Peter Campisi and Peter Campisi

00:00 My name is Peter Campisi. My age is 91.

00:09 Date of birth October November 16th 2020 location is Clifton Park New York name of interviewers partner is my son Peter Campisi. Who's also my son.

00:37 My name is Peter Campisi. I am 43 years old today is November 16th 2020. I'm also in Clifton Park New York and every Partners My Father Peter Campisi.

00:55 Okay, Dad, so it's nice to get to talk to you today and get a little bit more about you even though I know a lot.

01:09 Okay, so tell me when and where were you born? I was born in Brooklyn, New York.

01:20 1018 2919 2910 1829 that was about and I remember times was that tough special for the family.

01:38 So then you you grew up in Brooklyn. Yes, I grew up. My most of my life good part of my life was in Brooklyn. Most of it has been imposed upon good. Most of my life has been in Clifton. When did you move to Clifton Park?

02:01 Who do I don't remember? What is a good?

02:07 About twenty-five. I thought I was about 25 when I moved into the area and I got married in Brooklyn who was different was tough. It was tough because we came from another country, you know, we did speak the language most of them, you know, most of them were from Italian origin family didn't speak English. So when did you learn English? Learn English when I went to the grammar school PS 53? Okay, Brooklyn, New York. So you are about 5 years old. I was five years old. So what was the neighborhood like where you was very like I say, I'm very tired and nobody spoke English and it was

03:06 I was Beauty was nice. It was really nice was a beautiful. How was it nice to you that I felt comfortable being around people. I understood.

03:23 Yeah, so what is so you said your ethnic background? Is it time? Can you tell me more about your ethnic background? Yeah, my mother and my father and it all my uncles is my uncles and your uncles and my mother came from Sicily during World War II about 1915 ish. 1950-1960 Moore. Okay, why did they leave like there was it was a song by one person on that Old Town?

04:08 And they was afraid of that. They thought they had no chance of advancement. The only way to do that was to come to America which way did they come from Sicily to America to better their lives if it's special to themselves and their families and they stick together and I had to stick together in order to survive at that time. So, where were you

04:43 Have you ever been to Sicily? Yes, I've been there several times of one specially and we best family from my father's side of the family. How did that happen? Will my son Peter was the one that instigated it. He said Dad. We need to go find your family in Sicily we did and then his now-wife that is from Africa from Africa. She was working and

05:15 And we went we went to the town and found myself at a restaurant on my family in the restaurant. How did that happen? And they asked me my name and I told him and he said he said well, I'm a cat pees. That was married to one of them later. There was about eight or ten. Campisi's came in from somewhere. What did that mean to you to get the feeling of love seeing people that my father grew up with event at one time Yeah Yeah Yeahs family that I didn't think I'd ever be

06:15 And didn't know existed. I remember that one of the woman we met was she asked us our names and she got she was very surprised that there was another Peter Campisi. Yes. She was looking. Yeah, they were very and I was surprised you because meeting family that I didn't even know existed also was

06:48 Just a start. I never thought I would have what it what do you remember about some of the conversations that you had conversations I have with the family.

07:04 During World War II, you know, they were in trouble there was starving the Germans were occupying Sicily as they were starving and we would send the money money and Food close food and money and they should remember saying that's how we survived all the money that you sent the food and the clothes. That was really that was an experience. I'll never I'll never forget I think girls would your family be that you never knew existed and I got to meet you. We got several pictures.

08:04 Play special restaurant on the ocean. Have we were there like the food was they fed us and wined and dined us? Yeah. Yeah. Are you fit right in I think here.

08:21 Know what what were your what were your parents? Like my parents were very docile when my father was very does. My mother was Drew who is an arranged marriage in Sicily. That's what they did. They arranged marriages and not remember telling me she never really loved my father was a man that she loved or but they would permit her to marry him. I guess it was a matter of

08:57 Social standing in the community have to do with it.

09:08 So it was an arranged marriage and wind up with she ended up with three sons strange country was trying to find work and at that time it was The Depression work was not available. We ended up there was food we use against forward.

09:37 Some some some source that the uncle's dog used to bring food. You can go to work go to work and fully dressed like a gentleman you are and come home that way the dishes. So did he change when no work is the he also worked in the stove Factory. I ended up working well built stove Factory in Queens, New York, very playing a loving mother of the children. That was all her children.

10:34 She and I you used to tell me that she would give you the better one of whatever we have the dinner at the most edible part that you would have all the good place to eat this food and feel like she says I don't want you to starve yourself another source of food. I remember growing up as a kid that you even you know, what I didn't grow up in the Great Depression obviously, but you would always sneak food onto my plate or break off music.

11:34 I don't know what it was. I think I just from the old family way of life after my mother of family I did.

11:47 So

11:50 Thinking back on your your childhood who are your siblings siblings were my brother Perry or Placido and my brother Giacomo and later Jack. She also has recently passed away. Yeah, what were what were some of your memories of your of your brothers and brothers difference yet? We had different friends we get up in the morning and we go out and play after I had a car when I left the service that a car and my brother used to seal. It hurries to steal the car years old.

12:48 In Brooklyn driving in the streets of Brooklyn with a one time. I saw him in the car driving and the smoke was overheated and I pull them out and I punched them. Don't you ever do this again? And what about your your brother? Jack was always remember him being the one that everyone went to and they needed always out of money. We borrowed money from him and he remind us it's a double-walled alone.

13:39 Okay, so let's talk about school a little bit. But what were you like as a student? I was an average grammar school. I went to PS 53 and grammar school after age 55 and then I ended up going to school and college and what high school did you go to Grover Cleveland High School in Queens New York. And what did you do while you were in high school or your house was a trumpet player and I was in most of the music programs at the school in huge School 5000 students in the school is huge and I play with the orchestra the big band concert band.

14:39 Later boy. Juliana Rosa became famous as a vocalist. And yeah, and I got to work with with Julie a lock with every Friday at the high school. We will do it. Then we would play for the dance and I would get $7 are they supposed to charge tuition for the kids to come in? So why did why did you want to be a trumpet player? I just love that kind of music. I love the big band music just love that then.

15:18 That's what after I ended up in the service doing it. Thank God that I did was it was there anyone that inspired you to Charlie Spivak at that time there weren't too many famous trumpet players, but I just loved it and I had a good teacher by teacher was Frank Patti. He was a good teacher and he play with the New York Philharmonic, but they did the I don't know. He was a famous trumpet player some good work. So After High School you were so I went into the service and I served in New Orleans with the Army Band.

16:18 Music that'll be playing somewhere with some bad and it didn't happen after basic training. What what is your family feel when you how do they feel about you enlisting in the well, I guess at the time there was no work at all and being in the service. I was hurting somebody as long as somebody so I guess I never really

16:47 You know, maybe feel that I should have done it yet. I had to watch you use I went into the service. It was no work. If I had no option to do while you were in the service ended up basic training in Fort Hood, New Jersey for for Dick's for Dick's and then from then I went to bed training school. And then I was assigned to the band in New Orleans for a year. I was there a year and then I ended up in Japan Yokohama. How did you how did you end up going to how and why did you end up going to Japan?

17:33 After you were in in the service in Louisiana, you came home, I came home and the amount of people that will service and they made it easy to get out of the service. I apply for a hardship and I did and I undid up in an inactive unit and there are going to Texas going through training again basic training and then you have any stories from basic training the hike with the pack and then I'm done if you had MO is a rifle is another pound so you had it during your base exchange.

18:33 Yes. But I'm determined to make it and I did 200 the 28 mile hike with a backpack and then we were there for a week. We did Ben wax for a week or so. Then what happened after you were in basic training after I was in basic training ended up in ya.

18:58 Play with the only bed and then I got up and was recalled. And then the ended up in Tokyo Japan that my Homebase what was that? Like it was weird the people with different everything was weird about $19 around 1950s in Yokohama at the theater in Yokohama and

19:41 JW ended up in crib doing shows and we I was the side with a thot with

19:48 Hey Sami, have a good side with a is going to be special services and we pull troops out of this with green walk. And yeah, I did shows like when you are in Korea what what it was Harry was Harry. I'm on the Bandstand and man comes in on us and start shooting. Yeah behind it was a American jet chasing it. Yeah, that was Harry some of the times we would.

20:23 General alert and we have to leave the vehicles and you know, I wait for the all-clear alert. See you even though you were playing in the band. You still yeah, I still had a rifle everything one of the things your rifle always had a baby with him and that's part of your training. What was it? Was it like in the eyes of the of the troops that you were playing for? Did you feel so good because they really embraced us and they enjoyed listening to them with a 50-piece pan flute musician the 15-piece bill, and I remember one time

21:12 Yeah, I was on. God do that night. I had I was a sergeant and until I made since I was born I had to do got to do with it and it was like at night since black at night walking around the perimeter. And if you heard a noise, you didn't know what it was it was North Korea and you could have been a Chinese Soldier, you know who was and you challenged them.

21:39 Did you ever have to do that and I got no response?

21:46 And so I didn't know if it was a person and animal whenever I could but I got no response and I was glad that I got no response. So after you're well, how long were you in Japan and Korea total? I was the president you do got us back into service and said we would only be away a year and a home in October to October 16th in like that and one of the holes on a guy in your in your tents and we had

22:47 We had an inspection with a journal inspection and then it has and went to the journal walked into the 10th. We were supposed to all be dressed and you know, he wasn't and it's set a tension and it didn't get up and next. He was gone next day. Dad was gone never heard from him and let him know what happened to him. Maybe it was what what when you got back home to Brooklyn.

23:29 After being gone for almost a year, what was that like strange strange change the area had changed a lot of my friends were gone. So I ended up into music again. I joined the musician Union.

23:50 Stop playing again.

23:53 Remember you telling me you played the summers in the Catskills from June 15th to September 7th felt like it was great. It was great. I was paid $85 a week and I have food they fed us very well. It was an Italian area. The food was excellent. Yeah, and yeah, I could complain. How's the bed later and we played every Monday we had.

24:30 Sunday off Sunday was a day off and we work Saturday 7 days a week. Was there any anything that really stands out in your mind about that experience other than that was a way from Brooklyn. That was great. Yeah, we open a beautiful area of the Catskill Mountains. Are you you moved Upstate you met your first wife playing playing in the Catskills when when you moved up here, how was life different with one for Brooklyn to Cohoes New York at was like

25:16 Yeah, like night and day difference. How was it that well, it was an adjustment. Not only that I move into the air with no job to find the job.

25:28 It wasn't easy, but those years were very tough years over but I remember you always being very good with your money. Yeah. Well I had to be to survive pay my bill. It wasn't a matter of necessity what I should do anything. I want just to make a salary soul food off of a truck and people would steal the food and not give me the money and I was a good at a couple of weeks and instead of making money. I owed money.

26:16 Fallout 4 moving up here you you made a life for yourself and you raised three children. When did you first find out that you were going to be a parent 1955 1955 via I had a preemie and he was like 2 and 1/2 didn't make it. That was the first child that later. I have Paul and Cindy and then you

26:50 After that, was that expose? I like losing your first

26:55 It was terrible. I was away from home for my family and it was on my own adjusting. Yeah, I can only imagine now you have Cindy and then me you right then I have

27:19 Camilla your wife and your two children that each person live with you recently.

27:33 You lost your brother my brother Perry. Tell me about Perry hurry was.

27:43 Very hot is all type of person. I know you don't decision. He always used to get into trouble being called an Italian or any kind of a derogatory Italian name ends up in a fight. He was he insulted me. He had he had a problem with me. I remember Uncle Perry always standing up for standing up for a family and he was a good provider a good father.

28:26 Scituate problems of his own but he was a good good person and cancel family. Yeah. He's very loyal.

28:42 What has been the hardest thing about losing your brother what has been the hardest thing about losing your brother every Sunday who said they will talk regardless if we had nothing to say just have a conversation and then

28:59 Probably a good part of my life has been with the Georgie wonders band with them for 12 years. Really good, man. And what about what about your brother? What did you use to talk about? We always talk about family. Who's there was a really too much more to talk about what was going on. Yeah, he was retired and I was retired so both of them both of us were

29:30 Not very active so you put it that way right since I was still playing.

29:39 Is there anything that you would want to what can you tell me about Uncle Perry that I could know being a veteran was stationed in Germany and was very proud of me being a veteran Central Korea during the war. So yeah.

30:04 He always had a flag out and it always was clean. If you always we have outside of this house and you don't remember confirmed proud person for her.

30:14 No.

30:20 Let's talk a little bit about.

30:24 So thinking about your uncle uncle Perry, he was an important person in your life cuz he was yeah and

30:36 It's sad to see him go through for me. That was yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I don't think I'll ever forget about it. He was a truck driver in New York for over forty years and Uncle Tony. He was the helper and then all good separate months after they've been delivering paper bags and baggage.

31:14 Uncle Terry said got the truck and then.

31:19 Brooklyn, but they're in Manhattan and I'm not driving to 4445. I'm not driving home to get out of the truck had to get out of the truck and take the trip Subway on.

31:38 First of two three days to do in this Perry's decided I got to drive the truck and an excellent driver you made good money and then

31:59 He said I could back that tractor trailer anywhere. I don't have any memory of them. Even if you died when I was about two or three. He was somebody that always had a lot of there's always a lot of stories about him and it was one about you about him and your mother and there was a cop. Yeah, there was a at that time the Irish were in the Italian he made a derogatory remark Uncle Teddy in front of her in front of his his sister and put them out and put them out.

32:53 Yeah, it wasn't that was a different time. Was it when you were working for Grand Union One time? I drive my own car to strike through these and it was in the, New Jersey, New Jersey.

33:27 How did the strikers put airplane glue in my car and I live in the locks on a quick get into my car. So what did you do? So had to call somebody and get them to do it so I can get into the car. And so then the next time when I was strikethrough the I told my people that not taking my car if you want me to go you got to give me a company car and I did and it did anybody ever give you a hard time. Does the head guy Mugsy and Uncle 31-day him and Paris pass by stop said who's the who's the ringleader that guy mugs it up off the ground ahead and send you see that guy you ever touch him you're in trouble with me.

34:23 He was the family opportunity was something that you didn't you didn't do anything to family. You didn't get involved.

34:34 So you work for Grand Union for a long time almost 40 years. What are you doing, Nowadays people don't stay by myself until I was the manager for the northern region was like about 240 supermarkets that we were wild with inside hunt. I was on the phone all the time answering questions.

35:08 Looking back. I mean United 91 just turn 91. What are you most grateful for in your life for my family is the Boston cuz even at 91, I'm not how I used to be and they're all there for me. Just like you you and Camila important lessons you've learned in your life.

35:46 I guess to listen and don't don't make any assumptions already remarks or anything.

35:58 About a person to really know that person cuz you could be wrong and a lot of times I was wrong.

36:08 I think most of it is family. That's my most important part of my life has been my family.

36:18 I remember going up that you and I think you got this from your uncle's but you always said you have to respect women. Yeah, that was one of the things that they said you always respect protect your woman in your family that was part of tradition. What are some of the things that you're most proud of in your life? Well, most proud of that I was able to make it but my mind is failing.

37:07 Has your life been different than you imagined? It would be? Yes. Yes in Brooklyn and moving Upstate New York is a huge change it to use lifestyle change you imagine yourself when you were younger. What did you imagine if you like when your 91 when I was young and I lived in Brooklyn, where am I going from here to burn a lot of jobs in a lot of job. Thank God. I ended up in Manhattan School of Music I did that for two years and that what that helps.

37:55 No.

37:57 Do you have any regrets?

38:00 No, I don't have any regrets. I've been very fortunate person. Lovett very fortunate always seem to not let things bother you too much you ride? Yeah, and you have to deal with it then so I realize that dealing with situations at a car you just deal with it.

38:33 An you go to bed and then the next day you wake up the other day. You don't let it go to sleep. When you get up the next day. I think myself included that a lot of people could learn from that and Paul and Janice I get that vehicle. I hope that Paul takes after you, you know.

39:07 As he's guarding it all then he's going to be he's going to be in the next.

39:18 An engineer so what are you know now that what are some of your hopes for your children? Call Cindy me. I hope that you and the kids stay in this house and you've done a lot of work around it reopen the pool, you know, put a beautiful day up in the back. I just hope that's my desire desire. My thinking is that

39:50 You know, you will continue to live here, hopefully and enjoy.

39:57 Your home what would you like to be remembered?

40:02 How would you like to be remembered?

40:05 Tell hard question to answer.

40:11 As a caring person.

40:14 Message

40:15 That's the way I would like to be a caring and loving person especially to my family.

40:27 Is there

40:29 Oh, I think that that is definitely going to be true. I don't think that memory could change.

40:40 So if this was your if this was your last conversation with me, what would you want to tell me that I love you? You're my son and use that you have to take care of me as I'm going through this.

40:58 Aging process. I really need your help and you're there every night every morning dressing me undressing me so I can be here. Yeah. Well, I know you do and I get that impression from you and also Camilla what she does but I know from your other kids to that Cindy and Paul feel the same way just that you had to cuz if it's possible whenever I get a birthday card that always very caring cards.

41:40 Yeah, but that's what I tried to.

41:45 You still in that the family would I guess part of the family that she respects that I don't know.

42:03 I'm I'm glad that I've got to have you as a father because you're you're very different than I think most of the

42:14 Other men that I've known him your experience with other people. Yeah, and you have a different quality about you that is you know, more heartfelt then then then a lot of it has to do with family the beginning.

42:41 Yellow who take

42:43 Food off the table and give it to me and not even think of it supposed to Kabob and say what a beautiful person she was.

43:03 Well, if this were my last conversation with you, I would want you to know that I'm very happy that you've been my father. Thank you. Thank you. I feel lucky.