Lost Photos
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In the same batch of photos (Family 7) I got a framed montage (10 images) for Corporal Joseph C DeLuca, Airtransport Command, 1943-1946. These photos are included as a separate family because they were a set labeled as having to do with this one specific guy. 10 images in this set.
Research/Genealogy: I tried to find more of his family tree, but even with the family info in his obit below, I wasn't able to find anything that isn't already there. From his obituary in the Desert Sun here: Joseph DeLuca was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia, to Italian immigrants Cristo and Mary (Maiocco) DeLuca on Feb. 21, 1922. When he was 12 years old, he had a paper route and he won a trip to the Chicago World's Fair in 1933. He also worked for a Pontiac dealer when he was in high school. After graduating high school in 1940, he went to Baltimore to work for Glen L. Martin Aircraft. He was drafted in 1942, and after basic training he was sent to aircraft engine repair school in Glendale, California. It was at this time me met the love of his life, Anna Berardini, at the Hollywood Palladium where all the servicemen used to go to meet people. After he finished school, he was engaged to Anna and was transferred to Las Vegas for arctic training; it was then they decided to get married. So Anna and her dad went to Las Vegas, New Mexico by train and they were married in the base chapel. After he was discharged from the service, he got a job working in a jewelry shop. He went to school nights and weekends to learn diamond setting and jewelry manufacturing. By 1947 he had an idea to pick up and deliver to jewelry stores, doing their repairs and diamond setting. He eventually had routes in the LA area. Then in 1950 they decided to open a retail store and a shop in the back on Crenshaw in Los Angeles, from there he went to Westchester and opened up another street store. Then he decided to expand four stores in the local malls then found he didn't need all those headaches and scaled back to the Westchester location until retirement. They then moved to Rancho Mirage (their getaway) to do nothing but enjoy each other, but he got bored and got the bug and bought a small store. Then he was offered the El Paseo location, which is still going strong under the management of Fernando Olivares. He was also active in Knights of Columbus, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Order of Alhambra and Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre. He leaves his wife, Anna, of 70½ years; son Joseph (Peppi); daughter, Annamaria; granddaughter, Christina; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by their son, Christopher Michael, in 2008. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be given to...
Photos:
Unlabeled: |
