Joe Grinkewicz
Joe's Latest Interactions
Posted on: Dec 31, 2024 at 4:33 AM
Dale and I were friends since he moved into the neighborhood around 1961, We all hung out either back the woods or at the wall at Reach and VanKirk Streets. In short, Dale was a good guy and continued to be one throughout his life. I remember watching the Ed Sullivan Show when the Beatles were on in his parent's living room. Dale coming to the Friday night FOBAR at A and Wyoming on his motorcycle. But most of all, Dale was the photo historian of our crowd. He took thousands of photos of our activitives. Didn't matter where we were, Dale was always snapping. He gave all of us 4 discs of these photos for Christmas a few years ago enabling us to see ourselves from many years ago. RIP big fellow.
PS He should have graduated with us but was left back a year, Albert Octaviano also passed about a month ago. Al had a constellation of health issues but sucumbed to a heart attack. Al too was a gentle giant who was on Olney;s gymnastics team. We hung out in his basement many a night and we worked at the "University of Sears" for a few years. Al served in Viet Nam as a medic and later on would be involed in human sleep studies. RIP Al.
Posted on: Dec 31, 2023 at 4:33 AM
Reconnected with Mr. J a few years ago. He was my World Cultures teacher in 12th grade and one of my favorites. A friend of mine who worked with him at Olney used to visit him each month for coffee and conversation and invited me to join them when I retired. Mr. J was erudite and able to quote Shakespeare, Churchill, or Wilde. Our conversations usually lasted 3 hours and covered a wide variey of subjects. He visited us when we were having a wedding party for my son and his wife. Looking quite daper and regaling my guests with stories of his travels, he enjoyed himself imensely was imensely enjoyed. He was a teacher in Scotland and Alaska in the 1950's and Hawaii (I think) and traveled extensively in Asia and Europe. I will miss our monthy conversations. RIP Mr. J.
Posted on: Dec 31, 2021 at 4:33 AM
Posted on: Dec 31, 2020 at 2:03 PM
Have a Happy Birthday, Joe
I remember Jim from Creighton. We hung out then but at Olney, we went separate ways. Not surprised he was a mechanical engineer; he displayed a penchant for that in Creighton's woodshop and mechanical drawing classes. RIP Jim.
Yo Dale. How are you and Marilyn. Finally retired last year and it was definitely a good time considering what is going on. Stay safe.
Posted on: Jun 08, 2020 at 9:07 AM
I had lunch with a friend who once taught at Olney and my former World Cultures teacher, Mr. Fred Josephson. Mr. J is 94 and doing well. Until the virus, he still traveled to Europe yearly. Smart and sharp as a tack intellectually. A fine gentleman.
Just retired in June 2019 after 35 years in the Philadelphia School District. Also, just returned from Prague, a favorite city of mine. Going to Israel and Jordan in January and Spain in March. Moved from Old City to Northern Liberties last year. Other than that, biding my time working around my son's home. It's nice to finally blow away those Sunday evening blues.
Like Mike, I too knew him as Robin. One memory I have of him was him telling us about how he was at the Brussels Worlds Fair of 1958. I believe his telling gave me a bit of wanderlust; the desire to travel. In Brussels a few years ago, I saw from a distance the Atomium, a relic from the fair, and thought immediatly of Robin.