Childhood
Angelo Colaricci was the second born to Felice Colaricci and Angela Pitoscia, later becoming the eldest of the Colaricci children when his elder sister Rosa died at age 15.
He told that from the age of 5, he was sent off to the mountains to tend a herd of 60 - 70 sheep with his grandfather, Filippo Colaricci. He often told of the time that he was hit by a ram, resulting in a broken nose and the loss of two teeth. By age 9, his grandfather suffered a stroke, so the sheep were sold and he was taught to work the fields with a hoe and spade. Additionally, he was taught to care for the livestock kept by the family.
As there were so many duties during the day, Felice arranged for a private tutor to give Angelo lessons during the evening. These lessons continued until he was almost 18. Angelo was the only one of the Colaricci children to enjoy this private turtoring, which was an expensive and rare opportunity for anyone of their means at that time.
World War I ( 1915 - 1918 )
Angelo served with the Italian army in the first World War. He was off fighting for upwards of 3 years, fighting in Dolomites in Northern Italy. He was said to have been part of an artillery detail for 18 months ( which permanently damaged hearing in one ear ), and experienced fighting from the trenches on the front line. Following the war, he was awarded numerous medals, including the Distinguished Service Cross.
Like many veterans, he did not talk much of his time in the war. When travelling there many years later, though, he told his daughter a story of when he fought there. He described how during the day, the Italians and Germans, entrenched on either side of a valley, would fire on one another. At night, though, both sides would be down at the river which snaked through the valley, quietly collecting water and washing, preparing for another day of fighting. The river was not large, so they were quite close to one another, quietly looking across the river at those whom they were firing on during the day.
In later years, he'd never let his wife make rice, as it was the meal that had to eat 3 times a day during his service.
Return to Boiano
Upon his return to Boiano after the war, he was deeply affected by the death of his sister Colomba, who succumbed to the Spanish Flu. Everyone in the Colaricci house, except for Angelo and his father Felice, were affected by the virus.
Over the next 5 years, he continued to work the family farm, as described in some detail in his brother Filippo's biography.
Emigration to America
In 1922 he married Concetta Prioriello, and made preparations to emigrate to the US. Concetta was always somewhat frail, and Angela Pitoscia, Angelo's mother, is said to have torn up her passport to prevent her from sailing to the US with Angelo ( she was apparently afraid that Concetta would die in transit, and they would feed her body to the fishes ). Angelo emigrated alone, leaving behind his pregnant wife.
In January, 1923, their first daughter was born. She was named Colomba, after Angelo's sister whose death had so affected him. Angelo was not to see her until she was 5 years old, when she and his wife Concetta would emigrate to the US.
During the 5 years, Angelo worked in the steel mills in Camden, PA, as well as in the coal mines of southern Pennsylvania. He worked mostly in a mine in Powhoton Point, Ohio. It was in the mines that he suffered the loss of his index finger, another incident which he did not like to discuss.
Reuniting the family
It was not until 1928 that his wife Concetta, and daughter Colomba joined him in America. This was the first time that he met his daughter Colomba, who was born after he emigrated in 1922. In the following years, they added two more daughters, Mary and Helen, to their family.
Construction Company
Following the arrival of his wife Concetta and Colomba in 1928, he relocated to Cleveland, working in the ironworks there. By 1939, he shifted to work in construction, and by 1948 established his own construction company. The company flourished, and was eventually to employee many of his family members, including his brother Fillipo Colaricci. ( See the story by one of his grandchildren about working with him on site ).
He passed away in 1977.
Family Anecdotes