7/29/1903~~7/6/1996
"On Eagles Wings"
Poppa was born, nee, Anthony "Tony" Raia in Stockton, California 1903.Yes, he was the first "Tony" in my life. He lived there with his mother and father and younger brother, Sam. My grandfather came to this country, from Italy, to mine for gold.He was one of the 49ers. When that didn`t pan out, excuse the pun, he settled on an almond ranch. My father often said that when the cattle drives came thru the land, his father would jump on his horse "Pete" and rustle one of the stray steer. Then they would have meat all winter. Grandpa was a cowboy.
My father was interested in guns at a very early age, and any chance he got to sneak his father`s double-barrelled shotgun, he took. Any opportunity to shoot. When he was 5 years old he got a hold of the gun, he was so small that he had to hold the butt of the gun under his arm. When he finally pulled the trigger, it was so powerful, it had knocked him over, and the butt smacked into his mouth. It never stopped him, he always said he was determined to learn how to shoot. Many times his father would hear shots fired and curse in Italian because he knew his son found the gun again. Much later on, my father was known as a crack shot, and an avid hunter.
My grandfather Salvatore was soon hiding not only the gun`s but the shells, too. My father adored my grandfather. He said he was a kind and gentle man. He often watched him fall asleep on the front porch in the evening, with his pipe still in his hand. I never met him, he died at age 54.
He and my grandmother Antonina never saw eye to eye. She was one of the first women doctors in the old west. She practiced in Black Diamond City, which is now known as Pittsburg, Ca. and took care of the many miners and their ailments, plus the cowboys who rode into town. This story sounds like one that has been on TV for some time. Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Believe me, my grandmother was no Jane Seymour, and grandfather was no Joe Lando, but hell, maybe they stole my story!!
Salvatore and Dr. Antonina Raia
The marriage got worse as time went by, Dr. Antonina was too wrapped up in her own life to give time to her husband and sons. It was inevitable that they would go separate ways, and they did. My grandmother remained in California until she died at age 97. My grandfather took young Tony and headed east, his brother Sam stayed in California. Unbeknownst to Tony, a young lady by the name of Rose would be there waiting for him. My mother.
Salvatore opened a saloon, in New York City. Tony was a young teen at the time, and found the streets of New York fascinating. Here`s a story I always found amusing. Grandfather used to send Tony on an errand, and my father always seemed to find interesting things to do or see, before getting back home. One day Salvatore found a switch or twig, and asked Tony to come to see what he was going to do. Grandfather spat on the sidewalk and told Tony if it drys before you get back, this twig will be waiting for you. He never needed to use it, my father said he`d run as fast as he could to get home!
Not too many years later, Sal sold the saloon and headed for New Jersey. Sal remarried and I was told she was a dead ringer for my grandmother. It was 1923, and my father was drafted into the services. He was in what they called Motor Transport Company, stationed on Governor`s Island, Fort J. He only spent 11 months in service, since his stepmother (whom he loved) needed his support since my grandfather had passed on.
Soon thereafter, Tony & Rose met, and well you all know the story, now.
There is one funny one I`d like to tell about my mother and one of my father`s hunting dogs. My father always had hunting dogs, and this one hated my mother and my mother hated him! His name was Jake.
Jake was my fathers favorite hunting dogs. He had a problem though...he was a barker, and very smart! He never barked when my father was around. As soon as Poppa left for work, Jake started his incessant barking. My mother was still mourning the loss of my brother, this barking was just too much for her. Now, my father would be turning the corner to come back home from work and the minute Jake would hear the car, he`d stop. Well one day my mother had, had it. She took a pot of boiling water and was heading out to the pen, where Jake was, and just then my father pulled in. As soon as Jake saw my father, he pointed at my mother. Guess you all know what Jake wanted Poppa to do!!!
Poppa was a character, he cooked, always had a song in his heart, a great sense of humor, and generous to a fault.
This photo was taken at his 90th birthday party!!
I don`t remember him when he wasn`t smiling, or whistling. One of his favorite songs was the theme from "Dr. Zhivago", "Lara`s Song". His many philosophies in life were, "help your fellow man", that, his family, and his religion, and of course hunting, were all important to him.
He read books as fast as Babe and I could bring them from the library. Zane Grey was a famous western author then, and Poppa read every book he wrote. Many times when I gave him a book I thought was worth his reading, we would then sit for hours and discuss it.
He took us to California in 1940, to meet his mother. All along the way he told us about the different states, and about the Rocky Mountains, it was a wonderful geographical trip. I still remember so much of it. He was our hero, so protective of me and Babe. He thought his daughters and his wife were the best things since sliced bread!
He was wonderful to my mother, during the time of their loss of my brother. He told me once, that a day didn`t go by that he didn`t see his son`s face in front of him. Yet, he was a comfort to all.
This all took place in Lodi, New Jersey. We lived there, until I was about 8 years old,then moved on to Garfield, New Jersey. It`s where my sister Babe met her husband, and where I got married from,too. Babe remained in Garfield until about 7 years ago. She now is widowed and lives in Newtown, Pa. Babe has 3 son`s, two, in New Jersey, and one who lives in her area. Babe and I are very close, this is what our parents taught us. In turn, this is what we`ve taught our own children....take care of one another. The family is first and most important.
Summing up my fathers character, I must use the words of Will Rogers:
"HE NEVER MET A MAN HE DIDN`T LIKE"
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