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07/01/2015 08:00 AMFor the past three years, 79-year-old Angelo DeMatteo and his beloved wife, Josephine, have been dedicated volunteers at the East Haven Food Pantry and both say they love the work.
Unlike most food bank volunteers, Angelo and Josephine both volunteer twice a week instead of the usual one day a week. They both rarely, if ever, miss a shift, and Angelo even picks up bread at ShopRite whenever needed.
Angelo continues to volunteer despite Josephine’s recent diagnosis of stage four cancer, and his dedication to stick by her side through all of her cancer treatments at the Smilow Cancer Center.
In fact, Angelo’s daughter, Carol Lukaszek, speaks proudly of her father’s devotion, saying, “I’ve never seen anyone step up and take care of anyone like he does for my mom. The care, he goes to every doctor’s appointment and every chemo...treatment appointment.”
Originally from Fair Haven, Angelo recalls building his existing house for his family in East Haven, moving in “just before Christmas” on Dec. 18, 1989.
Angelo’s family is very close-knit. Their two kids, Carol and Tommy, not only grew up in East Haven, but their families also live within a mile of the family home. Grandkids are frequent visitors.
For a devoted father and grandfather who’s attended almost every important event in their lives his care doesn’t go unnoticed and even comes back to him in spades.
Angelo speaks of his kids’ and grandkids’ visits and calls, as well as his 24-year-old granddaughter Sara, who comes by for dinner and conversation with her grandparents two to three times a week—every week.
Family, giving back, and his work have been important to Angelo over the years.
In 1956, soon after high school graduation, Angelo started working at Lehman Brothers Engraving in New Haven as a pressman for a year and a half before enlisting in the Army for two years working as a squad leader.
Angelo spent six months in Colorado, up and down the Rocky Mountains, before becoming engaged to Josephine, and then going off to Germany for 18 months.
Of his experience overseas, Angelo says, “I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat even though it was right after the second World War ended, and the houses were all bombed out, fields blown up.”
After he returned home from Germany, Angelo and Josephine were married and started their family while Angelo went back to his fulfilling work at Lehman Brothers.
Now father to two, and grandpa to five, Angelo says they found out only recently about Josephine’s stage-four cancer after she fell ill on the eve of their grandson Brett’s wedding.
Fighting back with cancer treatments, Angelo and Josephine stay optimistic and continue to enjoy their lives with their families, and their very important volunteer work at the food pantry.
“It’s like one big happy family at the pantry; you couldn’t get a more dedicated, sincere group of people anywhere,” shares Angelo.
Angelo says the work reminds him of his good old days at Lehman Brothers, where he eventually became production foreman and directed the workforce, working for more than 43 years in a job he loved before retiring in 1998.
Now, says Angelo, “I do similar work while making sure the stockroom is stocked,” with the help of other food pantry volunteers while “Josephine gives out dessert.”
A couple of important weekly traditions for Angelo are always wearing his Yankees cap to work and always being the first to make the coffee.
“My first job is putting the pot on, making the coffee and then sitting down with the volunteers to drink some coffee.”
Another item of importance for Angelo?
Getting the word out about the need for food donations to the East Haven Food Pantry all year round. “Pasta, peanut butter and jelly, cereal and more, are always needed,” shares Angelo.
To nominate an East Haven Person of the Week, please contact Jaki Lauper at j.lauper@shorepublishing.com.