment, the

Horwitz family purchased a house on

Grant Ave., where Jay has lived since

1954. His love affair with sports start-

ed soon after.

Jay played second base, remem-

bers friend John Scalzo, a retired US

Navy Captain living in Virginia,

which was pretty amazing for a young

boy who could see with only one eye. I sometimes

played first so we connected a few times on some stel-

lar plays. We still talk today about whom was the

worse hitter, but I know I was.

Horwitzs father was a big baseball and football New

York Giants fan, and Jay chose Willie Mays as his base-

ball hero. But there were other heroes in his life, includ-

ing sixth grade teacher Joyce Eslinger.

6363

Class of


6363

Class of


She was kind to me following my eye surgery, he

remembers. The surgery didnt help, but I do remember

Miss Eslinger coming to my house to visit me. She

encouraged me to do something with my life and become

successful.

A mediocre

student and as he

describes, a terri-

ble athlete,

Horwitz was

well-liked by

classmates. In his

1960 junior high

yearbook, the

Carousel, he wasvoted Class

Giggler.

He also spent

hours playing

stick ball behind

Clifton School

Stadium with

friends Scalzo, Peter Sawczyn, Harold Abrams, Howard

Ehrlich, and others.

Entering high school, Horwitz continued to be influ-

enced by his teachers. He remembers Bob Zschack as a

good science teacher, being a disaster in Fred

Lombardos woodshop class (Every wooden bowl I

made had a hole in the bottom, he laughs), and enjoy-

ing Peter Lo Res classes.

Jay was a character, one of my favorites, says Lo

Re. Once in class, we were talking about the word

vicissitude, meaning change. When I asked for some-one to use it in a sentence, Jay raised his hand and said:

All women go through vicissitudes. We all broke uplaughing. I also remember how extremely school spir-

ited Jay was. He was bright, well rounded a great kid.

I could not be prouder of his success today.

A liberal Kennedy democrat in high school,

Horwitz set his sights on becoming a press secretary,

like Pierre Salinger. But I also had this second passion,

which was sports, he says. It was fun to be around

our Clifton teams were so successful in those days. We

had great athletes like Dennis Cesar, Roger Fardin,

Tom Papa, Wayne Demikoff, and many others.

On my (athletic) jacket, I had eight stripes from all

the teams I managed. Nobody had more. I was 51, 90

pounds when people saw my jacket, they probably

asked themselves, Whos that guy?

Path to Shea Stadium

After graduating

from Clifton,

Horwitz enrolled

in NYU, eventu-

ally earning his

masters in 1969.

During his col-

lege years, he

became a better

student, did cam-

paign work for

Bobby Kennedy

(later for George

McGovern), and

got a job cover-

ing high school

sports for the Herald-News. I learned from (longtime sportswriters) Augie Lio

and Joe Lovas, says Horwitz. They were good to me

and showed a lot of patience. I was a slow writer.

He returned to NYU as the schools sports informa-

tion director from 1969 through 1972, and then took

over the same role at Fairleigh Dickinson University

from 1972 through 1980. Once again, others were will-

ing to help Horwitz, especially the late Dick Stahlberg,

Montclair State Universitys SID.

Dick took me under his wing, Horwitz says, and

nurtured me. Because of my experience as a reporter, I

knew one side of the business. But I realized I still had

much to learn.

FDU provided Horwitz with a wealth of experience.

Unusual stories about FDU athletes began to appear in

national media, including baseball player Steve

Dembowski, who was hit by a pitch 32 times in 30

games (then an NCAA record), and 58 Franklin Jacobs

of Paterson, the world indoor high jump record holder

who could elevate nearly two feet above his head.

We had stories about a hockey-playing priest and a

43-year-old football player, Horwitz recalls.

Jays fourth grade class, Clifton School 1, in 1955. From left, Horwitz is in

the second row, first seat. John Scalzo, Jays friend who provided this photo,

is the fourth student in the right row.


Burgers to Pirogies & more!50 Wings $1 Domestic Drafts and More!

Always a cool place to chill.70 Inch HD TV plus 8 more Tubes!


6363

Class of


But Franklins story was special. If not for the U.S.

boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Russia, he was a

lock for a medal.

As he had done in Clifton and would later do with the

Mets, Horwitz went above and beyond his usual job

duties, serving as Jacobs friend and mentor.

He became an unofficial track coach, watching

Jacobs plant foot during warm-ups and alerting him if

he missed his mark. FDUs Arthur Petrosemolo had

quoted Jacobs as saying Horwitz helped him tremen-

dously, mentally and physically he was very, very

important to me at the time.

Another athlete Jay helped was Cliftons Rich

Conrad, an outstanding basketball player for the

Mustangs and a 1,174-point scorer for FDU. Knowing

the local fans loved hearing about Conrad, Horwitz was

certain to make sure the Clifton star was featured promi-

nently in the newspapers.

Jay absolutely loved his job, says Conrad.

At right, back in 1962, Horwitz, pictured at the right of

the photo, served as manager of the Mustang Harriers

and also for the CHS Basketball team.

When we opened one of the regions first SameDay Surgery Center back in 1993, the foundingphysicians and staff of Clifton Surgery Centerknew we were on the cusp of change. Two decadeslater, as we mark our anniversary, our surgeons andstaff continue to innovate and evolve.

Over those 20 years, our mission remains true: todeliver superior surgical service more efficiently andcost effectively than area hospitals. We continue toinvest and improve our facilities, not only our oper-ating suites but also to our landmark building. Weare proud of our service and look forward to manymore decades of providing quality healthcare.

Celebrating 20 Years

So much Surgical Expertise from our Staff, to our Physicians



6363

Class of


Ive never met someone so passionate about what he

did. The athletes recognized and appreciated what he

did for them. To this day, he has a wonderful sense of

humor. Jay is definitely doing the right thing with his

life.

While Horwitz tirelessly gave of himself and promot-

ed his school, a much bigger sports organization was

taking notice. The former Mustang was about to be

called up to the big leagues.

Meet the Mets

After the 1979 season, the once proud Miracle Mets a

team that caused people to dance in the streets after win-

ning the World Series a decade earlier was a team in

disarray. The organization had traded their star pitcher

Tom Seaver and was in the midst of a seven-year losing

run when the Mets would not win more than 70 games.

Worse yet, the club was coming off a year where it

drew about 700,000 fans, making Shea Stadium an

empty, miserable place.

New owners Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday,

who bought the club in 1980, needed to turn the ailing

franchise around. Knowing it would take years before

the Mets were respectable, they sought a media person

able to generate interest through other means.

They decided to give Horwitz, the man who publi-

cized FDU through offbeat stories, a chance to help the

Mets while GM Frank Cashen rebuilt the team.

Horwitz faced an uphill climb.

Jay Horwitz with the legendary Mets pitcher Tom Seaver.

A Family PracticeFor Your Wellness

Dr. Michael Basista, Medical Director of Immedicenter

Immedicenter1355 Broad St. Clifton 973-778-5566www.immedicenter.com

Monday - Friday 8am to 9pm

Saturday and Sunday 8am to 5pm

Walk-in Medical Care

Weekday Appointments Available

Urgent Care For YourIlls, Chills & Spills


6363

Class of

With the Yankees winning and

Boss George Steinbrenner in full

bluster, news about the Mets was

often buried in the papers.

But soon, Cashen began stocking

the team with good, young players,

the bedrock of the 1986 champi-

onship club.

One of those young players was

Wilson, who arrived with the Mets

in Sept. 1980. Jay looked out for

us, he says. He advised us about

how to handle ourselves with the

media and how wed be perceived

by the public telling us not to say

this or that. He also acted as a medi-

ator between players and the media,

coaches and the media even play-

ers and the fans.

Today a close friend of Horwitz,

Wilson says, Jay was also great

with the media he could be

forceful at times but realized the

writers had a job to do. I know they

liked him.

One fan was Dan Castellano of

the Star-Ledger, who covered theMets from 1979 to 1993. Nobody

works harder than Jay, says

Castellano, who is retired but stays

in contact with Horwitz.

I wish hed delegate more so

hed have some free time but Jay

doesnt want free time. Ive never

known him to take a vacation. Hes

missed days, like when he had the

chicken pox in Chicago and had to

stay in his hotel room, but not many

of them.

If I have one criticism of Jay,

adds Castellano, its that he does

too much for the players. But by

doing his job, Castellano almost got

Horwitz fired before he was offi-

cially announced as the Mets new

PR person.

I got a call from my office at

spring training in St. Petersburg,

Castellano recalls, telling me the

Mets were about to announce Jay. I

knew him from FDU and called him

in Clifton to get information for a

story. Jay got on the phone and said,

I dont know if I can tell you any-

thing. He was afraid hed get

Jay looked out for us, Mookie Wilson says. He advised us

about how to handle ourselves with the media and how wed be

perceived by the public...


6363

Class of


in trouble which was

exactly what happened.

When I asked Cashen

about Jay, he gave me a

surprised look and said, I

dont think were announc-

ing that yet. Cashen wasnt

pleased. I remember miss-

ing dinner that night

because I was on the phone

with Jay who was worried

he was going to get fired

before he even started.

Luckily, they got it

straightened out and Jay stayed. We still joke about that

story today.

As hed done at FDU, Horwitz began generating off-

beat stories about the Mets. When he learned pitcher

Rick Ownbey could throw and catch a Frisbee with his

feet, he gathered the writers for a demonstration, provid-

ing them with, as Castellano says, good copy.

Another stunt was holding a press conference to

announce the signing of infielder Doug Flynn, who

moonlighted as a country singer. During the press con-

ference, Horwitz got the conservative, bow-tie wearing

Cashen to don a cowboy hat. To the GMs horror, a

photo of cowboy Cashen ended up in many newspa-

pers. Because Frank was so no-nonsense, you would-

nt think he and Jay would get along, but they did, says

Castellano. But Frank rolled his eyes and bit his lip

more than a few times with Jay.

Another of Horwitzs stunts was providing a list of

outlandish press notes on April Fools Day. One of his

stories about Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson making

a comeback at age 50 actually ran in a writers column.

Jay has a little bit of Bill Veeck in him, says

Castellano, referring to the man who sent up a midget to

hit during a major league game. Theres no telling what

the two of them might have done together.

Major League Memories

By 1984, the Mets were a team on the rise. In 1986, they

won the National League pennant and faced the Boston

Red Sox in the World Series.

During the climactic Game 6, which ended with

Wilson beating out a ball that bounced through Bill

Buckners legs, Horwitz watched the game unfold on

TV in manager Davey Johnsons office.

Keith Hernandez (who made the second out of the

10th inning) was sitting on the couch, Horwitz remem-

bers, and (scout) Darrell Johnson was there, too. We

felt the whole season slipping away.

With the Mets trailing 5-3, the hits began. Keith

refused to move, says Horwitz, because he didnt

want to jinx us. And then Mookie had that great at bat,

fouling off many pitches before hitting the bouncer to

Buckner.

When Ray Knight crossed the plate with the winning

run, Hernandez rushed to the field to join the team.

Horwitz waited in the clubhouse. I slapped hands with

all of them as they came in, he says.

Another great memory was the 2000 Subway Series

matching the Mets against Yankees. Horwitz remembers

it being absolutely crazy, handling hundreds of media

requests. When asked about a Subway Series repeat this

year, he says, Its tough, but we handled it then and can

do it again.

But his greatest memory in baseball was born out of

this generations national tragedy.

On Sept. 11, 2001, the Mets were in Pittsburgh to

play the Pirates. Following the terrorist attacks, Baseball

Commissioner Bud Selig chose to suspend the season

for six days, and the Mets remained in Pittsburgh for

two days before returning to New York.

In the days following, the Mets helped the city recov-

er by visiting Ground Zero to encourage relief

Thats Jay welcoming home some of the legends of the Mets.


workers. The organiza-

tion also turned the Shea

Stadium parking lot into

a staging area to gather

needed supplies, with

manager Bobby

Valentine doing much of

the heavy lifting. We

didnt do any of that

work for publicity, says

Horwitz, we did it

because it was the right

thing to do.

When play resumed

on Sept. 21, the Mets,

wearing NYPD and

NYFD caps, helped the

city take perhaps its first steps toward returning to nor-

mal.

On an emotional night, full of reminders of loss,

patriotism, and heroism the Mets gave their fans a

moment to remember. Trailing in the eighth inning, 2-1,

Mets slugger Mike Piazza

stepped to the plate.

On the mound was the

Atlanta Braves Steve

Karsay, ironically a New

York City native.

Karsay delivered and

Piazza smacked a long

majestic homer that land-

ed beyond the center field

wall a blast that gave

the grieving city a chance

to rejoice and cheer once

again.

That home run gave

me chills, says Horwitz,

who was in the press box

at the time. I can still see it. Mikes home run was more

than a big hit it helped unite the city and gave New

York a chance to heal.

I have never been prouder to be a member of the

Mets organization than in the days following 9/11.

Early in his career, Jay Horwitz wanted to be a political press

secretary but changed paths and instead became a Vice

President of Media Relations for the New York Mets, a career

which led him to a meeting with President Bill Clinton.

Buonafina Plumbing & Heating, 385 Lakeview Ave., Clifton973-340-2200 www.buonafinaplumbing.com

Master Plumber Lic. # 12406 Home Improvement Contractor # 13VH05704200

Cliftons Hometown PlumberThink Winter? Now is the least expensive time toinstall steam or hot water boilers. Call us and ask forSpecial Clifton Pricing on...

Faucet Repair & Installation Drain Cleaning & Rooter Service Sewer & Water Replacement Sewer TV/Video Inspection Boiler Repairs & Installations Hot Water Heaters Sump Pump Installation

We are Master Plumbers & Experts in Heating Systems

EmergencyService Calls24/7

While he works with a teamof professionals, Oscar

Buonafina has his 9th gradeson Izzy working as anapprentice this summer.

6363

Class of



140 Arlington Ave. Clifton 973.473.4830

Affordable for Life!

Ask any of these previous customers about theFederle Family & Affordable Home Services...

Jerry Zecker is pictured with his grand-kids, Colin and Henry Nash, in front oftheir parents home at 105 McCosh Rd.Affordable had done work on Zecker'shome at 55 McCosh. Jerry and his wifeArlene were so pleased by the serv-ice, they recommended the Federlefamily to do roofing, siding, gutters andleaders on the Nash home.

385 Hazel St.Siding 2009Roofing 2013

repeat customer

Aviles183 E 6th St.Roofing 2010

repeat customer

Wiles73 Green Tree Rd.Windows 2012,Roofing 2013

repeat customer

Studwell229 E First St.Roofing 2013

Palumbo34 Orchard Dr.Siding 2006Roofing 2011

repeat customer

Derelitto18 Arlington Ave.

Kitchen 2008Bathroom 2011repeat customer

Quinlan14 Dalewood Rd.Porch Enc. 2003Windows 2013repeat customer

Tenney47 New Brier LaneWindows 2001

Siding &Roofing 2013

repeat customer

Fierro

The Federle FamilyJohn, Ron, Jim & James

Affordable for Life!


They wore Landlubberbrand bell-bottoms. They criss-crossed the Route 46 pedestrian over-

pass from the Bowlero bowling alley for

a late-night bite across the way at Ginos and

The Hearth or ventured to The Room, a

teen hangout at St. Philips.

As 1973 unfolded, President Nixon

announced an accord to end the Vietnam war

and bring peace with honor, permitting the

young men of Clifton Highs senior class to

begin to shake off the experience of report-

ing to the local draft board in nearby

Paterson. 1-A, a draft board worker had

said. Ready for service. But now, the draft

had ended.

Some were politically involved, such as

one 17-year-old senior who in 1972 stuffed

envelopes in an office atop a Main Avenue

cigar store for the presidential campaign of

George McGovern, the Come Home

America candidate, and ventured to a rally

on the courthouse steps in Hackensack to

see the candidate and Sen. Edward Kennedy

in the campaigns waning weeks.

Come June, the nearly 1,000 graduates of

the Class of 73 would toss their mortar

boards into the sky over Clifton Stadium and

begin the long trek of lifes twists and turns. But on

what long and winding road to borrow a line from

a Beatles tune would they travel?

For many, the attachments to their hometown

remained strong.

Take Lizz Bumbera-Gagnon, who in 1973 worked

the stage crew for the senior class play. Later, she

would take to a new stage, securing a seat on the

Clifton Board of Education after leading a fight

addressing high readings of electromagnetic fields near

School 14. I became president of the School 14 Home

& School Association at a very trying time, she recalls

of those days.

These days, the mother of two can be found at

John Cordasco, Jeannine Carlo, Donna De Liberto, Robert Bertelli, Christine Kotlar, Steven Bivaletz, Mary Ellen Samra

7373

Class of


1973Class of


1301

Brothers Don and Rich Knapp

We now doGutter Cleaning Roofing Siding Gutters & Leaders Windows

We are the sons of the fou

nder of

R.F. Knapp Construction, a family

owned business founded in Clifton

nearly 50 years ago. We are a preferred

contractor of Alcoa Mastic Siding and a

GAF Factory Certified Installer of GAF

Products Cert. # CE19509.

We specialize in roofing, siding, gutters,

leaders and windows. Give us a call and

we will gladly set-up an appointment to

discuss your job needs and go over a

complete written estimate.

NJ License 13VH00726700

Clifton City Hall, serving as assistant

city assessor just yards from her alma

mater. I am still enjoying my job, she

said.

So too is Elizabeth Riley Eisenmenger, whose class

credits include the National Thespian Society and the

makeup crew of the school production of Carousel.

This year, the longtime Clifton teacher (and perennial

Mustang Band parent) served as director of the student

production of Crazy for You, in the process marking a

half-century of musicals inside CHS auditorium.

7373

Class of


Over in the offices of the stu-

dent newspaper, The Hub, Philip

Read was getting his start in jour-

nalism, even interviewing John

Scher about the concerts he then

put on briefly at Passaic's Central

Theater. After getting his bachelor's

at Boston University and racking

up some grad studies at Penn State,

he landed his first job at The

Paterson News, starting a 30-plus

year career in daily newspapers.

Along the way, he interviewed

the likes of Buzz Aldrin, who

stepped on the moon right after

Neil Armstrong in 1969, and Larry

Doby, who broke the color barrier

in the American League incorpo-

rating those stories and others in

two volumes of Montclair &

Environs, 21st Century

Chronicles.

If his name seems similar, its

because he also authored two picto-

rial histories of his hometown,

Clifton and Clifton, the

Boomtown Years, published by

Arcadia.

Still another 73er, Fred Sloan,

dedicated his sports talents as No.

20 on the lacrosse team back in

CHS, and later managed several

career plays in his professional life,

at first teaching learning disabled

children and adults before switch-

ing to computer programming ana-

lyst, earning his MBA and traveling

extensively.

Just a humble Irish kid from

Clifton, New Jersey, who embraced

and achieved beyond his early

dreams, he said. And still loving

and living beyond the dreams of

my youth!

In the medical field, theres

Glenn Gorab, whose lengthy CHS

exploits included photo editor of

The Hub, indoor track, and the

zoology club. By 1985, after

obtaining his doctor of medicine in

dentistry, the oral and maxillofacial

surgeon started his private practice

in his hometown and proudly notes

that his Broad Street office renova-

tion won a beautification award

from Clifton.

Perhaps one of more colorful

graduates is Ivan Wilzig, whose

CHS 73 credits include the

National Honor Society, the bio lab

club, and a mini-course on Freud.

At the time, he lived in the citys

Rosemawr neighborhood, one of

the sons of Siggi Wilzig, who sur-

vived the Nazi death camps and

went on to lead The Trust Company

of New Jersey.

For some years now, Ivan Wilzig

has been getting write-ups in The

New York Times Magazine, The

New York Observer, and most

recently, The New York Post. In

June 1, 2013, article, the New York

tabloid takes another look at the

eccentric banking heir and musi-

cians castle in the Hamptons.

Turns out Wilzig is now getting

for $200 donations for those who

come to his widely heralded and

lavish parties, directed to his

Peaceman Foundation. I want to

make the castle the Studio 54 of

philanthropy, Wilzig is quoted as

saying.

The tabloid also notes that

Wilzig is also throwing parties at

his Soho penthouse, painted with

the flowers, rainbows, and peace

signs of his and his classmates

coming-of-age years. The entire

space in black-lit, he told the

tabloid. Its a psychedelic love

shack.

7373

Class of

MUSTANGS NOW?

The Class of 73 is having its 40th reunion on Nov. 9 at The Bethwoodin Totowa. To sign up, and for details, class alumni can go tohttp://chs73alumni-cliftonnj.net/ and click on the event tab.

WHERE ARE THESE

Your Pets Come First...and at Corrados youllalways save money! Open 7 days and neatlyorganized from wall to wall, the super-sized Pet Market is animal friendly,loaded with great merchandise andstaffed by knowledgeable people.

600 Getty Ave., Clifton973-859-2599

201 Berdan Ave., Wayne973-646-2180

662 Goffle Rd., Hawthorne973-310-8333

480 Route 46, Fairfield973-808-5501

We Love Your Pets

www.corradosmarket.com

Small, low activity dogs need about 185 to 370 caloriesdaily, while a hound between 67 to 88 pounds may need 1,000to 2,000 calories, depending on activity level and gender. Yetmany of our dogs get far more food than they need. More thanone-third of our nations dogs over 1 year old are overweight.

It is easy to please out pets with food but it is not always agood idea. Pet nutrition needs are not the same as ours, butmany of us pet owners are clueless about what exactly they are.Our stores are stocked with many different types of food and ourstaff can help you select the right one for your dog or cat.

A healthy 10 pound kitty needs just 220 to 350 calories aday -- about the number in a few table scraps. No wonder theweight stats are about as bad for cats as dogs. One-quarter ofAmericas felines are considered overweight or obese.

Saturdays & Sundays 1 to 4 pm in Clifton, we havemany pets available for adoption. We are proud tohave a partner in this program in Zanis Furry Friends.Info at zanisfurryfriends.org.



For Andy and Cheryl Ann (Paicer)Mooney, growing up in Clifton duringthe 60s and early 70s was a pretty

simple life filled with friends and fam-

ily. The CHS Class of 73 graduates met and fell in love

during their junior year of high school and have been

together ever since.

Andy lived off Clifton Ave. near Oak Ridge Park, where

he and his neighborhood pals often played together for

hours. They rode mini bikes and built tree forts behind

School 14, where he went to elementary school.

He often hung out at his fathers Mobil gas station and

auto repair shop further down Clifton Ave., where he

learned the trade that later became his lifes work.

I was pumping gas at eight or nine years-old, he

said. My dad worked a lot of hours, so it was a way for

me to spend more time with him.

Andy also remembers the Cisco Dairy Farm behind

the gas station and the old federal animal quarantine sta-

tion that was on the grounds of what now is Clifton City

Hall and the municipal complex. I saw them bring in

giraffes and all kinds of animals, he said.

Cheryl grew up on Greglawn Drive near Robinhood

Park, where she fondly recalls spending time at summer

programs and being outside playing with her friends

until the street lights came on at night. She remembers

going for special treats at Poppys Shakes, where Bizub

Quinlan Funeral Home is now located.

Behind my house there was a farm and I could see all

the way to School 2, she said. We had a good life. That

was a time when Sundays were Sundays. It wasnt so

hectic and you spent the day with your family.

Although Andy and Cheryl both went on after ele-

mentary school to what was then called Woodrow

Wilson Junior High, they dont recall ever meeting or

being in classes together. I never laid eyes on her until

junior year of high school, Andy insists.

The two met in chemistry class. He liked the way I

looked with my long blond hair, my go-go boots and

mini skirt, Cheryl laughed.

CHEMISTRY IN MR. SMITHS CLASSA Wonderful Life for CHS 73 Classmates

By Carol Leonard

From the left Ryan, CherylAnn, Andy, Patrick, and Ken.Inset, a current photo of Andyand Cheryl.

7373

Class of


We had a lot of fun, Cheryl said of their days in high

school. We had great teachers. Mr. Smith, our chemistry

teacher, thought we were a cute couple.

Back in those days at CHS, students were placed in

academic tracks. The more studious Cheryl was in Track

A, while Andy was in Track C. He liked shop classes a

lot, Cheryl said. He used to work on all the teachers

cars.

I was always pretty much a gear head, Andy com-

mented.

Cheryl said she was attracted to Andy because he

seemed very confident and always knew what he want-

ed. I also liked his boots and his slicked hair, she said

with a gesture.

Date nights for the couple included trips to the usual

Clifton landmarks, including Rutts Hut, Hot Grill, The

Corral and, of course, Marios for pizza.

Every Sunday, hed take me some place, like down

the shore, to Smithville or Greenwood Lake, Cheryl

said. He used to buy postcards and write down the date

we went there.

Wed go to Brookdale Park a lot, Andy said. In the

evening after dark, Cheryl added with a smile.

The couple also enjoyed motorcycle riding. We

would go down to the Pine Barrens to ride the dirt

bikes, Andy said.

Cheryls best friends in high school were Lynn Finaldi

and Debbie Kamerling. She keeps in touch through

Christmas cards with Finaldi, who now lives in

Rehobeth Beach, Delaware, but she has lost contact with

Kamerling.

Andys favorite buddies were Billy Mason and Doug

Strauss, but he hasnt had any contact with either of them

in many years.

After graduation, Andy joined his father in the auto-

motive business, where he had worked part-time all

throughout high school. By that time, his father had

given up the gasoline station and just focused on repairs.

Cheryl went to Montclair State College (now

Montclair State University), where she majored in math

education and graduated in three years.

She originally intended to teach, but, after completing

her degree, she accepted a job offer with NJ Bell as an

outside plant engineer. The position involved designing

cable installations. She was later promoted to assistant

manager for budget and results.

7373

Class of




paid for by Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver

Proudly Serving Assembly District 34... Clifton, Orange, East Orange & Montclair

The Honorable

Sheila Y. OliverSpeaker of New Jersey

15-33 Halsted St., Suite 202 East Orange, NJ 07018973-395-1166 [email protected]

paid for by Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver

Short Term Leases Available

Your Monthly fee includes: Heat & A/C Electric Daily Janitorial Free Parking

24 Hour Access NJ Transit Express Bus toNYC at our door plus easy access to Route 3.

Call Jamie Wohr 973-591-5222 x16

Small Office Spaces starting at $350/MonthUse of shared Conference Room & Waiting Area.

Styertowne Shopping Center on Bloomfield Ave. at

Route 3 offers full service office suites on the sec-

ond floor. On the ground floor, you are steps from

great restaurants, shopping, banking & Post Office.

This Suite is partially furnished &newly renovated.


We have been serving the area for over 12 years specializing in family well-ness and the natural restoration of health. Families seek chiropractic care notjust for relief from headaches or back and neck pain but for improved func-tion, vitality and childrens wellness. Thousands have experienced the bene-fits of safe, gentle and effective chiropractic care. We invite you and yourfamily to experience true health care without the use of drugs and surgeries.

THE CHIROPRACTIC CENTER at STYERTOWNE501 Allwood Rd, Clifton 973-777-6995 www.chiropractorsclifton.com

Cliftons trusted leaders in natural health care

Coupon redeemable for a complementary initial exam,consultation and x-rays (up to 2 if necessary) $250 ValueDrs. Louis Schimmel, Jacqueline Paz-Schimmel & Joseph Paz

Andy and Cheryl were married on June 1, 1975, at age

20 and had their wedding reception at The Fiesta in

Wood-Ridge. They drove to Walt Disney World in

Florida for their honeymoon, where they stayed at the

Contemporary Resort Hotel, the first and only resort

hotel of its kind at the time at

the then new theme park.

After they returned, they

settled back in their home

town and stayed in Clifton

until 1986, when they bought

a house in the Morris County

community of Randolph. We

wanted to be out in the coun-

try more and Randolph was

known for having a good

school system, Andy said.

By then, the Mooneys had their first child, Ken, now

age 31, and named after his grandfather. Two more boys

followed, Ryan, now 26, and Patrick, 24.

Cheryl returned to work following the birth of her first

two sons, but after Patrick was born, she became a stay-

at-home mom for a few years.

She eventually became involved as director of reli-

gious education and then taught pre-algebra to middle

school students at St. Marys School in Dover, and later

taught basic skills in the Dover public schools.

Like many parents, while their boys were growing up,

Andys and Cheryls lives revolved around their kids.

Andy coached baseball and soccer and Cheryl was a vol-

unteer with the school PTA and the Cub Scouts. We did

all the usual parent stuff, Cheryl said.

Andy took over ownership of Ken Mooneys Service

Garage from his father over 20 years ago and he contin-

ues to put in a lot of hours to keep the business thriving.

He gets up at four every morning to get into work

early, Cheryl said. I might have been the more studious

one, but, when it comes to business sense, hes got the

brains.

Cheryl went on to earn two

masters degrees in education

and special education, and she

has been teaching kindergarten

through second grade special

education students at School 2

in Passaic since 2006.

Oldest son Ken graduated

from Rider College and is a

financial analyst in New York

City. Middle son Ryan works

on instrument clusters for cars with an electronics com-

pany, and youngest son Patrick, who received a degree in

criminal justice from William Paterson University,

works full time as a mechanic for his father, while pur-

suing opportunities in law enforcement. He and his mom

carpool together to work every day.

Now that their kids are grown, Andy and Cheryl have

decided to downsize from their large home in Randolph.

They plan to move back to Clifton or another town near-

by to make the commute in their remaining working

years a little easier.

Overall, it has been a very successful and satisfying

40 years for the two high school sweethearts, who are

still very much in love and enjoying their life together. A

life that all began with a chance meeting in Mr. Smiths

chemistry class at Clifton High School.

7373

Class of


Keeping an eye out for the competition makes sensein any business. But what do you do when your com-petition is also a long time friend?

Such is the paradox of Dave Santosuosso (the chok-

er below and at right in 1973) and Dave Pietziewicz ,

competing title agents with businesses based in Clifton.

Santosuosso owns Title Agency of New Jersey and

Pietziewicz owns Passaic Valley Title Agency. So far, it

doesnt sound so remarkable. What if we told you they

have been friends since junior high school? And what

if we told you they were born the same day in the same

year, only an hour apart (December 17, 1954)?

In their glory days, they even performed in the same

rock band, The Raisin.

Yet, despite the competitive nature of small business

in a small city, Dave and Dave occasionally refer work

to each other during busy periods and, more important-

ly, maintain a friendship founded nearly 40 years ago.

Every once and a while, we still get together, said

Santosuosso. We share sport tickets and refer work to

each other. If he is on vacation, his staff can call my

office for assistance and vice versa.

Weve been steady friends for a long time, added

Pietziewicz.

A long time indeed. They met while attending

Woodrow Wilson Middle School through mutual

friends. We met through our rock band, recalled

Pietziewicz. I played guitar. I went over a friends

house to rehearse. They said a kid was coming over to

sing and play bass. It was Dave (Santosuosso).

Their mutual love of music propelled their friend-

ship beyond playing in the band.

While in the 9th grade Dave and Dave worked as

dishwashers at the Northlander, a long gone dining

establishment in Lakeview.

After work we would take the bus to Passaic to buy

music, said Pietziewicz. Then we would take the bus

back to one of our houses to listen to our new records.

7373

Class of


TWO DAVES FROM 1973Their Titles Today? Musicians and Entrepreneurs

By Tom Hawrylko



Often, the music they would recreate would be the

sounds of their favorite bands when they performed.

Although Pietziewicz added that they were ambitious

enough to write many original songs.

There were two re-incarnations of the band, said

Pietziewicz. One while we were in high school and

one when we were a little older playing in nightclubs.

After graduating from high school in 1973, Dave

and Dave parted ways as many friends do. Santosuosso

planed to stay local. He was introduced to the business

of title searching through his father, an attorney who

served as Chicago Title Insurance Companys state

manager and resident vice president.

Meanwhile, Pietziewicz went to Paul Smith

College, in Sarnack Lake, NY to become a wildlife

biologist. When I went up there I got cold feet,

admitted Pietziewicz. I decided this is not for me. It

was a confusing time because I didnt know what I

wanted to do.

Shortly after dropping out of Paul Smith College,

Pietziewicz recalls Santosuosso saying that his father

needed someone to work in his office.

Dave Santosuosso and the The Raisin,

in the second re-incarnation of the band. 7373

Class of


My dads company was

looking for a few guys,

said Santosuosso. His father

could not directly hire him

to work in his office

because the company had

an anti-nepotism policy.

Both Daves quickly took to

the title insurance business.

A title agent researches

property by checking the

records on local, county and

state levels to make sure

that the property is free and

clear to be sold. In 1982, Pietziewicz opened Passaic

Valley Title. Five years later, Santosuosso opened Title

Agency of New Jersey. Even though 1987 was a tough

year for the economy, both businesses survived and con-

tinue to do well today.

In fact, Pietziewicz says he sees many similarities to

the economy of 1987 and today. You hear confusing

things in the media about the fate of the economy, he

said. Right now, the hous-

ing market is healthy. Its

good, but its scary because

it reminds me of 1987

when it came tumbling

down. The title business

rides on the crest of the

economy. It is a peak and

valley industry.

Despite the uncontrol-

lable nature of the busi-

ness, Pietziewicz stays one

step ahead of slow busi-

ness. You have to plan for

the lean times, he said.

Regardless of how the economy moves or what hap-

pens to the title insurance business, Dave and Dave

have something more valuable. Even though they

admit they are not as close as they were in high school,

there are few people who have the opportunity to call

on a life long friend for business and personal advice at

a moments notice.

Dave Pietkiewicz, second from left with Who New?

Custom Made Wedding CakesEngagement Cakes Birthday CakesSweet 16 Cakes Baby Shower Cakes

308 Lakeview Ave. Clifton973-772-3837 Se Habla EspaolLakeviewbakeryonline.com

7373

Class of



Top row: Leslie Friedman, Geri Honan, Kathy White, Dori Breen, Mr. Carline,Theresa Najjar. Bottom row: Lisa DAnnunzio, Lori Pletenik, Elena Tiberi, MarcyDrumright, Theresa Messineo. At right, Kathy White, going tall.

The Drama Club took to the stage in Neil Simons Barefoot in the Park.The school newspaper, The Hub, doubled its issues to eight. Aaron Halpern was

marking his 20th year as Clifton Highs principal, telling the class a great

future awaits you.

Clifton Highs Class of 1983 turned to the Carpenters 1970 hit song for its

motto, Weve Only Just Begun, but it was really quite a year for Michael Jackson who for the first time danced the moon walk and seemed to rule the airways,

topping the charts with Billy Jean and Beat It.By summer, the class was swinging with the now classic Flashdance What

a Feeling and those oh-so-memorable lyrics: Take your passion. And make ithappen!

Robert Morgan, Cliftons perennial band director, was doing just that in the

WEVE ONLY JUST BEGUN...

John Hanrahan, Suzanne Sia, Anthony Hinson, Jacqueline Ference, Jerry Ference, Linda Chiappone, Victoria Tuzzolino

8383

Class of



stands and on the field as he cemented a decade of high-stepping

Mustang pride. The cheerleaders, then as now, gave a spirited

Weve Got the Spirit, Yeah chant at football games. The paja-

ma-clad girls choir enchanted guests with a rendition of Mr.

Sandman.

If T-shirts were a sign of the times, logos that year trumpeted

Harley-Davidson motor cycles, the Cowboys, Black Sabbath and

even the shores Sea Isle City.

The guidance office was deemed a place to relieve tensions.

Mr. Charles Holland, a mainstay of the French department, con-

tinued to teach the intricacies of the romance language. Jackie

Ference the years homecoming queen -- and Tony Hinson

topped the Most Popular category. Kathy White, sporting a No.

21 jersey for the girls basketball team, found a picture of herself

in the yearbook underscored with this caption: S-T-R-E-T-C-H

Slam Dunk.

It was not the case nationally, with President Reagan juggling

an economy with 10.4 percent unemployment at 10.4 percent as

the year began. Still, there was escape at either the Clifton

Top left, Craig Calderone, at left, Barbara Menegus and MargaritaCurnel, below Rich Stroligo and Matt Nichols.


or Allwood movie theaters, with

the debut of Star Wars Episode VI,Return of the Jedi followed bysummers unwrapping of Chevy

Chase as Clack Griswald in

National Lampoons Vacation.History was made too, with

Sally Ride at the age of 32

becoming the first woman in space

as a crew member aboard the shut-

tle Challenger.

It all seemed to fit with the

words of Principal Halpern that

year. True education is learning

from the experience of others, he

wrote, for this experience makes it

possible for you to go further, no

matter what the field of endeavor.

In spite of all the problems of

the world today, the present is bet-

ter than the past. We hope your

contributions will benefit

mankind.

The schools vice principals

John Baskinger, Henry Dougherty

and Constance Pomposelli

weighed in too, commenting on

some of the best years of the stu-

dents lives.

From top left, Alan Fivehouse,John Judge and Andy Blumetti,Michele Sobczak, Jackie Ference.At right, The Zoology Club.

8383

Class of



In 1981, the TV production course known as CASTCommunications, Art, Science & Technologywas

groundbreaking and Nick Toma took that unique class

at CHS and used it as the foundation to a career.

A class in how to write and produce a newscast?

recalled Toma, now a Fox TV News Anchor in Rockford,

Ill. I was a sophomore and thought I would play base-

ball the rest of my life. My math skills were average but

I could speak well and my writing skills were sharp.

Toma credits CHS counselor Jean Bernstein for sug-

gesting CAST. He called Frank Perotta and Patricia

Zalesny an amazing team of teachers. He handled

most of the technical portions of the class...how to edit,

camera, directing, that kind of thing, said Toma. Mrs.

Zalesny handled scriptwriting and journalistic theory.

He and his classmates produced a half hour newscast

on what was then Cable Channel V once a week. I was

writing and reporting segments and eventually I was

able to anchor them too, he continued. There was

also the Mustang Magazine and I interviewed my

cousin Tom, a professional photographer who went on

to be JCREWs chief photographer for many years. I

learned a lot about life simply asking questions.

That interview piqued his interest and Toma went on

to be a communication major at William Paterson

College. Handsome and articulate with a winning per-

sonality, Toma could also write. He started reporting

for the Herald & News while continuing to appear inon-air segments for the fledgling cable TV station.

In the late 80s a friend of mine asked if I could

come down to OBC (Orrechio Broadcasting Company

in Nutley then produced a daily newscast to Clifton)

and do reporting for their show. He said he couldnt

pay me but that I could take as many tapes as I wanted

and send them out to news stations. Thats what I did.

The free reels paid off. Six months later Toma said

goodbye to his parents Gene and Gloria and was work-

ing as a TV reporter in Watertown, NY. From there, he

landed reporting jobs in Anchorage Alaska and

Springfield, Mass. before getting his first big break as

the host of a morning show in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Broadcasting the weather live from a hot air bal-

loon in Springfield, reporting from Barrow Alaska, the

northernmost city in the US, covering a week-long sil-

ver salmon fishing derby in Seward Alaska, Toma

laughed about his assignments. I flew with the

Thunderbirds and survived 9 Gs, he continued. We

flew from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe in about 11 min-

utes. Good Day Sacramento was a five hour long morn-

ing show. Very personality driven. Its strange to say

but my job was to be myself and talk about things hap-

pening in the community and in the world around us.

Toma was a fixture on Sacramento TV news for 13

years but as is the transient nature of his industry, his

move to the Fox affiliate in Rockford, Ill. proved to be

a better opportunity. One added bonus: he gets back

to Clifton more often, spending time with his parents

and his brother Michael and sister Christine.

8383

Class of

From CASTat CHS

toFox 39

News Anchor


Nick Toma


8383

Class of


Mike Salerno had dreamsof being a pilot back inCHS so it is fitting that his

job keeps him in the clouds.

As a Marketing Director

for NBS in Wayne, this

cloud communications and

telecom services provider

makes use of Salernos

MBA in Marketing and

undergrad in Economics,

both from what was then

Montclair State College.

The firm also taps his cre-

ativity in the design of part-

ner communication e-

blasts, product collateral,

website and social media

content and public relations

material for the company.

I began with NBS in

2005 and have a history in

the Telecom industry as far

back as 1991, said Salerno,

who resides in Wayne with

his wife and two daughters. I have seen the evolution

of business telecom from analog voice lines to the all

digital IP data packets that now compose modern com-

munications networks. With the convergence of voice

and data networks the term In the Cloud is thrown

around a lot in my industry.

While one usage of the term keeps him at his office,

the other still has Salerno gazing the skies. I am a

huge fan of anything aerospace, he said. Specifically

military aviation and any and all things NASA and or

human spaceflight. I could give a pretty long soliloquy

on how the US got to the moon in 1969 and why we

cant go back there today without foreign assistance.

In June, Salerno met his childhood hero, Apollo 11

astronaut Buzz Aldrin, at the Montclair Public Library.

Salerno also reads stacks of books on World War II avi-

ation and can identify just about every historic fighter,

bomber or trainer in the

aviation museums he vis-

ited around the country.

I attribute this interest

to my dad who served in

the Army Air Corps (pre-

cursor to the Air Force)

during the WWII era, and

was immensely proud of

his service to his country

and an extremely patriotic

man, said Salerno. His

good friend Bert DeSoteo

was a top turret gunner in

B-24s during the war and

as you can imagine,

attending air shows or

walking through air

museums with these two

was quite an education.

My dad was my role

model and hero and he

never ceased to amaze

me with his relentlessly

positive attitude, no mat-

ter what life threw at him and my mom over the years,

said Salerno, one of five children in the family. They

include Joe, 74; Anne, 75, Jim, 80 and Maria 85.

As a testament to their dad, the Clifton Optimist

Club presents the Judge Joseph J. Salerno Respect for

the Law Award. We are always thankful and humbled

by this event. It is a wonderful way to honor a man who

gave so much to his community as a lawyer and judge

in Passaic County for so long. And more than 20 years

after his passing, to remember him in this way? It

instills great pride in the entire Salerno family.

This years Optimist Dinner is on Sept. 19 at 6:30

pm. Clifton Police Officer John Samra, killed in the

line of duty on Nov. 21, 2003, will be posthumously

honored with the Salerno Award. For more info or tick-

ets, call Dennis Hahofer at 973-513-9796, Joe Bionci at

973-472-1707 or Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400.

STILL IN THE CLOUDS

Mike and his wife Jackie, (Festa)CHS 80 who is a CHS GuidanceCounselor. Inset Mike in 1983.


8383

Class of


Suzanne Sia loved her years as a Mustangand continues making memories in Clifton.

Despite her fondness for her hometown, Sia

does not wear rose colored glasses. I guess

this is a positive aspect in life as we get

older, some things become more complicat-

ed, she said with out a trace of lamentation.

But having strong ties within your communi-

ty is a source of strength and stability in deal-

ing with these challenging life situations.

Sia grew up on Thanksgiving Lane and

belonged to the Italian and Key Clubs, was on

staff of the school paper and was in accelerat-

ed Math, Science, English and History.

Looking back on those formative years, she

said the knowledge she gained made it easy

for her to grow as a person and become

involved in her community socially and politically.

In 2010, Sia launched a bid for a Clifton City

Council seat, one of 19 candidates that year. While

only seven were elected, Sia came in tenth, just 278

votes short of winning a seat.

Not a bad start for a political novice.

Since 2010, Sia continues to be active on the politi-

cal and community scenes. She serves on the Cable TV

committeeand also appears as a intervieweris vice

president of the CHS PTSA and also makes her opin-

ions known on issues. She frequently speaks during the

public portion at Council meetings and makes her opin-

ions known via letters to local papers. Chances are,

shell take another run at political office. Why?

Clifton is the center of my world. Its been good to

my family and I, she said, adding that her daughter

Diana McKenna, a CHS Junior, enjoys her time as a

Mustang as well. It is about giving back.

I received an exceptional education at CHS and as

a result it opened doors, got me into a good college and

provided me with fundamental language and math

skills I use every day. Looking at her life today, Sia

credits the teachers at CHS for her math skills. They

made it clear that if you followed the formula and took

the correct steps, math was easy and logical.

Sia attended Rutgers University and after graduating

began a career in Information Technology. My role in

corporations is to ensure software applications/comput-

er systems are functioning efficiently. In addition, I

review processes to remove redundancy in methodolo-

gies which turns into cost savings for the company. Sia

went on to earn an MBA in Management Information

Systems from St. Peters College in 1994. I have a great

understanding for process, precision and accurate com-

munication since the foundation of Information

Technology is logical thinking and transforming that

into processes to improve our lives, said Sia.

The single mom said she has no plans of moving out

of town. My father still lives in the home I grew up in

and my daughter walks to his house after school. She

even brings her friends there. Its something she will

remember for the rest of her life, Sia continued. I

feel that Clifton has a lot to offer its residents. With all

the complaints about the CHS, I feel it has one of the

best Honor and Advanced Placement Programs and

offers positive exposure to diversity.

That diversity and richness translates to unique din-

ing and shopping and great neighborhoods. Clifton is

a place where neighbors become lifelong friends and

look out for each other, she concluded.

IN CLIFTON TO STAY

CHS grads Suzanne Sia, Fran Morici and Cathy Rose Mikowski.


Lisa Giaconia, Ronald Hammond, Tara Keating, Amy Hudak, Vincent Malba, Kathleen Kolano, Mark Ponikowski

9393

Class of


Beverly Hills 90210 the television series that trailedthe lives of teenagers in the upscale zip code was one

of the best or worst shows of the day, depending on

which CHS Class of 93 senior you asked. One of the

best songs or so the yearbook surmised was HowDo You Talk to an Angel, a chart-topping theme of ashort-lived TV series.

The year was also Cliftons 75th anniversary, noted in

a yearbook collage of marquee pictures from city main-

stays, namely The Rowe Manse Emporium, Carvel Ice

Cream and the Allwood Theater.

In a twist that year, teachers were asked where they

were 30 years earlier, the occasion of the creation of the

Clifton High School campus.

At home with my mom and watching Captain

Kangaroo, said special-education teacher Janice Burke.

Playing in my sandbox between naps, said English

teacher Robert Dominianni.

The creativity extended from an excuses for tardi-

ness category They changed my locker combina-

CLIFTON AT 75...

Unfortunately the 93 year-book did not identify the stu-dents pictured on these pages.


d

n

w a

n

n

h

tion and I helped a freshman find his room to one for

missing homework My mom forgot to do it for me and

There was homework? For those memorable moments,

classmates remembered the walkout during the war and

when I was first kissed. And the embarrassing ones?

Wearing two different shoes to school and getting stuck

in the bathroom when the knob broke.

On the gridiron, head coach John Iannucci, in his final

campaign at CHS, led the Fighting Mustangs to 3-4-2 record

after a close contest with a strong Paramus Catholic early in

the season. Still, it was a season that nevertheless won recog-

nition for running back Ralph Cinque, who ran a 288-yard

effort against PC and was honored twice as Athlete of the

Week.

At half-time, the 125-plus member strong Mustang

Marching Band dubbed Morgans Militia took to the

field under long-time band director Robert Morgan and

assistant Frank Romaine.

In the years Whos Who, it was running back Cinque

who picked up the title of Most Athletic. In something of

a break with tradition and no doubt to spare any hurt feel-

ings the staff of the yearbook, Rotunda, included a

9393

Class of


9393

Class of


Varieties Potatoes & Cheese Potato Sauerkraut Pot Cheese Mushroom Pot Cheese & Potato Broccoli Spinach Pizza Apple Prune Cabbage Apricot & Cheese Broccoli & Spinach

HOMEMADEPIROGI

Come to The Famous & Original (from Lexington Ave)...

Call forHours

1295 Main Ave Downtown Clifton 973.340.0340

WWW.HOMEMADEPIROGI.COM

Across from DeLuxe Cleaners

NEW! Great for Parties... Hot, Homemade Empanadas!

You Dont Have to Wait Until Friday to Eat Pirogies !!!

page of runners-up in such cate-

gories as Class Clown and

Most Dependable.

But 1993 was also

a year of loss. Henry

Dougherty (pictured

center), the long-time

CHS vice principal,

passed away, his pres-

ence marked by this

verse attributed to

American literary crit-

ic Van Wyck Brooks:

How delightful is

the company of gener-

ous people, who overlook trifles

and keep their minds instinctively

fixed on whatever is good and pos-

itive in the world around them.

Magnanimous people have no van-

ity, they have no jealously, and

they feed on the

true and the solid

wherever they

find it. And, what

is more, they find

it everywhere.

These days, the

Clifton High

School Class of

1993 has its own

Facebook page,

albeit with just 58

members. We

graduated from high school 20

years ago tonight! Crazy, isnt it?

said Cara Kling Centurione in a

June 24 post.


Jackie Licata-Alectoridis & Jane Maffucci are the owners of...

Cliftons only Montessori school

Register Now For Summer & September

50% Off Registration Until July 20 Infants Pre-School KindergartenFull Day & Half Day

rainbowmontessori.com

22 Varettoni Pl., Clifton 973-772-23301255 Broad St., Bloomfield 973-338-8300

Life is about giving back to thecommunity that shaped Vincent

Malba into the man he has become.

Growing up in Acquackanack,

he has fond memories of being out-

side, riding bikes, delivering news-

papers, cutting lawns, going to

Brunos for pizza and playing base-

ball in the Clifton Midget League.

After CHS, Malba attended The

College of New Jersey and went on

to New York Chiropractic College

for a doctor of chiropractic degree.

The next step was figuring out

where I wanted to practice, he

said. It was a pretty easy decision

it had to be Clifton. It was time to

pay it forward. Malba recently

celebrated his 10th year in practice

on Clifton Ave.

It has been a dream come true

and I have loved every minute of

it, he said. Not only have I been

able to treat generations of Clifton

residents, from infants to the elder-

ly, but also athletes and former

coaches. Its been a joy in so many

respects and giving back to the

community has been incredibly

rewarding.

He attended School 5 and a year

at School 2 before moving on to

Woodrow Wilson Middle School.

At CHS, he ran cross country and

played basketball and baseball, and

had the thrill and honor of being a

member of two Passaic County and

state sectional championship teams

in the latter sport. He also played

summer base ball with the Clifton

American Legion Post 347.

I was inspired by my parents as

well as teach

Documents

Clifton Merchant Magazine - July 2013