Do you find ever yourself asking the question, "Gee, I wonder whatever happened to ______?" I wonder about different people from my past all the time. For some, I've tried Googleing their name. For others, I've tried thumbing through the phone book. Most of the time I come up empty. What if I put together a page with their names on it? Perhaps someone will stumble across this page and know something about some of these people or places.

But as I worked on this project it evolved into a bit of an autobiography. I have been amazed at how much I have forgotten. Equally amazing is how pondering these people and places has brought many things to mind that I have not thought of in many years as names and experiences that have been stored in seemingly unaccessable places in my brain have come to the fore.

If anyone out there in cyberspace knows any of these people or places, please send me an email at TB@USA.Com.

The early years in New York . . . (1963 to 1974)

Bowmansville Elementary School (Bowmansville, NY) and Sky Harbor Trailer Park in Cheektowaga, NY.

After my parents married they moved into a tiny steel-sided trailer at 28 Anna Marie Terrace in the Sky Harbor trailer park, off of Genesee St. in Cheektowaga. When I was about five they purchased an aluminum sided 12' wide mobile home that sits in the same space to this day. I vividly remember many of the friends and families who lived there, from Elmer and Betty Luvender across the street to Tom and Mary Trent on Tammy Lane.

My childhood friends who lived there included Jay Bowers (who relentlessly picked on me) and David Musella. Jay's mom still lives in the same mobile home they moved into in the early 1970s.

I went to Bowmansville Elementary School from 1968 or so until 1974 when we moved to AZ in the middle of my sixth grade year. Unfortunately, the school which was on Genesee St., no longer exists. I would love to know what happened to some of my teachers such as Miss Nicholas (kindergarden), Mrs. Fogerty (first grade), Mrs. Marcus (second grade), Mrs. Johnson (third grade), Mrs. Bloomquist (fourth grade), and Mr. Vince Tibollo (sixth grade). As for Mr. Tibollo, I recall him declaring to the entire class (after I had smarted off) "Tony, you have more crust than a loaf of bread!" When I invented and used a paper hand to ease the strain of keeping my arm raised while I waited for Mr. Tibollo to call on me, he said, "Tony, what is that??!!" When I told him, he was so amused that he pulled me out of class and took me across the hall to the other sixth grade class whereupon he interrupted both to show the other teacher what I had done!

I had lots of friends at Bowmansville Elementary who I wonder about. My best friend was perhaps Mark Latzer whom we affectionately called "Bozo" due to his wild hair. Mark lived with his family (sister, Terran) on Genesee St. Whenever I would visit the Buffalo area I would stop by Mark's old house, which had been abandoned. Sometime around 1998 we came into town and I was amazed to see that it had been torn down. There was no longer any hint that a house had ever stood there.

Paul Batt was another good friend. I believe he lived on Sugg Rd. Others whom I remember included: Jimmy Guido; Daniel Powell; Suzette Andres; David Hutter; Michael Marinelli; Cecilia Piggles; Francine Geyer; Virginia Stephenson.

I would love to hear from anyone who attended Bowmansville Elementary School or who knows anything about those that taught there.

Success! In the summer of 2006 I was pleased to find Thom Little who now lives in Oregon. His sister, Jayne (whom I also went to school with), runs a deli in Akron, NY. We stop by to say hello everytime we are in the area (she has the best breakfast sandwiches I've ever tasted).

In November, 2006, I received an email from Suzette Andres who found my page by doing a Google search of her name on my website (exactly what I had hoped would happen when designing this page). She sent me a wonderful email, an edited text of which can be read HERE. Sadly, I wrote back to Suzette twice, but never received a response. Did my emails not make it past her spam filter? Was there some other reason why she didn't reply? Hopefully, she will read this sometime and let me know.

Meanwhile, my dad worked for Kleenware (now defunct) and then started his own business, a small take out pizzaria called Pizza-A-Go-Go (located on Filmore Ave. in Buffalo). Today the building is gone having been destroyed by fire sometime around 2001.

One significant family friend that I wonder about is the Halla family. John Halla owned and operated a TV repair business (A to Z TV). He had a wife, Betty, and two sons, John and Bobby. Last I knew, they had divorced, John had died, and Betty moved to FL.

The early years in Arizona . . . (1974 to 1977)

Chaparral Mobile Village and Gilliland Junior High School, Tempe, AZ.

In 1974 we moved from a trailer park in NY to another one in AZ: Chaparral Mobile Village. My first friend there was a rather bookwormish-looking boy named Ben Dempsey whose family came from Grand Junction, CO. (Duke McDonald was another early friend that I have lost touch with.)

These years were the most disoriented of my life. It was at this time that I began to use drugs and get into trouble (fortunately, nothing too serious). Some of my partners in crime were:

• Jeff Vance. Jeff's family moved to AZ from OH.
• Jim Brunner and Mike Brunner. Their family came from WI. I was introduced to motorcycle riding through them.
• Rob Weick. I especially wonder what happened to Rob. His dad was a printer and his mom worked for Dunkin Donuts. He had a brother named Steven Weick and a sister whose name I cannot remember.
• Tisha Morgan and her little brother Billy Morgan. They lived in a cul de sac toward the middle of the park and their parents drove a green Buick Riveria. If I remember right, Tisha and a friend called me on the telephone shortly after I got married.
• Juanita Ward. I believe she went by the nickname "Nina."
• Robin Burke. Robin had a brother with long blonde hair. I think his name was Richard Burke. I think she also had a sister named Michelle Burke. Both Robin and Juanita were in eighth grade when I was in sixth. Both thought I was a cute kid (if they could see me now!).
• Alice Rico. Alice had an older brother whose name I cannot remember. I do remember that he drove a mid-70s Ford Ranchero.
• Kathy Miller. Kathy lived toward the front of the park. She had a younger sister. If I remember right, it was her parents double-wide that a careless teenage driver hit while speeding around a corner. He was driving a Chevy Chevette and hit the mobile home so hard that he knocked it off its blocks leaving the car wedged part way under the home with its back wheels about three feet in the air.
• Kim Craig. Kim lived with her mother one street up from us. I remember her mom, who seemed old at the time, falling on the sidewalk by the swimming pool and breaking her hip.
• Renee Hill and Rochelle Hill. They were sisters about a year apart in age. Rochelle had a baby sometime around her eighth grade year. Today that "baby" would be about 30 years old!
• Tim Rondot. Tim's dad was the park manager. Tim had an older brother and sister. I remember Tim as a boyish-looking kid with a high-pitched voice who was a huge Walter Payton fan.
• Debbie Pierce. Debbie lived near the side entrance to the park off Kyrene Rd.
• Jeff Lavender and Zella Lavender. Jeff could be quite a bully. He had a little Harley Davidson 90 cc dirt bike. Zella was the first girl I ever kissed (in the sixth grade)! Their dad was a trucker who parked his tractor by their home adjacent to the clubhouse.
• Johnny Ancich and Mario Ancich. They lived right next door to Rob Weick. Both were blond-haired, muscular California types. Johnny went on after high school to compete in olympic lifting. Mario became a Phoenix police officer.

The High School years . . . (1978 to 1981)

Tempe High School.

• Jim Kaminsky. Jim became a good friend my junior year. I had the honor of breaking his school record in the squat my senior year by 5 pounds (490). I lost contact with Jim sometime around 1990.
• Eric Anderson. Eric was known affectionately as "The Hulk." He was a mini Lou Ferigno! Jim, Eric and I hung around together quite a bit for a couple of years.
• Vern Barlow. Vern was one of my best friends. He lived in Tempe off of Baseline near Mclintock. His parents were professed Christians and I remember Vern making a profession of faith sometime after High School (about the same time I came to faith in Christ). He had two brothers and two sisters.
• Anthony Cruz and Johnny Cruz. Anthony graduated in 1980. He tragically lost his lower leg in a car accident my junior year. Johnny went to "The Door" in Tempe.

Success! In 2007 I was contacted by a friend (or relative) of Anthony Cruz who told me that he works in a gym in Tempe, AZ. She said that she had told him about my webpage and gave me some contact information. Sadly, I lost the information in a computer crash. So if you are still out there, let me know!

• Henry Yanez. Henry was a senior when I was a junior. Henry would tease me at the school dances because I was so hesitent to ask a gal to dance with me. The Pointer Sisters had a hit about that time, "He's So Shy" and whenever the song would play Henry would tease, "Tony, they're playing your song." Henry later bought my 1975 Ford Torino for something like 1,500.00.
• Ruben Casias. Ruben was a great friend who also lived in the Chaparral Mobile Village in Tempe. Ruben moved to San Antonio sometime around 1980. I have a small picture in my office with a poem on it that Ruben gave me. If you're out there, Ruben, please contact me!
• Scott Painter. Scott was an older friend (he was a senior when I was a freshman) who lived in Kyrene Rd. nearby. I remember that the house he lived in had mice and a neat old grandfather clock! He drove a mid-70s Ford LTD.
• Theresa Short or Teresa Short. She moved next door to us from NY to live with her mom and step-father. We quickly became "boyfriend and girlfriend." I was really smitten as they say! She broke my heart when she moved back to NY after only a few months in AZ.
• Coach Curtis Cook. Coach Cook was my favorite teacher/coach at Tempe High School. He also loved powerlifting and coached me during a few powerlifting events. I saw him again when Tempe High sports star Jimmy Williams suddenly died around 1998. I remember saying to him, "Coach Cook, I'm Tony Bartolucci. Remember me?" His reply: "Tony Bartolucci! I could never forget you! You were one of the best powerlifters I ever saw!" Coach Cook, I learned, had some heart problems (in fact, he cautioned me about my weight during our last meeting) and I hope he is still alive and well.

Success! A friend of Coach Cook's saw this page and contacted me with Coach's information. We have since become fast friends and I hook up with him every time I'm out in Arizona. (The first time we met after all those years we sat in a Denny's restaurant and talked and drank coffee for nine hours!)

The early employment years . . . (1981 to 1988)

Kentucky Fried Chicken (Tempe and Chandler, AZ), Redman Homes (Chandler, AZ), and Naturalizer Shoes at Fiesta Mall in Mesa, AZ.

When I was 15 I lied about my age to gain employment at the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Tempe on Mill Ave (no longer in there). The manager's name was Mike Shelby and he drove a mid-70s Toyota Celica. He once scolded me for something and I showed my displeasure by less-than-gently cleaning up a mess I had made. His response? "Tony, clock out and go home." I met with him a few days later and he told me I had an attitude problem. Fortunately, I didn't get fired. Some other managers I remember were Allen Lessard (a young guy with curly dark blonde hair; I might have the last name wrong) and another guy whose name escapes me. He was of a pale complexion with a small build and I remember he had a bad accident with a circular saw in his garage and nearly severed his upper thigh. Some of my co-workers were Mike Brunner (who once made "dishwater extra-crispy chicken" for a customer at closing time) and Vern Barlow (I have a great Vern story that is legendary). Then there's Lisa whom I took to my junior prom (she lived on Citation in Tempe and was a cheerleader at Corona Del Sol High School), Karen whose last name I also cannot remember and a gal named Susan who was the splitting image of Lisa Welchel on the Facts of Life. I'm sure I can remember more so I'll have to keep jogging my memory.

After high school I worked for a year or so at the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Arizona Ave. in Chandler. It's there that I met my dear friend to this day, Francis Martin.

My first "real job" was at the Redman Homes mobile home plant on Ray Rd. in Chandler. This plant has been closed for some time now. I started as a parts man and general gopher doing anything from filling orders to unloading the insulation truck. I was later promoted to quality control and worked on the final finish line. Gary Cooper was the other quality control inspector and later became head of the department. There are lots of folks that I wonder about who worked with me there. Leon Wood and Larry Mcguire worked Q.C. before Gary and I did. I really wish I could connect with Larry as I thought he became a Christian, perhaps through my influence. Ted Bush was plant manager and John Donahue was the big boss over everything. Alvin Wennes and his brother (Joe was it?) worked in purchasing. Alvin was the first atheist I ever met and I ribbed him more about his atheism than he did about my Christianity! I wonder whatever happened to some of the foremen I worked with there? Tom Bordick? Marvin? Others?

Sometime around 1985 I was laid off from Redman Homes and tried my hand at selling manufactured homes rather than inspecting them. I worked on total commission for Major Discount Homes, a division of Phoenix Mobile Homes, on Signal Butte and Apache Trail in East Mesa. This sales lot is also long gone. I wish I could remember the lot manager's name. I think it was Johnny. Nevertheless, he was a seasoned salesman who smoked cigars. His favorite saying was, "Buyers are liars!" This career choice didn't last more than a few month as I tired of driving all the way from Chandler while making very little money. I tried my hand at selling security systems. That didn't work. I even briefly worked at a full service gas station pumping gas and changing oil. I was there about 3 months and the station closed.

Then a friend got me a job at Naturalizer Shoes at Fiesta Mall in Mesa, AZ. I worked there for about five years under a manager named Chip Berkman. I wish I knew what happened to Chip and I would love to see him again. I also worked with some career salesmen: Bob Dysart and Harry Hum. Harry could sell shoes to a double amputee, he was that good. He moved to San Francisco before Lois and I married and when we stopped there on our honeymoon Harry showed us around town. He even bought us a Chinese tea set that we have to this day. I lost touch with Bob, but I do remember seeing his name on our caller I.D. right after I was on the local news for trying to save a drowing victim. If I remember right, that was early in the year 2000. Kathy Wessel was a really nice gal who worked nights.

Success! Chip Berkman's brother contacted me and gave me Chip's Email address. I wrote Chip once or twice. I remember him tellng me that he had left his Lutheran church and was attending Bethany Bible Church, in Phoenix. If I remember right, he also played in a praise band. I lost his contact information in a computer hard drive crash, so if you're out there, get back in touch with me! (After three crashes in two years I now subscribe to Carbonite's automatic backup service.)

The College Years . . . (1988 to 1993)

Southwestern College, Phoenix, AZ.

In 1998 I enrolled at Southwestern College in Phoenix, AZ. I continued to work at Naturalizer until 1993 when my dad set me up in a part time swimming pool maintenance business. I was an older student than most, about 25, and had more friends among the faculty than I did the student body. Plus, I lived at home rather than on campus so I never really felt a part of things.

I met fellow student Roy Montez while at Southwestern. Roy traveled all the way from Casa Grande to go to school while at the same time co-pastoring a Latino church with his dad. I wish I knew how to get in contact with Roy.

Dr. Phil Schafran taught me Greek and Hebrew. We had lots of good talks and it was he who was responsible for my getting a special award as "outstanding student in biblical studies" my senior year. Joel Wilson was another prof that I liked. Joel sold me my first computer, an IBM XT clone with something like a 30 meg hard drive and a color EGA monitor. It was mine for $1500.00!

Success! In 2009 a friend of Dr. Phil Schafran saw this page and told Phil about it. Phil sent me an Email and we've been in touch ever since. Phil now lives in the Vancouver area where he is involved in a ministry there.

If you among those listed below, or know any of these, please send me an email at TB@USA.Com.

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