2004 Guest Book, Totowa Book of the Dead

Email: lydiac@goes.com
Web Site: http://wingedllama.homestead.com
Location: Blairstown, NJ
Date: Friday December 31, 2004 15:37:05 GMT
Comments:
Great web site! I taught art in Totowa from 1984-1998. Now I am a art professor, artist,
author of 5 books and I raise llamas on my llama farm.

Email: Balalaika@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.san-pietroburgo.info/
Location: atlantide
Date: Friday December 31, 2004 12:18:35 GMT
Comments:
Happy new year my friends, from http://www.san-pietroburgo.info/

Email: jimshoppy@aol.com
Location:
totowa
Date: Sunday December 12, 2004 20:14:35 GMT
Comments:
on 11-27-04 totowa lost a true friend, ken messier passed away at the age of 42. kenny
was a friend,hard worker, and a devoted family man. he will be deeply missed by all.

Email: momason@cfu.net
Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
Date: Monday December 06, 2004 20:10:49 GMT
Comments:
I was browsing on the web, and happen to run into this website...my name is also Kim
Giardino. Your Kim looked so fun and full of life, I wish I could have known her. How did she
pass away? GREAT TRIBUTE!!

Email: lonoonan@cox.net
Location: Las Vegas
Date: Sunday November 28, 2004 18:28:22 GMT
Comments:
God bless Kenny Mecier and everyone else

Email: jamie devisser@aol.com
Location: wayne
Date: Saturday November 27, 2004 20:36:29 GMT
Comments:
hey, this web site has been under my nose for years and an old friend from florida hooked
me up. I'm Jamie levetsanos devisser/ my brother jimmy was Kim's friend for years and
was devistated when she died. part of hom also died that day. My uncle is also pictured
jerry Livitsanos, the photographer i know you spent alot of hours with him taking pix. it was
really cool to relive streets and people of the past. Totowa was a great town to grow up in.

Email: katmcfed@tampabay.rr.com
Location: Tampa
Date: Tuesday November 23, 2004 01:30:19 GMT
Comments:
Brings back many memories!! Thanks for sharing!

Email: jrzdave@optonline.net
Location: Totowa/West Paterson
Date: Tuesday November 23, 2004 01:09:46 GMT
Comments:
Very Cool! I love Totowa just as much as you do. You should send this to "Weird NJ"
magazine

Email: lorraninc@optonline.net
Location: Seaside Heights, NJ
Date: Tuesday November 23, 2004 01:04:20 GMT
Comments:
Saw this about 2 years ago and did not write, but now looking at all of the faces of people
you haven't seen in years, and places we used to hang at, cozy's, murph's, dairy, and
seeing picutes like Kenny C. put a smile on your face or at least a thought in your head of
things we used to do!! I even made it to your site and I'm not even from Totowa, (WP)
just sitting on a car in back of murph's. You were my waitress @ Fredricks when I went
with Dillard. Great site. Lori R.

Email: katieautore@aol.com
Location: Stanhope
Date: Monday November 15, 2004 17:29:38 GMT
Comments:
What a great site. Thanks for giving us all the opportunity to travel down memery lane.

Email: victor_ibari@yahoo.com
Location: abidjan
Date: Saturday November 06, 2004 04:09:55 GMT
Comments:
MUGUMAN DONT
COMEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOO

Email: xgroundx@aol.com
Web Site: http://www.destroytheplot.com
Location: totowa
Date: Thursday November 04, 2004 22:58:01 GMT
Comments:
HAMMERING!

Email: Lammenta@AOL.com
Location: Morris Plains
Date: Wednesday October 20, 2004 23:31:33 GMT
Comments:
What a wonderful site. I taught at Washington Park from 1965 to l999. Three of my cousins
lived on Green Ave. One cousin still lives in Totowa today.Many of my friends and relatives
buried in Totowa also.I have many ties to the Boro. It was a big part of my life for a very
long time.

Email: BroadcastDon@MSN.com
Location: Monteagle, TN
Date: Sunday October 17, 2004 01:50:00 GMT
Comments:
HI!
I grew up in what was called the wonderful "Totowa area of Paterson" on Preakness
Avenue and graduated from St. Mary
High School in 1953.

Thanks for the site...I grew up in the "mnts" of Totowa.
I was brought up to understand that the word "totowa" meant "Great Strength" in the local
Indian language.
Thanks, again
Don O'Connor

Email: debralee1001@msn.com
Location: Marina del Rey, CA
Date: Thursday October 14, 2004 19:53:06 GMT
Comments:
Hey Laurie, remember me, 1979--Is-tam-bul, con-stan-ti, nople! I just toured your Site and
what a wonderful tour it was. I'm glad to see your creative juices are still flowing. More
Laurie, more. I am so sorry to hear about Sal and Kim. You did a beautiful job on their
memorials. For sure their spirits will live forever in the hearts of those who had the pleasure
to know them. I hope you are doing well, please drop me a line when you can, and if your
in the LA anytime would love to see you. Good luck and carry on. Love Debi C

Email: kaggdg@aol.com
Location: Douglassville, PA
Date: Monday October 11, 2004 23:37:55 GMT
Comments:
I have many memories growing up on Highview Ave in the fifties and early sixties. Last
year, my sister, cousin (she grew up in Clifton) and I took a detour on our way to NYC and
drove through Totowa by the old hangouts, schools and "homestead." We were
disappointed that Cozy's is gone.

Gail Halat Gieringer

Email: heaven@hotmail.com
Location: Peace and Love
Date: Friday October 08, 2004 23:08:53 GMT
Comments:
Kim, Ten years ago today you died and I miss you so much it still hurts very, very bad.

Email: Pintsyze@aol.com
Location: portland
Date: Friday October 08, 2004 04:00:51 GMT
Comments:
I just realised that we are 2 days away from Kims anniversary, BLESSINGS AND BOUNTIES
GO TO KIM, ALONG WITH MY PRAYERS AND MY THOUGHTS,

Hasan,

Email: Pintsyze@aol.com
Location: PORTLAND
Date: Friday October 08, 2004 03:30:01 GMT
Comments:
your life in New Jersey continues to intrigue me, especially since my little city of Portland,
Oregon has it's own community of street kids and drugs, and hazy days of drug induced
stupors, I guess as kids, we all need to feel accepted and appreciated, and we all want to
experiment with different things, too, I know I did. I just want to tell you, that, before this
gets any longer, I love you, and I love what you have done, and I didnt know any of you,
but i wish Kim was still here, we could have all benefitted from her Cry Of Love (Thanks
Jimi) that is unfortunately, now her gravestone.

Sincerely,
hasan. aged 24 yrs

Email: jld529@hotmail.com
Location: nyc
Date: Tuesday October 05, 2004 00:25:56 GMT
Comments:
Wow! Just breezed through for the first time in a long time and love what this has been and
is becoming. You have truly touched those from Totowa and beyond with your honesty and
poetry....Love to you and please, please, please, give us more! JD

Email: isleib204@msn.com
Location: Chesterbrook
Date: Monday October 04, 2004 23:12:20 GMT
Comments:
Thank you for having the time and putting forth the effort so that we can connect with the
present and the past.

Kathy - (aka Murf)

Email: bsullivan@accreditleasing.com
Location: Totowa
Date: Monday September 13, 2004 20:23:36 GMT
Comments:
Lor....My name is Brian Sullivan and I grew up in Echo Glen and still live in Totowa on
Totowa Rd. now.I love the website and all the pictures. I grew up with Dave Muir and it's
unbelievable to see him in his suit on your site. He has been dead since 1979! I can't belive
it. I know a lot of people enjoy tour site and I wanted to say hello. It's a good town and yes
there still is a lot of partying going on but what can you do. I see Fat Johnn , DeLeo, Malloy
and all the rest at Murph's from timt to time. Kollar,Mamary's,Koch, The Shoppies, etc..Great
job and please keep adding to the site, just no more deal people! I walk my dog through
the cemetery almost evert day or night and always sometimes stop and say a prayer for
your sisster and dad. I hope you are well!
Brian

Email: mjceri@aol.com
Date: Sunday September 05, 2004 14:23:27 GMT
Comments:
Interesting... I remember Tar Park, Murph's, the Red Baron, the Barnyard, and graduating
from PV in 1973. We're all grown up now... just heard about your website from a friend.
Interesting to see pictures of some of my old friends. Nice job.

Email: JohnCCampo@aol.com
Location: Lincoln Park
Date: Thursday August 19, 2004 19:02:57 GMT
Comments:
I was surfing and found your page. I cant believe the pictures, takes me back to my
teenage years. Thank you soooo much.....do you remember the great head shop that was
on Union Blvd across from Michaels Drug Store called the Purple Haze? Incense, jeans and
paraphernalia

Email: dean.giovanetti@shawgrp.com
Location: West Milford
Date: Friday August 13, 2004 18:52:00 GMT
Comments:
Hey,
I was crusing around the web, looking for packer web sites where I could find out some
information about the
Governor, and I stumbled onto this, I thought it was "Totowa book of the hot dudes"
meaning no dis-respect. Great pictures, call Suzanne for some great new Sushi spots. later
doll.

Email: b.duffy@worldnet.att.net
Location: Lynchburg VA
Date: Wednesday August 11, 2004 20:24:06 GMT
Comments:
Enjoy reading the comments of the generation after mine. Lived and grew up next to
Walker's Hardware in the 50's, across from Pappy's. While in Memorial, the circle in Laurel
Grove was our bicyle racetrack. The fields in back were our playground with a rope swing
out over the railroad tracks. Cozy's was not there, but Boslands was the hangout. Most of
my class went into the service for Korea and, thank God, came out together to meet at the
Duck Farm.

Email: ductil@frognet.net
Location: Jacksonville, Ohio
Date: Thursday July 22, 2004 17:45:20 GMT
Comments:
I was just surfing and found this site. I wish you all well.
John J. Giardino

Email: DRDANCING@AOL.COM
Date: Thursday July 15, 2004 12:44:35 GMT
Comments:
SORRY, DIDN'T FINISH PRIOR MESSAGE. HAVE A BROTHER CURRENTLY RESIDING ON
LINCOLN AVE.THAT GRADUATED 2 YRS. AFTER ME. I REMEMBER ALL THOSE PLACES AND
HANGING BY PAPPY'S AND AT THE DAIRY DELITE. I AM 48. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
BOTH GOOD AND BAD. I GOT MARRIED, DIVORCED AND AM CURRENTLY LIVING UP IN
FLANDERS NEAR HACKETTSTOWN FOR 5 YRS. THINGS CERTAINLY DO CHANGE.

Email: drdancing@aol.com
Location: Flanders, NJ
Date: Thursday July 15, 2004 12:41:35 GMT
Comments:
Born in Paterson, grew up in Paterson (Riverside and Hillcrest), then moved to Totowa (PV -
1970 - 1974),

Email: lauronyusa@yahoo.com
Web Site: http://none yet but you've inspired me
Location: Tillson, NY
Date: Saturday July 10, 2004 18:06:44 GMT
Comments:
Hi, Laurie G., this is Laurie O., also known as "the mother of Mikes' boy," to tell you how
much I enjoyed the story & photos on your site. I'm taking a web page development course
which prompted Mike to tell me to check out your page. I was instantly riveted by your
superb invocation of the good old, bad old, 70's era days. Excellent! Bravo! ~Best, Laurie
Ogden

Email: jim2335@yahoo.com
Location: Titusville FL.
Date: Monday June 28, 2004 22:05:51 GMT
Comments:
I went to school with Kim for many years from the Memorial school days to the years at PV.
I remember swimming with Kim, Lisa, and Maria at Kim’s home and playing pool down in the
family room. Man I always wondered what happened to her. If anyone remembers me or
knows the whereabouts’ of Lisa F. I would love to hear from old friends. Thank You for your
web site. It made me think of the good old days
James Gillespie

Email: LAFFYB@AOL.COM
Location: PARSIPPANY
Date: Saturday June 26, 2004 13:23:25 GMT
Comments:
THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. THE MEMORIES ARE GREAT! I REMEMBER YOU ALWAYS
WITH A CAMERA. KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR THE BIGGEST COZY CORNER SWEET SHOPPE
RE-UNION OF ALL TIME.
KEEP UP YOUR GREAT WORK. LARRY BELBOL(THE EGG CREAM KING)

Email: general46@optonline.net
Date: Tuesday May 18, 2004 19:39:11 GMT
Comments:
I was a science teacher in Totowa for about 32 years. I just retired last june. I remember
having many great students in my classes. We sometimes had some fun despite my moody
behavior. I wish my memory was better so I could identify some of the kids in the photos. I
know if Bob Letsche was still alive, he could help me relive some of the craziness that
happened at Memorial School. I love the
descriptions of life in Totowa. Maybe I'll hear from some of my former students. I hope they
understand that I did the best I could working with limited supplies and time.
Thanks for giving me a run down memory lane. Steve Sherman

Email: angelreee@aol.com
Location: fort lauderdale
Date: Sunday May 09, 2004 21:41:06 GMT
Comments:
Hey Laurie,

Great job, I spent many a night in totowa too....I remember you and everyone in the
pics...fun.....this is ReRe.....time does fly..thanks for the memories.....hope all is well with
you....

Email: iloveoregon@hotmail.com
Location: Newark, DE
Date: Wednesday April 21, 2004 19:45:05 GMT
Comments:
Very cool - love the photos and descriptions. :)

Email: azebah@yahoo.com
Location: Totowa
Date: Wednesday April 21, 2004 00:05:00 GMT
Comments:
Great site. You seem to truly enjoy your time in totowa. The good and bad
Tom

Email: Michael_vex@earthlink.net
Location: NYC
Date: Tuesday April 06, 2004 21:19:09 GMT
Comments:
Hey Laurie, I grew up in Totowa, graduated PV in 80. I am very good friends with John
Iandorio & John Cangro. Jane Vickerilla is my cousin. Love the pictures. I also remember
you & your brother. Michael

Email: lizzyburke88@hotmail.com
Location: new york, ny
Date: Tuesday April 06, 2004 21:17:34 GMT
Comments:
hi. love your site and all the pictures! i am from north carolina and am marrying michael
vecchiarella (from totowa) june 27th. what a great documentary.
best wishes, elizabeth burke

Email: MUGU@HOTMAIL.COM
Location: NAIJA,USA
Date: Friday April 02, 2004 19:15:58 GMT
Comments:
VERY INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE WEBSITE, GUYS KEEP I OFFFFFF, WAOOOOOOO
GREAT.

Email: ppanchak@post-gazete.com
Location: pittsburgh, pa
Date: Wednesday March 31, 2004 20:16:26 GMT
Comments:
a wonderful photographic history...loved it! pam p

Email: lemoriarty@yahoo.com
Web Site: http://www.lauramoriarty.com
Location: Rosendale, NY
Date: Friday March 19, 2004 02:22:14 GMT
Comments:
Hi Laur! Congratulations on being NYFA Artist of the Week!
Love you,
Laur

Email: lightbearer@yahoo.com
Web Site: http://www.escapefromwatchtower.com/welcome.html
Location: Haskell, NJ
Date: Wednesday March 17, 2004 19:27:08 GMT
Comments:
Hi Laurie,

How are you? I have a great memory of Malloy placing a M-80 on the back of Rigamonti's
car watching it blow up down the street, he was pissed.

Almost 30 years later and there's still nothing better than a mountain top and some good
herb.

Please tell Mike I'm asking about him.

Peace,
Richard Schwartz

Email: Momof2BeuTs@optonline.net
Location: Totowa
Date: Monday March 08, 2004 18:31:53 GMT
Comments:
I can't wait to share this with my friends and family! Thanks!

Email: bobby22480@aol.com
Location: totowa
Date: Friday March 05, 2004 14:41:56 GMT
Comments:
loved the website

Email: Mattias_Herold@moma.org
Location: New York
Date: Monday February 23, 2004 22:44:55 GMT
Comments:
Wonderful and moving. Many thanks.

Email: Uzoagba@yahoo.com
Web Site: http://www.ase.com
Location: ABA
Date: Thursday February 19, 2004 09:53:50 GMT
Comments:
Sepu aka.I love this site.

Email: hd883r@optonline.net
Location: Totowa
Date: Wednesday February 18, 2004 19:46:00 GMT
Comments:
Recently bought a big house on Mitchell ave. Would love more info about this whacky,
mostly Italian neighborhood. Your website has some amazing stuff on it. What's with the
'4th of July, Sayersville, KY 1980' photo???

Email: artcath@stormnet.com
Location: Magalia, Ca.
Date: Sunday February 15, 2004 19:17:58 GMT
Comments:
Hi Laurie,
What a dismal picture your site paints of a once vibrant, exciting and fun place to live. I
grew up in Totowa in the 50's and it was a blast. From School #5 to Central High to the
thriving downtown of Paterson with Meyer Bros. ^ Quackenbushes and, of course, Falls
View. I'm glad that I have my memories.
Art Messenger

Email: byennie@bellatlantic.net
Location: Totowa
Date: Wednesday February 11, 2004 15:47:51 GMT
Comments:
Great job! Brought back many memories. I recognized quite a few of the people in the
photos.

Email: biloldha@warwick.net
Location: vernon
Date: Tuesday February 10, 2004 13:59:09 GMT
Comments:
hi laurie its bill hope you have some pics of me ill send you some if you want later

Email: jim@champtrading.com
Location: Clarksburg,N.J.
Date: Friday January 30, 2004 22:33:17 GMT
Comments:
Laurie,
Just checked the web site. My view of Totowa is clearly portrayed thru your lense. However,
I was shielded from much have been guarded by St. James , Don Bosco Tech , and of
course Troop 26. Yeah, I was an Eagle Scout since my brothers and I went through the
troop. The crazyness of youth and hanging in the woods of Echo Glenn. I am glad you saved
the photos to reveal the fabric of Pappy's , Cozy's , downtown. It seemed like just y'day
Dave Muir stole the Totowa squad car and shook up the force.

Email: edsmith@evenlink.net
Location: Watsontown, PA
Date: Friday January 30, 2004 03:29:40 GMT
Comments:
Laurie, It's great to see your site growing and changing!! You've done a great job at uniting
a lot of people around a common core. Thanks for all you have done and all you are doing!
If you're ever traveling through PA and want a break, my family and I are 5 miles off of exit
210B.
Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year! 1/22/2004
Ed Smith

Email: ckatz@triad.rr.com
Date: Monday January 26, 2004 01:42:03 GMT
Comments:
I grew up in Totowa and graduated from PV in 1973

Email: dirtycuban@sbcglobal.net
Web Site:
http://www.geocities.com/dirtycuban@sbcglobal.net/Fonzpage.html?1062646334386
Location: Monterey, CA
Date: Sunday January 25, 2004 07:51:48 GMT
Comments:
I grew up in Paterson in the 70's and always was fascinated with Totowa. It was magical
compared to Paterson. I remember trying to see how fast we could drive over the bridge on
Minnisink rd. to make our stomach drop, getting ice cream from that ice cream parlor right
next to the cemetery and playing on the big field at the north jersey training center. Those
were good times. Great web page!!

Email: J.LoboscoMalone@verizon.net
Web Site: http://The Totowa Book of Dead
Location: High Falls, NY
Date: Thursday January 22, 2004 16:00:35 GMT
Comments:
Thanks for the memories.

Email: christer@charm.net
Web Site: http://www.charm.net/~christer
Location: Dorsey Maryland
Date: Monday January 19, 2004 06:20:34 GMT
Comments:
Wonderful job....

Peace and Happiness
Chris

Email: LULUSCORPIO58@AOL.COM
Web Site: http://www.allofporn.com/topkeywords30.htm
Location: HAMBURG
Date: Monday January 12, 2004 01:47:16 GMT
Comments:
Dearest Laurie,
Absolutely brillant and extremely touching. Your site really hit home with me. Thank you for
making us realize how lucky we were to have each other in our lives.
Much Love and Many Thanks, Lisa Accordino

Email: CJS CHOPPERS@AOL.COM
Location: TOTOWA
Date: Sunday January 11, 2004 06:44:35 GMT
Comments:
I THOUGHT THE PICTURES WERE GREAT.BROUGHT BACK MANY MEMORIES.STILL LIVE
HERE AND LOVE IT,PROBABLY NEVER LEAVE.IT WAS FUN TRYING TO REMEMBER SOME OF
THE NAMES.STILL SEE SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY DAY,LIKE MUSKY AND FAT
JOHN.LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THE BOOK.THANKS SANDY SCHECK

Email: isnardi@msn.com
Location: tucson
Date: Saturday January 10, 2004 18:48:04 GMT
Comments:
I grew up on Sandra drive near the Thomas English muffin factory. Played ball at Kennedy
and Lincoln fields.What a great place to spend one's childhood. Now 45, moved to Arizona
13 years ago when my company relocated from Manhattan. Read your article in the paper
that my parents(who still live on Sandra) brought with them on a visit over the holidays.I
probably know you from a party or two! It was nice reminising and finding this site!

Al Isnardi

Email: dmart2620@snet.net
Location: Stratford, CT
Date: Saturday January 10, 2004 16:21:22 GMT
Comments:
I was raised in Englewood Cliffs in the 1940s, but one side of my family moved to 33 Street
on the East side of Paterson, some time after arriving from Ireland in the 1850s. My
grandfather and father were named for Nathan Barnert, a Paterson notable. I went to
school (Northwestern, 1955) with Rita DeRosa, who was (is?) from Totowa. I worked for a
few years in the 1960s at the old Gera Mills in Passiac. My family plot is in Laurel Grove
Cemetary, near the Giardino light bulb, right next to the road. I buried my father there in
1968, and plan to wind up there myself someday. I enjoyed your pictures and text.
Nostalgia is fun, isn't it?

Email: lbateman@caldwell.edu
Location: Totow
Date: Friday January 09, 2004 20:39:06 GMT
Comments:
I just had to "re-visit"...very haunting, very moving, and truly memorable. What a great trip
down memory lane. Thank you.

Email: BigShoppie@aol.com
Location: Totowa
Date: Wednesday January 07, 2004 04:18:33 GMT
Comments:
Just to let you know, I'm still fuckin crazy. I still live here!! Loveya, Shoppie

Email: moxford@hebronacademy.org
Location: Hebron, ME
Date: Sunday January 04, 2004 15:24:09 GMT
Comments:
Hey Laur! You rock. That front page thing makes you famous you know. All the cards you
sent me will be worth something -- good thing I kept them! I'm going to check out the
whole website now. Keep on keepin' on!

Email: bib85@optonline.net
Location: nutley
Date: Sunday January 04, 2004 05:02:42 GMT
Comments:
great site any pictures or memories lantern on rt46 pv class of 77

Email: avengers4@aol.com
Location: Toms River
Date: Saturday January 03, 2004 04:17:28 GMT
Comments:
It is great to see some of my childhood saved. It's a shame that Totowa kids today don't
get the full experience. Don't forget the rope swing over the creek behind the park on
Totowa Rd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Email: etcetc3@optonline.net
Date: Friday January 02, 2004 21:04:39 GMT
Comments:
Happy New Year, Laurie!
I see some nice changes on the site - you're really striking a chord. More towns should have
an Lg. Best wishes for your book.
Love,
Ted

Guest Book 2004