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The family of Cosmo A. Vitale uploaded a photo
Thursday, June 29, 2017
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Marji Vitale posted a condolence
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Grandpa, as far back as I can remember, you were there...always encouraging, always willing to help out, always accepting, ...I miss my grandpa....</b></font><br><br>
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Millie Packard posted a condolence
Friday, January 26, 2007
I am sorry to hear about your loss. Cosmo Vitale will be remembered with great fondness by many including my husband Stephen Packard. As Stephen's wife, (Millie), I've heard many stories throughout the years and they've often include a warm memory of Cosmo. One I remember centered around his good looks, Stephen's Aunt Margaret claimed he was so handsome that he stood out amongst the sea of men passing through a busy train station on their way home after WWII. And when Stephen who considered Doris and Cosmo Aunt and Uncle shares stories of his childhood, it often is about the fishing trips Cosmo took them on. After packing their bait and snacks they'd set out for the docks to fish off the pier all night long, (or until they fell asleep). And of course they were always careful not to look in the direction of the amusement park because Cosmo explained: "real" fishermen never looked at the rides. I don't think it was important that they hadn't traveled far nor the amount of fish they caught rather it was for Stephen a chance to be in the company of his Uncle Cosmo whom he admired and whom he will miss.
God Bless,
Steve and Mille Packard
Royal Oak, MI</b></font><br><br>
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George Hoff posted a condolence
Friday, January 26, 2007
I'm sad to see this obituary in the paper today, I feel sorry for your loss.My name is George Hoff , the youngest son of Joe Hoff who concidered Cosmo one of his best friends in the Bricklayer's local.My personal memories of Cosmo are all smiles from the time we spent during my apprenticeship, to working on the line together ,to auction stories and that roller skate box that he carried his tools in, all good times and I want you to know those were all good memories and he will be missed.</b></font><br><br>
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Angelo Mazzara & Beatrix Pelton posted a condolence
Friday, January 26, 2007
Brian & family,
Please accept Angelo's and my condolences on the loss of your father / husband / brother / grandfather.
Until you see him again (and you will), may knowing that your dad is no longer suffering and in the loving world of God bring peace to you and your family.
With our deepest sympathy,
Angelo and Beatrix</b></font><br><br>
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Kyle Vitale posted a condolence
Thursday, January 25, 2007
This is the eulogy I gave for my grandfather on the evening of 1/24/07. For those who didn't know him personally many of the jokes will slip by you. Hopefully though, you'll get the point, he was a great man, a hero in his own right.
There is a particular quote that comes to my mind when I think of the life and accomplishments of Cosmo Alden Vitale, my grandfather. Booker T. Washington stated:
“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”
Well let’s look at that quote for a moment through the spectrum of what my grandfather faced when he returned from war at the age of nineteen. He came home with the type of memories that alone have crushed weaker men. He had watched as ships all around him lit up the night sky like a box of matchsticks before slipping into the sea. He had slept below the waters surface each night knowing a torpedo could strike the hull at any moment. And as anyone close to him probably knows, he faced down kamikaze attacks from his starboard side gunner position.
May 20th, 1945 was a fateful day in the life of my grandfather. He had learned from those who trained him and from his own personal experience during previous attacks on his ship. He displayed more courage and showed more guts in one day than most of us display in a lifetime. As the kamikaze came screaming towards his ship he showed restraint and was sure not to shoot off all his rounds. And as the plane reached the final stages of its death plunge towards him and his fellow mates my grandfather stood tall. He was the only gun left firing. He hit that plane, perhaps preventing the death of hundreds of his fellow shipmates. The ship still took an indirect hit though and this presented him once again with the chance to show his metal. Safely aboard the platform being toed by the rescue tug, my grandfather heard the cries of another comrade in need out somewhere in the fog.
Now those of us who knew him well have heard this story many times (and his version has actually been printed in the book, Tempest, Fire & Foe, which is on display in the back of the room). But how many times have you really pictured it? Truly put yourself in his shoes. It’s easy to claim you’d be brave, but heroism isn’t something you can be sure you’re capable of. That is, until an opportunity to prove it is presented to you. My grandfather got that opportunity and never blinked. Well except for the moment when he was swimming alone out there in that fog and remembered he was in shark invested waters. He began to cry. Would you have gone back or continued on? Well anyone that knew my grandfather, whether they know this story or not, knows how it ended. He did his duty. He saved that soul. This is the first and most dramatic example I can give of the man who did so much with the skills he was given.
Let us not forget that he found out in the following weeks that his beloved mother passed tragically at the age of 35 on the same day his ship was hit. He was so paralyzed by his grief that he lay in his cot for days, unable to muster any strength, any will to go on. Can you imagine experiencing just these few events in your life at the age of nineteen and then to have the loss compounded by returning home to no mother or father? He had very little family to fall back on. He had every excuse to do nothing with his life. He could have been a drug addict, or could have feigned disability (which later in life he would jokingly claim by saying “I didn’t do too badly for a retarded bricklayer, I mean retired bricklayer”). But really, he had some pretty darn good excuses for letting life pass him by.
What did he do instead? He married the beautiful ballerina who had danced before him at the request of her father. He married my grandmother, Doris, the woman whom he had proposed to in a letter while away at war. Lucky for him she thought he was the cutest of her suitors. Must have been that head of hair he had back then, as he would always remind us all, they used to call him Curly. He then went about finding the will and energy to forge forward, often holding up to four jobs at once. He raised two successful sons and was a devoted husband for 61 years. Barely a time I spent with him went by when he failed to remind me that my grandmother was “a good woman, a good wife.”
Now by his own admittance he was more serious in his younger days. His ability to lighten up with age was another achievement. Joking around on the job was therapeutic for him and he eventually incorporated it into his daily life (to the chagrin of some of us on certain occasions). This though was another sign of his underrated intelligence and creativity. Remember now, he only had a middle school education. It was not a coincidence though that he attained respectful heights in almost all of his endeavors and most recently at the age of 80 had an article published in the Japan Times. If raised in an educational environment he could have easily been the architect on the site, instead he did their work better than anyone else and taught countless others along the way. Perhaps it was all by design? I mean, he was smart enough to be captain of his destroyer escort but then who could have taken his spot in courageously saving perhaps the whole ship?
As he grew older he grew wiser, even kinder you could say. A bit more outrageous too I guess but it was worth it for the exchange. I mean really, how many men go from being a tough nosed Navy punk who jumps up on a bar in a crowded tavern full of Marines and announces he’s the toughest son of a gun in the joint, to the old guy who buys a group of strangers sitting around his local restaurant a round of beers? Well to be honest, he told me he really didn’t expect everyone at his local restaurant to actually take him up on all those free drinks but it sure was less painful than getting tossed through a glass window onto the sidewalk out front of the tavern by those Marines.
Laugher in the end though is what he spent the remainder of his life most trying to instill in those around him. Well that, and truth, but that came to him so naturally. In the politically correct and wired but often disconnected world we now live in, he was the direct truth, the real deal. Oh, you might not have always wanted to hear what he had to say, but you knew it was coming straight from the heart. People will always claim that they just want others to be honest and direct with them. Well spending time with my Grandfather made people think twice about that, and I love him for it.
You must admit though he was an interesting character. Oh, the stories I could tell if we had more time. There was more going on in there though than people realized. He never lost his passion for things either. The union, flea markets, writing, ….dumpster diving! Seriously though, he believed strongly in his convictions. He adored animals. There are many an orphaned dear out there tonight. Time for them to go back to eating grass I guess. It is completely true though, he loved animals. Perhaps those here will make it a habit to think of him as they go through life and on occasion stop to fill their bird feeder, or throw some crumbs to a squirrel, or Dunkin Donuts to the deer. Please though, think of him at those moments, he’d like that.
So as you can see, I could ramble on all night. I’m going to wrap it up now though with some final insights he instilled in me over the years. Love and honor your family, even when it’s hard. Think for yourself. Remember, he was a war hero himself , but was subsequently against the later wars he witnessed. And most importantly, learn to laugh more easily and don’t take yourself so seriously. He joked all the time about people and their differences. He got a kick out of the variety of people he’d see around him. But he only joked with those he liked, regardless of race or rank. As he said to me about those he joked about and with, they might be different, but “if you like me, I’ll love you.” So please, display that humor and love here tonight and take it with you. He told me incessantly, “you’ve got to laugh.” Through all his challenges, and his heartache, he ended his life with as many laughs as possible. I believe all of our lives could be enriched by following that example.
And as my grandfather would often say:
Thank you very much!!</b></font><br><br>
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Phil posted a condolence
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Last Sunday my grandpa passed away. Last night was his wake and today was his funeral. I just got back from the Spain Inn and we had a dinner in honor of him. My grandpa was a great guy with unique personality. He was born Cosmo Alden Vitale born in New York. Growing up he lived in Newark and after the 8th grade he went and served in the navy. He fought in WWII, he kept his ship from sinking, and saved a man's life by swimming in shark infested water after being attacked. A few months after that attack happened my grandpa received a letter and realized his mom died. He was devastated for days and just laid in his cot for days wondering what he was going to do from there since he had no family. After his service in the navy he married Doris Van Harken (My grandma) because that's all he had left in his life. He then joined the Elizabeth N.J. masonry union and worked there for most of his life. While living in Newark he had 2 sons Bruce and Brian, then later in life he had 4 grandkids (Marjorie, Kyle, Doug, and myself), then a great grand-daughter(Caitlyn Marie). He died of cancer and emphazema.
My grandpa was truly one of a kind and a real funny character. He was a type of person who'd drive certain people up the wall and leaving others laughing due to his crazyness and wacky sense of humor. Grandpa was funny, generous, skilled, honest, and was never late. He will be missed. May God bless his soul!</b></font><br><br>
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J. Diamond posted a condolence
Thursday, January 25, 2007
"Life is not measured by the number of breathes we take--but by the number of moments that take our breath away" To the Vitale family: Thank you for giving me the honor to know such a wonderful man--A man always so grateful and appreciative of everything in life- an admiration for all the smaller things. Always a smile to light up the room-- "THANK YOU VERY MUCH" for all the beautiful memories, for sharing your autobiographical book with me, including your stories of love, war, hardships and joy and as always -- thank you for your wit, your charm, and your ability to make someone in a room full of strangers feel as though they are the single most important person.
Cosmo-You have touched so many lives and will be missed greatly. My deepest condolences to beautiful Doris, Brian, Diane Bruce, Ann, Kyle, Marji, Doug, Philip, and Caitlyn. May your husband, your father, your grandfather, and your great-grandfather, rest in peace always-
Warmest regards,
Jana Diamond</b></font><br><br>
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Kit & George Bebbington posted a condolence
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Dear Philip, Douglas and Bruce, Snnr snf Peggy,
We are sorry for our loss. Though we didn't know your father and grandfather, he leaves a rich heritage for the family and a distinct family resemblance, Philip.
God Bless, Kit and George
Trinity United Church members.</b></font><br><br>
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Bill, Kathy, Christopher Drake posted a condolence
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Our deepest sympathy is with you at this time. We will be light a candle on Sunday for the loss of your father.
He will be in our prayers.
Always, Bill, Kathy & Chris</b></font><br><br>
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Doug posted a condolence
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Unfortunately, people don't fully realize what their loved ones mean to them until one of them passes away. The hustle-and-bustle of daily life distracts us from the truly important moments and makes us blind to the influence and roles that beloved family members play in our lives.
Most people knew Grandpa as a sincere, friendly, hard-working guy who always had a story to tell or a joke to crack. But beneath that exterior was a man who was fully cognizant of the grim realities of life. The early loss of his mother, his experience in war, and the ever-increasing number of his friends that had died weighed heavily on him. I'd like to think that after 61 years, he has finally seen his mother's face again.
My fondest memories of Grandpa are simply sitting with him in his living room and listening to him as he told the anecdotes he had collected throughout his 81 years. He was extremely proud of his service in the Navy and of his 50+ years as a mason. Thankfully these stories are preserved in his life story, which I printed out a few years ago.
Almost every single time I spoke with Grandpa, he would tell me, "Douglas, if you ever need any help, you let me know, okay, buddy?" He was talking about money, and I know he would have parted with it because he knew it would help me get ahead in life and get established.
The four grandchildren were very fortunate to have had a grandfather like Cosmo. When he came back from World War II, he was a 19-year-old with no family, no real job, and no place to stay. He could have become a bum and drank his worries away into an early grave. Instead, he buckled down and got down to business. He married his wife, acquired a trade and became a skilled tradesman, and then had two sons whom he provided for. By the age of 49 he had a nice little house in Martinsville and was mortgage-free.
Grandpa, your long journey has come to an end. You won't have your breathing difficulties or cancer anymore. May you rest in peace and forever watch us from a distance...you have earned it.
Love,
Grandson Douglas</b></font><br><br>
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Raymond E. Powell posted a condolence
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
We have been buddies forever. I will miss you dearly, especially your jokes,I thank you for allowing my family into your and know that I have and will always accept your family into mine. You are the greatest buddy, I guy can have, Rest in Peace my brother.
Ray</b></font><br><br>
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Veronica Hochreiter posted a condolence
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
May god bless everyone in this family and may they remember Cosmo forever in their hearts and memories.</b></font><br><br>
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Rich Lee posted a condolence
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
I will remember Cosmo as a caring, generous, and friendly man who would go out of his way to help anyone. I especially enjoyed talking to him through the years and will miss him. he will always have a special place in my heart Rich</b></font><br><br>
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