Lina Colangelo:
CLASS OF 1957
Passaic Valley Regional High SchoolClass of 1957
Little falls, NJ
St. Thomas UniversityClass of 1984
Miami, FL
Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityClass of 1965
Rutherford, NJ
Paterson General Hospital - NursingClass of 1960
Paterson, NJ
Lina's Story
Life
After high school, I went to school and became a registered nurse.
In 1964, I married Frank Mack and settled in West Paterson. Lori was born in 1965 and David in 1966.
When they were older and in high school, it was strange to find them having the same teachers(2) that I had had so many years before.
In 1980, I separated from my husband and moved to Florida the following year.
1982 saw a wonderful man come into my life who would become my life partner. Tony and I were together for 18 years before we finally were married in Nov 2000.
My daughter Lori married her high school sweetheart from NJ and lives in South Fl. She has two daughters--Megan who was born in 1990 and Leanne who was born in 1996.
My son David also went back to NJ to find his wife when they were both on the West Paterson First Aid Squad. They now live in South Fl also. His daughter Sara was born in 1994 and Daniel arrived in 1996.
I am retired now and live in The Villages, Fl. It is a huge retirement community of about 44,000 at present and still growing. When done it will top out at about 100,000. There is any type of activity anyone could want.
The neighbors are all so friendly that it reminds you of the neighborhoods we grew up in so many years ago. People come from all over the country, so you get to know alittle bit about most every where.
The only down side is that my husband has been battling a neuromuscular disease in his arms since 2002 and has very little use of either arm. In addition to that he has had neck surgery in 8/03, lung cancer treatment from 12/03 to 4/04, and colon surgery for cancer in 6/04. Both cancers are considered cured at this point but will require follow ups. Now if we could only find an answer for his arms. This has been very hard on a man who went to the gym 5 days/wk for over 20 years.
I have been able to get involved in many activites that I never had time for before in addition to going to the gym 4 times a week. My current project is trying to put 40 years of pictures into albums--and it's alot of pictures as I am a camera freak.
Hope to continue enjoying retirement for many years to come!!!
In Jan 2005, it was found that Tony's cancer had spread to his liver and he again underwent chemotherapy with some success. He had lost all use of his arms from the neuro disease which they now think was ALS.
Tony developed pneumonia in June 2005 and was overcoming it in sp...Expand for more
ite of his weakened chest muscles when he got pneumonia again. He had said that he did not want to go back on the vent again and on July 2, 2005 my beloved Tony lost his battle.
Life will go on, but it will never be the same. He was one of a kind and I was so fortunate to have him in my life as he taught me alot about life and living it no matter what blows it sends our way. His strength and courage will sustain me as I face the future without him
In 2010 I renewed an old friendship-someone I knew since age 7- and discovered I could find love again and it is wonderful. The road ahead may be bumpy and have detours, but with God's guidance we hope we will be able to make it all work for us.. Have faith. Believe and trust in God's will.
College
After high school, I went to Paterson General Hospital and graduated as a nurse in 1960. In 1961, I had the opportunity to go back to college as a night student and have it paid for by the hospital I was working for at the time. I graduated in 1965 with a BS in Nursing Administration, Supervision, and Teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University. However, I had just had my first child five weeks before graduation and only worked part-time for the next 11 years, so my degree did not get much use.
In 1983, the hospital I was working at entered into an agreement with St. Thomas University in Miami to sponsor a Masters program at night for employees and they would pay for it. Needless to say, I took the opportunity and graduated in 1984 with a Masters in Health Administration.
Workplace
Upon graduating as a nurse, I went to work at Mountainside Hospital. I never dreamed that I would stay there for 21 yrs and only leave to move to Fl.
On moving to Fl, I went to work at North Broward Medical Center near Ft Lauderdale. Nine years later, they offered me early retirement and I jumped at it. I was getting burned out and was in college working on an accounting degree.
However, an inpatient hospice unit was opening and I decided to try that. I loved it so much that I gave up on the accounting and stayed there for 9 years. I earned my certification as a hospice nurse.
Finally I accepted a position as a shift manager and relief supervisor at Pinecrest Rehabilitation Hospital in Delray Beach, Fl. I also earned my certification as a rehabilitation nurse.
Three years later-in Dec. 2002--I took retirement due to problems with my husband's health.
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