Tony Lupardi

Tony Lupardi had a widowed mother and four sisters. Tony's father (photo) died when Tony was nine years old. By the time he was 11, he was working for a man named Mr. Brandt who owned a peach orchard in the next town of Green Village. He used to graft peach trees. He went to school at the same time. He used a bicycle every place he went.

My husband Tony stopped going to school in the eighth grade. He was a good son, brother, and fellow. He was a strong, hardworking man. He had to take the role of the man in the family very young. His mother and sisters loved him very much. His mother was a midwife. She would deliver the baby, clean it up, take care of the mother, wash their clothes for one week and all for $5.00 per week. She had learned to be a midwife in Italy. All who knew her had great confidence in her, and she used to be called to deliver their babies. That $5.00 would help her take care of her family. In those days widows did not get any help; they received 24 pounds of macaroni, one bag of potatoes and 75 pounds of flour.

The Lupardi's made their own bread, had a large garden, and canned their own vegetables. They had to work hard to make ends meet. They owned a five room cottage. As soon as the children got older, they went to work. With the girls working, the mother worried less. They also raised a pig and killed it every fall.

The youngest girl, Anna, had measles when she was a baby and a cat scratched her eye. That one eye was blinded. She was also a little retarded. While she was growing up, Tony watched over her with much care. She was sent to the St. Joseph's School for the Blind in Jersey City, N.J., and she died at the age of 18. Tony's sister Louise and I were girlfriends. We worked in the same dress factory. Often we would save our money and a few other girls, Louise, and I would walk to an ice cream parlor in the center of town and treat ourselves to a banana split. That was a big occasion of the day.

My boyfriend Tony had a Model-T Ford. He would come to Summit to take home his sister and me and a few other girls. I always made sure I was the last one to get in. Finally Tony's sister said, “Sit with me in the front.” One night Tony said, “Are you afraid to sit next to me?” I cared enough about him, so I did sit next to him. He started asking me questions, such as, “You are not going to be a teacher; maybe I stand a chance with you?” One night it was cold, and I had gloves on. He took my hand and felt my gloves. I had a birthday stone and he was teasing me. He said, “Is this a diamond?” I said, “No, it's just a birthday stone.” Then he said, “How about if someone gives you a diamond? Would you wear it?” I answered, “If it is someone I love, I would wear it.” So, after a few months he came and asked my parents if he could marry me. My parents liked him and said he was a good fellow and a hardworking one, that he would always see that I was taken care of. One night a man named Jake came to ask for my hand in marriage for his friend, but he saw he did not have a chance. He said, “This fellow Tony who is here with his brother-in-law is a very good fellow. Say yes to him.”
	So, after they both left, Tony and his brother-in-law Ralph continued to talk to my father and then Tony came to court me. We were never allowed to go out alone. If we went to the movies or anyplace, we had to have a chaperone. First, I had a niece of about 16. Then I had a brother who got to be 16. One day we had gone to the movies with my brother as escort. It was raining and my husband bent the umbrella backwards and gave me a kiss. We kept company two years and only the last two weeks we were allowed to go out alone. We talked about that kiss many times after we were married. He was a very romantic fellow.

When my husband and I set the date of our marriage, my husband hired a carpenter and enlarged his mother's cottage. He added a second floor with a large hall and two bathrooms, and space to make two large rooms on the third floor.

Tony worked at a place called Totty's in Madison. He worked with roses, chrysanthemums, and carnations. Every other Sunday, it was his turn to work, so his sister Louise and I would walk a little over a mile to see him. He would be very happy to see us; sometimes he would say he had something to show me at the end of the row of roses. When we got there, he would put his arms around me and we would kiss. We loved each other very much.