Arthur Fenaroli
Arthur Louis Fenaroli, That's me, was born in Astoria NY October 21, 1929. I married Margherita Tambini in Immaculate Conception Church, Astoria NY, Jan 10, 1953. Margherita was born in Posso P. Parma Italy March 22, 1931. She is the daughter of Pietro Tambini and Giovanna Cacchioli.
I graduated from Bryant High School in Queens New York, January 1947. I started my college education at The University of New Mexico in 1947. Mom literally Shanghaied me and my cousin Johnny. We were put on an airplane to Albuquerque NM on a Saturday afternoon in September. We were both 17 at the time and were having difficulty gaining entrance to a college near home. WWII had ended and thousands of GI's were taking advantage of the GI Bill. The colleges were inundated and the GI's had priority, rightfully so. One day, my cousin Joey casually mentioned to my Mom, a friend of his was recently accepted by The University of New Mexico and if they took him they would accept anyone. Miss Dalzell, a highly respected English teacher and our next door neighbor, was adamant about telling my Mom, Arthur should go to College. My Mom with her 3rd grade education, in Italian no chess, thought Miss Dalzell was the voice of God. She was determined I would go to College. Frankly I wasn't crazy about the whole idea. I had a minimum wage jog, a few bucks and was having a good time. She and my Uncle Peter made us both fill out applications. Now one must understand that in 1947, Albuquerque New Mexico was about a far distant in miles and culture as Nepal or Bhutan is today. We both thought nothing will become of this.
Then it happened. On a Saturday morning about 11AM, my boss calls me and tells me to call home your mother wants to talk to you. I called and my Mother tells me I just received a telegram from the University of New Mexico saying I was accepted and should be report for registration Monday morning. Cousin Johnny received the same telegram. Mom, it is not possible to get there by Monday, I said, and left it at that. Just after Lunch, my boss called again and told me to get to the office, I am fired, my up to date pay will be there, those days we were aid in cash, and get home ASAP. At about 6PM Johnny and I are sitting on an airplane, looking out the window waving Good Bye to our Families who of course are wailing and waving as the tears streamed down their face. We were on our way to Albuquerque, with reservations as far as Chicago, nothing passed that, no idea who to see, or where we were to go once we got there. I felt as a true immigrant. I must admit, I did love the adventure of it all. We did get and eventually worked it all out, with more adventures.
After two years at UNM, my mom said transfer to NYU, it is much closer to home, (where I can keep an eye on you), and I hear from a friend it is easy to do. Of course she was right so Johnny and I graduated from NYU in 1951 with Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degrees, Why BEE ? Well, one day while filling out an application for college, I was at the Blank that asked, Course Desired? Hey Mom what should I put here? She whipped right back, Engineer so you can invent things. OK, now it wants to know what kind? Electrical, of course. OK, so that's how I became an Electrical Engineer. This probably sounds improbable at best. I vow on my Mom's Grave, that it is a fair description of how it all happened. Mom knew how to make a difference and having a degree in stead of a minimum wage job, certainly made a difference in my life.
About a year before Graduating from NYU the Korean War erupted. I received a notification from my Draft Board to report for induction. I given a deferment to allow me to complete my college education. Just before graduation I learned the Ft. Monmouth Signal Corps Labs were getting deferments engineers working in the labs. I applied for and received an Engineers position in the Labs. After two years, the labs stopped requesting deferments. I became Draft bait and in the interim, I was married. The three months between the time I was married and I was inducted into the Army is a story in it's self. However that story rightfully belongs to my wife, Margherita. See the menu item, The Real Stories > Margherita Tambini,
After Basic Training I was assigned to the Chemical Corps Labs in Edgewood MD. There I worked on Pilot processes for the manufacture of Nerve Gas. It was somewhat hazardous in that I did manage to three exposures to Nerve Gas, a rather unique experience. I did recover and was discharged in 1955. I took a position with Westinghouse Air a Arm in Baltimore MD. Rita and I set our first real apartment in a nice Garden apartment complex. It was a happy time and included the arrival of Peter. After 2 years I returned to NY to work for IBM. There I spent the remainder if my working career with a short detour to Charlotte NC in the late 70's to transfer a project and help open up a new IBM location. The were the halcyon days of IBM. The Watson era was still in place and the company was very prosperous.
I retired in 1989, but continued for another 12 years under contract. Upon returning from Charlotte NC in 1980, moved to Rhinebeck in a house on Crystal Lake. Twenty years later I moved to my current Condo in Good Old Red Hook, where I reside to this day.
I have travelled extensively, both with IBM and on my own. I haver been to most states in the USA, the natural Parks, Niagara Falls, a good part of New mexico,etc. I have travelled via 28 Elderhostels to date and many OAT trips. I have taken 10 bike trips to Europe, 10 ski trips to USA and Europe, Toured Antarctica's waters via Zodiaks, Safaried in Southern Africa and toured Turkey. It has been and is a very pleasant life.
Arthur Louis Fenaroli and Margherita Tambini had the following children:
+ Arthur Peter Fenaroli was born September 26, 1956.
+ Diane Fenaroli Hagan was born July 2, 1959.
Christopher Fenaroli was born in Kingston NY Benedictine Hosp August 5, 1962
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