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| By Sarah M. Corigliano Assistant Managing Editor EAST LONGMEADOW Ninety seven- year- old Mario Chiodo has lived in town, and on the same street, for 92 years. As such, he has seen quite a bit of change. In a recent interview with The Reminder, he reflected on the way things used to be in town, from his family's initial move from Springfield to East Longmeadow and the many years that followed. Mario Chiodo's parents, who immigrated to this country from Italy, actually had to bring their belongings to their new home with a horse and wagon since the trolley that came to town would not have met their moving needs. And they certainly didn't have a car at that time. Chiodo was five years old and the year was 1913. Chiodo was among the first students to attend the then-new Pleasantview School, which now houses the Senior Center and Recreation Departments. He also spent plenty of time playing baseball in the Triple A League in Forest Park and with eventual Yankees star Leo Durocher and Patsy Tranghese 90-year-old Baba Tranghese is Patsy's little brother. Missing the draft during World War II due to his age (he was 46 years old when The Battle of the Bulge was won) and always being able to find work when he fell on hard times, Chiodo also reflected on the many hats he has worn in the past 70 or so years. He joked about his job building and repairing the manufacturing machines at Diamond Match in Springfield before that company went out of business. Chiodo explained with a smile that he singlehandedly put Diamond Match out of business by leaving his job as a repairman. No replacement could be found to maintain the machines and production dwindled. Following his career at the match factory, Chiodo worked as a driver for various private schools locally, transporting young students to and from school each day. But most conversations with Chiodo end with a mention of his late, beloved wife Jennie, who he met while working at Diamond Match and who he misses immensely since her death several years ago. Stories of the old days help him remember such great memories of his wife and friends. Chiodo said anyone who would like to reminisce with him, and look at photos or newspaper clippings from the old days well, they'll know where to find him. |