Monday, May 6, 2024
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While a high school and college student in Northern NJ, I so enjoyed working as a part-time employee with Mitch, as he had an encouraging disposition. Mitch had a great sense of humor as a colleague of mine at the Grand Union Company (Store #3100 in Elmwood Park, NJ) from 1973-1978. Initially, he and I worked at the "front end" of the store: he was a cashier and I worked as a bagger/carry out servant for customers As we gained more experience in the store, he and I were entrusted and assigned to work in other departments (i.e., grocery, dairy, frozen foods, produce). Eventually, both of us gravitated to working as part of the "night crew shift" by stocking shelves. For fun outside our grocery store employment, Mitch and I were members on our store's Bruins Softball team in the Elmwood Park Men's Softball league. In late 1978, I relocated to the Washington, DC, area to attend graduate school at the George Washington University and, for a short time, I lost contact with Mitch.
In July 1979, however, I returned to NJ for several weeks because I was hosptialized n the Barnert Memorial Hospital (Paterson, NJ). While a patient there, I vividly remember thet I received a pleasant visit from Mitch and another friend/Grand Union colleague, Jack. It was wonderful catching up and discussing memories of our time working and socializing together. Sadly, after my medical release, I returned to Washington, DC, and lost contact with Mitch and Jack.
As an added note, during the time I worked with Mitch, his mom worked for the Grand Union Company in their headquaters office. Her office was positioned directly above the grocery store. When I mentioned that to my parents (Joe and Nancy Gearo), my dad explained how he had worked with Mrs. Furtak many years prior for another company. He spoke very highly of her character and work ethic.
