Tombo E-Book

Frank Della Penna

• Herausgeber: BooxAi
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Frank DellaPenna is a graduate of West Chester University, The French Carillon School, creator of the musical act Cast in Bronze, and author of several books.
As a musician, he performed for the Mass of Pope John Paul II, The NBC Today Show, Walt Disney World's Epcot, and numerous music and renaissance festivals across the U.S. for thirty years.
He now spends his time writing and composing music. He lives with his wife, Anne, in St. Peter's, Pennsylvania.
More importantly, however, Tombo and Frank DellaPenna have an interesting family relationship. Frank DellaPenna's grandfather, Rocco, came to America as a young boy of 16.His immigration was sponsored by Tombo's grandfather, Thomas Di Fillippo Sr., who agreed to house the young Rocco until he could support himself financially. Why would Thomas Di Fillippo Sr. do such a thing? It was discovered that Rocco's mother and Thomas Di Fillippo, Sr.were brother and sister.

Leseprobe

Frank DellaPenna

Tombo

All rights reserved

Copyright © 2022 by Frank DellaPenna

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Published by BooxAi

ISBN: 978-965-578-042-0

TOMBO

THE BIOGRAPHY OF THOMAS ANTHONY DIFILLIPPO

FRANK DELLAPENNA

CONTENTS

Introduction

1. The Early Years…

2. High School

3. College Years

4. Life after College

5. Children

6. Back to Work

7. Changes in Tombo

8. Philanthropy

9. Memberships and Awards

10. The House

11. Reflection

About the Author

INTRODUCTION

Tombo is his name. It is unusual and, most importantly, unforgettable to anyone who meets him. His real name is Thomas Anthony Di Fillippo, named after his father, a time-honored tradition in families. There are millions named Thomas, who later became Tom or Tommy, but for some reason, Thomas Di Fillippo became Tombo, a unique separation from his father and everyone else.

Why is that important? In most cases, a nickname is not that important, but for Tombo, it defined the unique person he is and what he would become. He was now part of a very small group of people who were known only by their first name. Oprah, Tiger, Barrack, Elvis, Sting, and Tombo. He is in good company for sure, and while he is not as famous as the rest, maybe to those who know him, he is.

His life and his work would change the lives of everyone he knew and even those he never met. This is the story of his life, his legacy, and the reason he was born.

CHAPTERONE

THE EARLY YEARS…

Tombo was an only child, born in 1947. That was unusual for most families in that era, but to his parents, Thomas Di Fillippo and Lucy Rubino Di Fillippo, Tombo was perhaps all they needed or wanted, or perhaps there was another reason why they never had any other children? For the purpose of this book, it is not necessary or important to know why no other siblings were born. Those are personal to the parents and need to be respected. What is important is that Tombo was born, and he was their pride and joy.

His grandfather, Thomas Di Fillippo, was a dairy farmer who married Claudia Zappacosta, an Italian immigrant from the Abruzzi region of Italy. They arrived separately during the time of the great migration of Italians to America. The marriage was arranged by the families. Once Thomas settled in America, his future wife would arrive for them to marry. However, the marriage was arranged for Claudia's older sister, who refused to leave Italy. So, Claudia arrived as a young woman in her teens, married Thomas, a man much older, and they began their lives together. During this time in history, Italy lost almost one-third of the population who migrated to the United States. Why did so many leave Italy? It is a fair question to ask.

To learn the exact details of this migration period, one might read a book called "La Storia." This fascinating book outlines the political and economic conditions of Italy at that time. The short version of history is that the politicians that controlled Italy at that time benefited people from their region. The money was used to build schools and support businesses in the regions of Italy from Rome and north of Rome, where all of the politicians had particular personal and financial interests.

Those regions south of Rome and Sicily were largely considered an annoyance filled with peasants with problems that the government chose to ignore. The result was that people south of Rome were starving, and their children had no schools to attend. These families south of Rome became frustrated, rightly so, which turned into anger, which turned into a plan to take matters into their own hands to educate their children and try to find a better life. If it meant leaving Italy for opportunities in America, it became a simple choice.

Thus, the great migration to the U.S. began. So, they left by the thousands, and those that established themselves in the U.S. brought other families over and found work for them in mines, making roads, working for the railroad, and building subways. Yes, it was hard work, but it was work and a means to a better life for them and their families.

It was during this tumultuous time in Italy that Thomas Di Fillippo arrived in the United States. It is not clear how he arrived, how he was permitted to enter the U.S., or how he acquired a farm in Devault, PA. But it is safe to assume that someone, most likely from his region of Italy, helped secure passage to the U.S., got through customs, and delivered him to Devault, PA, where eventually he acquired ownership of a dairy farm. Yet the courage to leave one's country, not knowing what may lie ahead, is a testament to his courage and resolve.

Together, Thomas and Claudia raised their children on the farm; Anthony, Thomas, Daniel, Frank, John, Louis, Mary, and Lillian. The farmhouse was filled with children who all worked on the farm in Devault, Pennsylvania, a small village about an hour west of Philadelphia.

Dairy farmers are required to milk cows twice a day, early in the morning, and late afternoon, so there was always plenty of work to do; cows to milk, fields to cultivate, stalls to clean, chickens to feed, a vegetable garden to tend, repairing fences and equipment to maintain. Twelve-hour days were the norm.

During this era, children were not carefree, playing with each other during the day, exploring their surroundings, or wallowing away the afternoon reading. They all seemed to realize instinctively that they were vital to the success of the farm and took their responsibilities seriously. Their lives had a purpose from the time they were born, and they would retain this work ethic in their lives and instill that work ethic with their children once they had families of their own.

As the children got older, they all married and raised their families the two girls, Mary and Lillian, married two brothers from the Alleva family, so one by one, they moved out of the family farmhouse and acquired residences of their own that were all nearby, so they could still help out on the farm when and if needed.

When Tombo was born in 1947, his mother and father were still living in the family farmhouse. Tombo was able to spend time with his grandparents every day during those early years. Eventually, another house was built on the farm, where Tombo's mother and father would remain for the rest of their lives.

It was a modest house that had one room in the front that became the Devault Post Office, and Lucy Di Fillippo became the Postmaster. Everyone in Devault came to the post office for their mail and to exchange news of their families, hardships, upcoming weddings, births, and of course, gossip.

As a result, his mother knew everyone and everything that was going on in the community. The evening meals were filled with daily stories of the people who visited the post office to pick up their mail and what was going on in their lives.