I WAS BORN IN Jersey City on August 21, 1928 in a cold water flat at 219 Pine St. My father Patsy Mastrantonio came from Italy, my mother Lena Bellucci was born here. My father shortened his name to Mastrano and they had two children Joseph and Lucetia. Jersey City then was a close knit beautiful community. I grew up there, went to school there and learned a lot. At 12 years old I joined the Boy Scouts and from there I joined the Boy Scout Marching Band and then we went to better marching bands which had better uniforms, the Fisk post, The Quinn Post and then the Paul Revere Boys Club. They had the most impressive uniforms. We looked like English Royalty Guards and guess what….it reall attracted the girls. We really looked good. The next phase of my life was horses. My friends and I decided to be cowboys, which meant that I needed a horse. My close friend Herby Donnelly already had one. I worked and saved a hundred dollars, but my father said you can’t have a horse and took my money. Then I saved another hundred dollars but this time I did not tell my father. I went to the horse auction and bought my first horse and became a Jersey City Cowboy. While in the horse phase I had two horses. We rode in parades, rodeos, and had a lot of fun. Oh ueah, I had toleave home because my father did not like the smell of horse shit. So I took my saddle and horse Tackle and went to live with my cousin and grew up some more.
Now I am seventeen and out grew the horses. Now its CARS !!!! Got my first car. It did not run which started my automotive career. I rebuilt it from bumper to bumper. I learned the hard way. I worked in small shops laying under cars at 15 years old. I learned it all including the body business. I was the youngest service manager in the state working for Chevrolet, Pontiac, Lincoln/Mercury and also became a factory rep for Ford Motor Co….
I met Sandy Burke and we married. It was 1951. I was 21 years old. It lasted for 23 good years and we had 3 children, Jody, Ginger and Michael. We lived quite well. Nice home with a swimming pool. Sandy had some issues. I tried my best but could not keep the marriage together. P.S. we divorced ! My passion was aviation. I started in 1957. Learned how to fly at Teterboro School of Aeronautics. The Cessna dealer and soloed there and became a good pilot. I became friendly with the owner and soon was flying for him. No pay. Just got free flying and experience. Across the road was the piper dealer Safair Flying Service. They had all new planes. That was for me so I started flying there. I met all my friends there including the FAA friend. It so happened that I was service manager at Brahms Chevrolet at Palisades park and I took good care of all these friends like Ray Dietz, Joe Rinaldi, Sam Miller, Jack Aenus and many more.
I flew every type plane that Cessna, Piper and Beechcraft made. All their chief pilots knew Joe Mastrano and offered me a lot of flying. Mucho Fun ! I flew for 54 years and it ended in 2011. My right eye gave me some issues and my flying was over. The last years of flying was with my partner Richard. He and I were very compatible and flew for many hours and a lot of breakfasts at Ocean City airport.
After my divorce I met Marion Condos and we were married for 35 wonderful years. Marion was very talented on stage and in the kitchen. They were good years. Unfortunately she lost her life to COPD in 2008.
My military service was 13 years in the National Guard, honorably discharged.The National Guard offered me a commission because I had my pilots license but I said no and took my discharge.
Guess what? After Marion passed away in 2008 I was still working and met Alice Mondano at the Quality Inn one night. We talked and danced and for the next four or five times that I went to the Quality Inn. There was Alice. We talked and danced and have have been together ever since. Don’t know if she is Mondano or Mastrano but I think she is more Mastrano than Mondano and that’s a fact !
Joseph is survived by his wife Alice Mastrano, his sister Lucretia Rauh, his three children Jody, Ginger and Michael; his step children Lydia and her family, Eileen, Roseann and Sandra; his grandchildren Nicholas, Michael Jr., Jessica, Danny,Tara, Ally, Nicki Carrieann, Michael, Julian, Gianna, Charlie, Kaitlyn, Brian and other family and many friends.
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