“To my dad who accomplished so many things in life and experience more than we could imagine. The depression, WW2, starting life when there was still horse & carriages, to seeing a man walk on the moon. My dad loved life and lived it to its fullest. RIP dad. Until we meet up again. Love you … He reached his goal to live to 100.”
That he did. Iconic longtime Rumsonite Anthony J. “Tony” Mellaci passed away peacefully from natural causes at home, surrounded by loved ones, on June 17. He had just recently reached the age of 100.
RFH 1978 graduation in front of the high school, replete with daisy chain Photo/Daryl Cooper Ley
The following was originally posted in May of 2017. It is being re-run in honor of graduation, time honored traditions past and this RFH Daisy Chain girl of ’78, who passed away in February of 2018 — Daryl Cooper Ley.
In high school social circles, it was considered a popularity status symbol to be chosen for the chain. Daryl wasn’t all too thrilled about it at the time. It had confirmed what her closest friends knew. That she was cool. It was often repeated to her. “I didn’t think so,” was always her answer. Sorry, Dar. We win. Got the last word. You were. RIP, Dar. You are remembered … in our hearts, souls and print, like it or not! Love you forever more. Oh, she would kill me …
It was considered a privilege and honor. They were chosen from the junior class at RFH to serve as the debutante-like ushers for the graduating class. All dressed in white and supposedly gracefully toting a chain of daisies, the Daisy Chain girls were a fixture of high school finery at graduations in the 1970s.
The origins of the somewhat upper-crust tradition date back to the 1900s, but this Retro Pic of the Day was snapped in 1978.
Alice Mansfield takes a dive off Rumson Dock circa late 1950s Photo/Ken Card courtesy of Alice Mansfield
Sign of the times? The “No Diving” signs are all over the docks. Well, at least the one that’s left in Fair Haven. Yet, a good dive has been known to transcend times and signs.
Gulp? They say that oysters come in their own little spoons, ready to serve up their own nuggets of goodness from their deep water beds. But, as far as some Rumson kids are concerned, the looks on their faces while slurping what some call raw culinary delights tells a horror story that needs to be chased with a spoon full of sugar to make that river medicine go down.
Fair Haven Fire Department Old Timers’ Day circa 1960s Photo/FHFD
What a ride!
Indeed. And when you pair some classic Fair Haven Fire Department old timers with an old classic of a car on a fun day back in the 1960s, you get a classic snapshot begging for a caption.
A reprise Retro Pic of the Day in honor of Fair Haven Fire Department’s Old Timers’ Day on Sunday. Now, back to the 1960s with the annual FHFD tradition, now that new back then has turned into old …
Nothing says community spirit like a face full of dirt and smashed eggs on your Sunday casual best. Well, nothing like Fair Haven Fire Department’s (FHFD) Old Timers’ Day, anyway. Add to that the fact that the young ones from back in the day are now the old timers and the losers … of the traditional baseball game that is the day’s focal point.
It was a banner weekend for the Fair Haven Fire Department.
The forever Fair Haven group of volunteer firefighters, first aid tenders and auxiliary helpers swept some awards at another company’s 150th anniversary on Saturday and the next day celebrated the old and new with its traditional Old Timers’ Day.
Fair Haven, with it’s unique white trucks, has always stood out at parades and celebrations. This past weekend it was at Freehold Fire Department’s 150th anniversary that the department shone bright with its sharp, gleaming white apparatus and membership.
The department garnered first-place awards for: Most Active Members Present; Best Appearing Command Vehicle; Best Appearing Pumper 6-15 Years; Best Appearing Ambulance; and Best Appearing Rescue (light or heavy). A second-place award was won for Best Appearing Motorized Antique.
Congratulations, FHFD!
Then, on Sunday, the crew gathered to celebrate fire company tradition with a blend of generations, the old and new, in Old Timers’ Day. This gathering of all that’s good in connecting through volunteering and friendship for the community is a tradition that dates way back.
There are casual contests, fun, food and fire department family bonding. This fire company kid vividly remembers a tug of war and egg toss miserably lost. There may have been a two-legged race with sister tossed in the failures somewhere. Yet, everyone wins with this fire company day.
Take a look at the above photos, courtesy of the FHFD, for a glimpse into the win and Old Timers’ Day Gathering. (Click on one to enlarge and scroll.)Cheers to FHFD tradition! And, who won the egg toss?
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