Walsky Family Memorials April 12, 1999 Montifiore Cemetery, Queens, New York City.

1800's Antique section stone carved tree stumps rough bark and smooth cut limbs

1800's Antique section

Gravestone of Mother Elsie (Shicksa Husband (my Dad) reference omitted) She died at the age of 34, after a long history Colitis. My Mother was the most influential person in my life, whose courage and fortitude, in the many faces of adversity, gifted me with so much joy of living. April 12th 1999, was the 50th anniversary of her death, and my greatest loss. She was so much fun, we would skip down the street together, with our beanie propeller hats, twirling. My father George Thomas Postel, died in 1975, he had donated his body to science. They met as teenagers in Ozone Park, Queens, and hitch hiked around the Country together. Both Postel and Walsky families had bungalows at Rockaway Beach.

Silvia, Moms Sister, died at age 7, from Ditheria. Aunt Edith, lovingly placing stone

Grand Mother Annie Walsky a.k.a. Bubby, died at the age of 93 + Whom I lived with as a teen, after running away from home. She loved sitting outside in the sun on a bent wood chair, from her ice cream parlor, complaining about me, to all the passer byes in the neighborhood. At 16, I remember coming home from High School, the whole family was sitting outside with long faces waiting for me. Bubby had seen me sitting on her tenant's son, Dudley's lap, kissing (and I thought she was sleeping). I never knew if they were upset because of the kissing or because he was a shicksa, but Uncle Honney (who was studying law at the time) gave me a big lecture. I got even with him though, I went through his dresser drawers, showing my Grandparents, all his shicksa dates, pin up pictures, as Miss Coca Cola, Miss Coney Island, Miss Pirate, etc. My Grandmother owned and ran a candy store in 40's and 50's. It was in the two story brick building my Grandfather built. It had a long marble soda fountain, with stools and a juke box in the rear, round tables and bentwood chairs. Bubby would give me free, red nail polish nickle plugs, to play for free, so I could dance, but only if no one was looking. Earth Angel was my favorite love song, and both Chuck Berry and Bo Didley were my favorite song writing performers. And they said Rock and Roll wouldn't last.

Grand Father Abraham Walsky died at a hospital, age 76, where he was being treated for TB. Pa Pa, always played Pinochle while listening to Gabriel Heater on the radio, banging his fist on the kitchen table when he did not agree. He was a stern parent, with a quick temper, and a most interesting grandparent. Then there was that time when he put a pail full of wet garbage over the head and torso of old man Munsy, in a very controlled, unemotional manner, slapped his hands together, as in a clean sweep. He earned my heartfelt respect for that action, and old man Munsy never chased me again for playing stickball in the street, nor did his dog ever crap on Pa Pa' s property, after that. Both Grandparents emigrated from Minsk, Russia about 1918, and met in Harlem, New York City, shortly after as teenagers. Neither he nor my Grandmother spoke for the last 15 years of his life, he had warned her he wouldn't if she cut her hair. When I lived with them and my uncle Harold (Honney), it was always, "tell your grandmother this, tell your grandfather that."

Family photos of Barbara Postel Walsky and Postel

Barbara Postel@artistexpo.com Pyramid Art Gallery- home artistexpo.com © 1999 PyramidStudios All rights reserved