Alicia, whom your mother named "Nina", went to grade school in the Colegio Sucre and continued on there to take a Commercial course given by Prof. Rincón Galvis. She later worked in her father's saw mill for a time.
While she was studying in the Colegio Sucre an older woman, Sra. Chinca, would accompany her to school each day in a taxi - a "por puesto". On the corner of the Callejon Sta. Elena, near the Maristas school where he studied, your future great grandfather, Rafael Morillo, would wait to see her pass by. One day when the taxi stopped to let out another passenger a friend of Rafael's stuck his head into the cab and asked Sra. Chinca, " Sra., when are you going to leave this girl alone?"
Eventually Alicia and Rafael met. Rafael Angel Morillo Atencio had been born on April 10, in the same year of 1923, in La Cañada, son of Don Manuel and Manuelita Morillo. He was one of six boys. His eldest brother Manuel died in an airplane crash, after surviving an earthquake in Caracas. Francisco became a pediatrician and lived in Maracaibo. Marcos, the 3rd brother, died at age 15 from rabies, and your great grandfather never really felt comfortable around dogs after that. Rafael was the 4th son, then came Roberto, who became an engineer, and Arturo, also a engineer, who was involved in the construction of the Hotel Avila on a mountain top above the city of Caracas.
Alicia and Rafael were married in 1946. Rafael was still working on his thesis for a law degree. He had begun his studies in Mérida, but graduated from LUZ, in Maracaibo. He worked for the Shell oil company, then Maraven. They lived in Maracaibo, building a house named Elaiza, for Alicia's mother, on the site of an older two story house belonging to Papa Ernesto.
There Rafael Enrique, your grandfather, was born on January 22, 1949; and your Aunt China, Alicia Beatriz, was born on February 24, 1954.
Your great grandfather Rafael always enjoyed betting on the horse races, and I remember him studying the racing forms and sometimes asking me to pick a wild card - which I always chose according to which name I liked best. Your great grandmother enjoyed sewing and at one point took a dressmaking course. They both liked to travel. They took your grandfather to Europe when he was a child, and he made his first communion in Saint Patrick's Cathedral in NYC. 
They all came up to NJ for your grandfather's and my wedding in 1972 and visited us quite a few times while we lived in Delaware, especially after your mother was born.
They all came up to NJ for your grandfather's and my wedding in 1972 and visited us quite a few times while we lived in Delaware, especially after your mother was born.I will always remember the wonderful parties in the quinta Elaiza when I arrived in Venezuela. The whole family seemed to gather at their home for Christmas and New Year's Eve and for birthdays.
Your great grandfather, "Paparito", died on July 13, 1993. He is constantly remembered by all in the family. Hardly a conversation goes by without a mention of Paparito. He would have loved to have had the chance to spoil you.
Nina still enjoys travelling and has been from Patagonia to Russia and around the Mediterranean and the Carribean Seas. I took a trip to Spain with her a few years ago - and kept a journal which you will be able to read some day. She also enjoys eating out, one of her favorite parts of cruises and vacations is dressing up and eating food which she didn't cook. Oh, and she doesn't much like to have her picture taken.
Nina came up and stayed with your mother and me to await your arrival and was at the hospital when you were born. She got to meet you when you were just a few minutes old. Her first great grandchild.
No comments:
Post a Comment