Author: Gil

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Never Say

NEVER SAY

How many good-byes will it take before you make the mistake,
That you may never see that person again.
The answer my friend is riding on the wind, that you may never see that person again.
Because there’s no good, in the word goodbye.
That only means, that you May never ever see them again, as the tears begin to flow from your eyes.
So, Never Say – Goodbye. Just farewell, and I’ll see you soon.
As the Stars flood the sky. Never Say – Goodbye.
At the end of the day as you walk away, just turn and say have a good time.

NEVER SAY – GOODBYE.

BY
LENNY JAYNES

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In Memory of Those Who Died on D Day

I am certain there are other Frankford men who died on D Day but these 2 come to mind.  Both attended Frankford High School.

Ralph Daniel Fischer, Jr.
Ralph was born on February 25, 1921 in Philadelphia.  When he registered for the draft in 1942, he was living with his family at 1701 Kohl Street and working at Max Willi Pfau in Langhorne.    He enlisted in the Army on September 14, 1942.  Corporal Fischer was one of the HQ Company, 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division who parachuted into France on June 6, 1944.  He was killed in action at 22 years old.   His body was brought home in 1949 and was interred in Ivy Hill Cemetery.

George Lee Meadows, Jr.
George was born in Macon, George on August 14, 1920.  By 1930, his family was living at 4243 Rhawn Street in Philadelphia.  He enlisted in the Army on March 1, 1940 and rose to the rank of Tech Sergeant when he shipped out to Europe on January 18, 1944.  He was in Company A, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division when he was killed in action on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944.  He was 23 years old.  His body was brought home and interred in Arlington Nation Cemetery.

Rest in peace.

 

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Long Long Time

Long Long Time

You said you would love me to the end of time,

You said you would love me if the Sun never shines,

You said you would love me if the Ivy stops growing on the vine.

So, tell me. Who’s holding the keys to these promises that you made, and who would be accountable, if these promises were never paid?

Because loving someone forever, is not only in a nursery rhyme.

When you find that one you love, they’re keys and promises you’ll never find.

Because when you love someone forever, you forget about all of the struggles you left behind, and just keep loving them until the Journey is over, in its own lustrous time.

Because loving someone forever, no keys or promises need to be made.

Because loving someone forever, will take to the end of their blissful days.

No keys or promises need to be made. “That’s called loving each other until the end of time.”

And believe me, loving someone forever – it takes a long, long time.

BY LENNY JAYNES

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SENIOR CENTER RETURNING TO FULL TIME HOURS

The Peter Bressi Northeast Senior Center is excited to announce its return to full time hours beginning Monday, May 23rd.  The Center will be open weekdays from 8:30am-3:00pm.  The early closing time will ensure that the Center can be fully cleaned and sanitized for the continued health and safety of its members.  Daily hot meal service will also resume on May 23rd.

Since reopening on a part-time basis in June of 2021, the Center is proud to announce that there has not been a single confirmed case of COVID among its members.  The staff credits this to following the COVID guidelines and the willingness of everyone to “Get Vaxxed and Boosted.”  Continued adherence to masking and other applicable COVID guidelines will be maintained to ensure the continued safety of everyone who walks through the doors.

The Center is excited to welcome back all its members and looks forward to meeting new members.  It’s time to enjoy the summer and “Come Get Busy at Peter Bressi.”

The Peter Bressi Northeast Senior Center is located at 4744 Frankford Avenue and can be reached at 215-831-2926.  The Center is funded by the Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging and operated by the Northeast Community Center for Behavioral Health.  located at 4744 Frankford Avenue

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Kathleen Bracken

Program Assistant
Peter Bressi Northeast Senior Center
215-831-2931
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Frankford Hero to Frankford Saint

We have written a book about Frankford Heroes but at the Northeast Philadelphia History Fair a few weeks ago, Dan Cashin told us about a remarkable hero, Leonard LaRue.

At the Spring General Assembly of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) in Washington in June of 2021, the Conference overwhelmingly approved the cause for sainthood of “Servant of God” Benedictine Brother Marinus LaRue.

But who was Brother Marinus?  He was born Leonard Panet La Rue on January 14, 1914, in Philadelphia on one of the coldest days of the year.   He was the youngest child in a family with 5 children.  His parents were Paul Philippe Eugene La Rue, a Canadian Immigrant who worked at the Frankford Arsenal as a machinist and Isabelle Catherine O’Brien LaRue. Paul and Isabelle were married at St. Joachim Roman Catholic Church in the Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia on April 29, 1904.  The family lived at 5028 James Street.

Leonard’s brothers were Maurice and Paul and there were twin sisters Irma and Isabelle. A brother Hubert died at birth in 1912 and is buried in St. Joachim Cemetery.

Leonard was baptized at St. Joachim on Sunday, February 8th with Thomas Hickey and Frances O’Connor as his Godparents.  We do not know for sure where he attended Elementary School but the family lived across the street from the Henry Longfellow School (now Closed) so it is most likely he attended Longfellow until moving on the Harding junior High School for 7th through 9th grade. He then entered Frankford High School and graduated in January of 1932.

He entered the Pennsylvania Nautical School in Philadelphia  in May of 1932 and graduated in 1934 as a Third Officer and began his life as a mariner.  That path took him to Korea in December of 1950 where as Master of the merchant cargo ship Meredith Victory, he took on board over 14,000 Koreans to be evacuated to safety.

He said that experience changed his life and in 1954 he left the sea to join the Benedictine congregation of St. Ottilien at St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton, New Jersey.

The path to sainthood in the Catholic church can be long but there is no doubt that this man was a real Frankford Hero and maybe a saint.

Follow this link to learn more.