Patrick N. & Joe Spina

[tinaloui]

Hi Laurie,
Love the site, you really brought back some great memories of growing up in Totowa. We lived on Lincoln Ave. a block down from The Casino de Charles. across from the Fire House.
My brother Joe was driving down Reefer Road one night in the 70's and they drove into the wall at the sharp bend. The car flipped over and my brother almost lost his hand. He was brought from St. Joseph's hospital to Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx where he had microsurgery to save his hand.
We all turned out O.K. and he lives in Tennessee and I live in Lake Shawnee near Sparta. There will never be another time and place as growing in Totowa. I remember walking up to the liquor store next to Doc's with my father for another quart of beer before the end of the baseball games in the summer.
Best wishes and I'll checking back to see updates.
Chris

[Laurie]

Hey Chris,
I remember your brother well. Joe used to hang at my house all the time. In fact, I still have the newspaper article about his miraculous surgery. Please tell Joe I said, "Hi." If you click on this picture a larger one will appear and then you'll be able to read the article.

[Totowa Book of the Dead]

Larry Belbol
September 20, 1920 - June 15, 2008

"Belbol Larry G., a Totowa Icon dies on Fathers Day at age 87 in Wayne. Beloved husband of the late and former Nora Makoujy. Loving father of Joseph Belbol and his wife Carolyn of Little Falls, Larry Belbol and his wife Barbara of Parsippany and the late Robert Belbol. Dear Father in Law of Rosalie Belbol of Fair Lawn. Also surviving are eight Grandchildren and nine Great Grandchildren. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. he has lived in Totowa most of his life before moving to Wayne recently. Mr Belbol was Owner/Proprietor of Cozy Sweet Shoppe, Totowa for many years before retiring in 1983. Mr. Belbol was a member of Sacred Heart Armenian Catholic Church, Little Falls. He was a WW II Army Air Corp Veteran serving in the Pacific Theater. He was a member of the American Legion, John Raad Post, Paterson."

Festa Memorial

[Joe Spin]

Hey Laurie - I'm now living in Tennessee. Nunzio was at Bonnie's wake, and Melissa told him about your site. Brought back lots of memories! Sorry to hear about your sister Kim - my sister Marion died 3 years ago. What happened to Howla? How's Michael? Joe Spina

[Laurie]

Joe, Sorry to hear about your sister Marion. What happened? I heard about Bonnie's death but couldn't make it to the wake. Howla was killed in 2004. My brother Mike is doing great. What are you doing in Tennessee? Email me, so we can talk.

[general4]

Hi Laurie, I always check back to your website to see if some of my former students have posted some info about their current situation etc. Thanks for setting up a new format. I still get emails from some former students and I am thrilled to receive any news from my former students. I cant believe I retired 5 years ago from teaching in Totowa. I think only one teacher is left from the 13 teachers that were hired in 1970 by Mr Juris
(superintendent). Steve Sherman (Science Teacher,1970-2003)
general46@verizon.net

[Paul Mat]

Great job Laurie, I don't know where you found that pic of me but its great. I really miss you guys. I want you to know I think about Sal everyday, he was THE GREATEST!!!!!!! Keep up the great work.

[Frankie Crisp]

I see you've expanded the portrait section. Brings back a lot of memories of people I can't remember.

[Frankie Crisp]

I'm so sad to hear of the death of Bonnie Cabrell. She was such a sweet, funny, pretty girl. When I came back from Boston, she was the first person I met in town. We went to her house and her mother treated me kind of rudely. I guess she thought I was another loser who just wanted to get in her daughter's pants. Well, maybe that was the experience she had of most guys Bonnie hung with, I don't know. All I know is, I can't figure out how someone who had so much going for her could have taken the road she took. I'm sorry I'll never get to see her again.

Rest in peace, Bonnie.

[Dizzley]

Hi Laurie,

I was moved to see your photos having been directed to your site after viewing your father's and sister's memorials. I posted a link at so you will probably see a large number of visitors. See my page at

Thanks for sharing them with us.
Peter (Dizzley)

[Dizzley]

Oh! That didn't post properly.

That website is dizzley.stumbleupon.com.

[DecoBill]

Although I was never close friends with any of the people in your photos, I knew a lot of them growing up in Totowa and graduating PVHS in 1976. I ate at Cozy's many times back in the early 1970s, but never hung out there. I vaguely remember Howla and remember seeing the gang in the smoking section at PV like Rich S. and some of the Johns. It was great viewing your album with all the history it provides. I too took many photos around that same period, but it seems like all were of inanimate objects as I was too uncomfortable taking pictures of people for some reason. I wish now that I had. Sorry to hear about all of your losses. I have a few, but no where near your experiences. Good luck, Bill Sakas

[jake mie]

Ok the range of emotions were across the board! Awesome website I was brought back in time. Does anyone have ant pics of Balkins 5 and dime???? Thanks Jake

[vince ji]

great site, keep adding more photos , can't get enough.
jimmy

[Rob]

I grew up in Paterson (McBride Ave) Moved to Emerson when I was about 12. The pictures here are a little before my time but I know some of the people in them, I use to work at the bike shop on Union for Bruce! Actually my step father owned the bus company on Minnisink Rd. my mother and I own it now. (Station Wagon Service) I think there are some old pictures from here and around town laying around here somewhere I'll see if I can find them and I'll send them to you.
Keep up the good work
Rob Reinhardt
email: wereami881@yahoo.com

[Mark J.]

Hi, Seven years ago, I lost My father- Mr. Joseph Mauro- Owner and creatator of the Boro Lock Shop- In Totowa Boro New Jersey. The origional shop, was located at 286 Union Boulevard- which was right next to 290 Union Boulevard- Next to Doc's Pharmacy. The shop was an old red shack, which my father created his business, in 1960's. My father Joseph Mauro- lived his childhood in Totowa, Above Doc's pharmancy. His Parents Josephine and Anthony Mauro lived there for forty years. The apartment above Doc's was a five room apartment- with two bedroom. Once of the bedrooms was occupied by his parents and the other by his sister Marry Mauro- who today is Mary Sandford- George Sandford of Totowa also.

My father slepted on the couch in the living room. This was during the forties and fifties. My Father Best friend during his youth was Mr. Patrick Nortorangelo Senior. After my father graduated Passaic Valley, he went into the Army. When he came out he worked various jobs and married my Mother Agnes in 1960. My father started the Lock shop in a spare room, on the apartment which they rented in Totowa. After a few years my father turned his the red shack which sat next to Doc's Pharmacy into full time business.

Back to Pat Senoir

Pat Senior and his wife claire, was my parents best man and made of hornor to my Mom. Junior- Pat Nortororangelo was born 1959- a year before my parents married.

They stayed friendly with one another for a good number of years, until I was born in 1970- Mark J. Mauro. But like most adults with families, I only remember the Nortorangelo during birthdays and hoildays. I have a picture of My-self and Junior when I was first born and Junior- was around eleven or twelve.

When, I was a boy, my life was Totowa- even though I was brought up in Wayne, I spend most of my time at my father store and running the streets of Totowa. Didn't really have any friends there. Played with some kids on boyled Ave. However, there something about Totowa, that has a spark. I spend number of hours above Doc's Pharmacy in my Grandmothers apartment, while my father was at work and my mother was also working. I can remember going into to Doc's, buying bubble gun and candy bars. Doc's had an old fashon phone both, which I use to play in and I can vagulary remember the soda fountains. Jack- was the owner of the liquors store at that time, just to buy a can of cola- fro fifty cents. I rmember going to Cozy Cornor for a coffee and a roll in the morning, before my fathe opened his store. At lunch time my fahter use to take me over to Pappy dinner for 'Hot Dogs All the Way.' those we the best. When I brought the photo of Doc's and noticed, Junior in the picture, I was shocked. He'll be dead, twenty- six years this winter. I never knew about the bridge. When I ever get a chance to come back to New Jersey, I have to check that out. How well did you you knew junior- I would love to know what kind of person he was. We was twenty two when he died and I was only elven. I knew more about his father than his Son?

Seeing the pictures of the building on the cornor of Union Boulvard and totowa, just bought memories I haven't thought about in a long time. In 1981- the building which hold my manny memories was sold and my fahter store was also sold. We had to move. My father relocated at 189- Union boulevard- which use to be the plant Hide out- next to Totowa Itailian Bakery-'which made the best rum cakes.' My grandparents moved to riverdale and dies a years later. I think this missed totowa so much after living there for forty years, they just could not get use to living in another place.

In 1982- Junior was killed- and a year later his father died. It devestated my father, his best friend during his childhood was dead along with his son. But here the twist. During that time my parents marrige was falling apart. Pat Senoir just died and my father was helping Pat sister with his estate. A year later they were married. and my father sold the Boro Lock Shop in 1987, left Totowa and moved away.

Thirteen years later, his wife and my father moved into the Nortorangelo house, until his death on September 5 2001. My father layed to rest at Holy Septicia Cemetary- not to far from the Nortorangelo grave sight.

There's a- little history for Totowa- I'm a Published writer- I wrote a book titled 'The Incarceration by my Father- which I took fictitious places in Totowa, Wayne and other places in New Jersey to create a mob book. I'm working on my third novel call 'The Locksmith' I writting about the life of the Locksmith in Totowa.

Hope you enjoy the story and I hope to see move pictures. These Snaps of the old days of Totowa mean a-lot to me. Even thought all your friends in the pictures were at least ten to fifteen years older than me at that time. It's good to see a time which I remember from my child hood. Are children today will never understand how a town as Totowa Boro touched so manny people lives.

I enjoyed the web sight, please stay intouch

Master Mark J. Mauro

Ps. Do you want me to post some pictures, I might have on this web site?
M

email: Authormarkmauro@yahoo.com