Norman Leroy Forte ²¹

  General Notes:

[MyFamily.com, Inc. WFT Vol. 150, Ed. 1, Tree #0018, Date of Import: Dec29, 2004]

Linda Coate website

Norman Leroy Forte married Theresia Rosa Link when she was 18 years oldin Philadelphia. This is about the age he was when running in track forcompetition. There are several medals dated 1908 that I have rubbings of.He won the 100 yard dash at OGSC, 3rd place in the 75 yard dash inanother and the Middle States Championship at the University ofPennsylvania on another. (F-431)

Norman and Theresia Forte's children have shared the followingrecollections of their parents. Their father was a good provider, butwasn't around for active involvement with his older sons. Photography wasone of his interests. He was always taking 16mm motion pictures of hisfamily. About 10 of these films and his old projector are in thepossessionof Doris Forte Dudick. He also did some of his own dark roomwork anda few of these pictures still exist. He made jewelry and workedwith precious stones. He loved to dance. Any normal day, he'd be dressedin asuit and tie. (F-625)

Norman was from a family of very strong willed, unique individuals whonever really got along when they gathered. At crisis points in hisfamilies' life, ex: upon parents death, Norman, seemed to be the only soncapable of making the decisions and handling the affairs.

Theresia, is remembered by all of her children, with respect. They feelshe was a "real lady." They can't remember her raising her voice orhitting, yet she always maintained discipline. She seemed to beunderstanding with her children. Hank and Link remember her letting themborrowthe car when he needed it. She loved to read, play cards, go tothe movies, listen to the radio, be with friends, and dance. She had allof her children take piano lessons. Link, Betty and Hank took the mostlessons because of their interest in it. She would dance with herchildren.Her all time favorite music was "The Nutcracker Suite." She wasa fantastic seamstress and a good cook. Physically, she was always verythin and smoked cigarettes. She didn't weigh over 100 lbs. She was in afashion show in her younger days at the Keswick Theater at Keswick Ave.,Glenside, PA. Norman, her husband, used to recall this with pride. Shewas a member of the American Red Cross during World War II.

The life she and Norman established for their children was very regular.Monday was wash day. Saturday night dinner always included thick steakswith mashed potatoes. Saturday night was also the bath night for thechildren. Some of her sons don't remember this very fondly. Sunday dinnerincluded pork chops. Sunday afternoons, at least when Doris was ateenager, was a "Go to the Movies" afternoon. She died at age 61 from abrain tumor. All in all, her children described her in glowing terms.

The following information about Norman and Theresia's residences and jobsis from a combined interview of Bud, Doris, Link, Hank and Bill attheSept., 1988 Forte Reunion at Indian Lake and from a much earlierinterview of Norman Sr. himself. During World War I, "Papa," as hisgrandchildren called him, couldn't get drafted because he had too manychildren and an important job. He considered himself a self-made CivilEngineer who learned the ropes from his father, not from any college.Employment records would probably list him as a Tar Salesman.

While the War was taking place, Papa was invited to Hog Island Navy Yard,S.W.. Philadelphia by President Wilson to the christening of KwisKonk--the first concrete ship or liberty ship. He then started supplyingthat shipyard.

Due to the nature of his job, and his own personal interest in enjoyingchanges in housing, he and his family moved a great deal. All of hischildrenwere born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at one of the followingresidences: (in 1915) Detroit St.; (1916) 3808 Delhi St.; (1917-18) 915W. Butler St.; (1918) 4521 Morris St., Germantown; (1919-20) 138 KeswickAve., Glenside; (This is verified in the 1920 Census for Chiltenham,Montgomery Co., PA. Norman is listed as a Sales Engineer inmerchandising. They had 3 children at the time, Henry, Norman and Marie.Theresia lists her birthplace as PA. and her parent's as Germany. F-261)(1920) 5713 N. Marshall; (1921) 414 Roberts Rd.; (1922-24) 935 KenmoreRd. in Overbrook; and (Aug. 1925-June 1931) 17 Teague Ave in Glenside.Kenmore Road is where Henry contracted diphtheria. Whenever a familymembercaught a disease such as measles, whooping cough, etc., the wholefamily would be quarantined to the house for around 3 weeks. This was atypical health practice at the time.

Norman and family can be found living in Abington Township, MontgomeryCo., Pennsylvania in the 1930 census. Norman was age 38 and his wife was32. He owned his own home with a value of $8700.00 at the time. He andhis parents were born in Pennsylvania. His wife was born in Pennsylvaniaalso, but her father's birthplace was Baden, Germany and her mother wasborn in Hessendomstadt, Germany. Norman is listed as a commercialtraveler in the building and brick industry. Henry, Norman, Marie,William, Julius and Doris were members of their household. It also statesthat Norman was 23 and Theresia was 18 when they married. (F-665)

After the start of the Depression, in 1931, Norman got a job with BarrettCompany and they moved to 825 Walnut St. Norman was a good provider andhis family of six children did not feel the effects of the Depression.This also meant that he was often at work and gone during the week. Hespent Sunday afternoons working on his expense account. His sonsrememberhim calling down, "What does the speedometer read?" This was informationthat they retrieved for his reports. He and his wife were from sternEnglish and German backgrounds, respectively, and their word was law.None of the children remember arguing with their authority till they weregrown. Bud went to Cathedral Grade School for 8th grade and CathedralPrep School in 9th & 10th. Henry, who was called Harry, was nicknamedHank by his peers here, because there was already a Harry in the group.

Nineteen Thirty Two found them living at 655 W. 8th St. in Erie.

In 1934, they moved to Rose Point in Roxbury, Johnstown, PA. Here, Budattended Cochran Junior High School for the end of his 10th grade yearand the senior high for 11th and 12th grades. He was a member of the gleeclub. His appreciation of music is quite evident in 1988 also. Hegraduated in 1936 and first went to work for Barrett Company as ashipping clerk. (This was the same company that his father worked for.)Henryworked at National Radiators in the Billing and later theTabulating Dept. He remembers working with IBM equipment in 1936/7 thatwas the for-runner of today's computers. Doris started first grade whileat Rose Point in 1935. There address at this point was on Agnes St., andthen Second Ave in 1936.

World War II started. Bud left in 1939 to join the Army Air Corp. Normanstill worked for Barrett, a division of Allied Chemical and Dye Corp. inthe Tarvia Division. They were the largest corporation next to GeneralMotors in the whole world at that time. (F-17)

Further moves took them to 1319 Menoher Highway in 1939 and 1028MillCreek Rd. in 1940, both in Johnstown, PA.

When the U.S. was drawn into World War II in 1941, all of Norman andTheresia's children except Doris who was underage, joined the services.Linc, Bill and Bud were all Radiomen. Linc and Bill were in the Navy,Linc being stationed in New Calidonia, Australia. Bud was in the U.S.Army Air Corp. He was first stationed in Langley Field, VA., then inJava, East Indies (now Indonesia) and when Java was attacked by theJapanese for it's oil wells, he was stationed in Melborne, Australia. Hemet his future wife the first day he arrived in Melborne at a pub. Afterthe war, he went back to Australia and married her. There is a wholeForte branch now living there because he made his life's home with hisnewwife there. His brother, Henry, was in the Quartermaster Corp inNorthAfrica. His sister, Betty, was a W.A.C. Amazingly, this wholefamily survived the war without injury. (F-236)

On the home front in April, 1942, Norman, Theresia and Doris moved toSawyer Rd., in Bradford, PA where they owned a house for the first timesince Philadelphia. Norman was known for his love of new cars. He hadabrand new car about every 2 years. It was in Bradford, where he owned aLaSALLE. His kids remember many of his cars as being very special,ex.: AChrysler New Yorker, (Sedan) metallic blue with a blue interior. Also,itwas here that Doris Forte met her future husband, John Dudick. After shemarried, Norman and Theresia sold the farm and moved to State St. in 1948and then Vista Circle in July of 1949, still in Bradford, PA, then on to2285 Kensington Ave., Kenmore, Buffalo, N.Y. in 1950.It was at thispoint that Allied Chemical, Norman's employer wanted tomove him toSyracuse, New York after shutting down the Tarvius division. He wasunhappy going to a totally new city and therefore switched employment toAllied Bituminous. (pronounced Bitchimuns)

Soon after, Bituminous moved him to Erie, PA. Bituminous was bought outby Ashland Chemical. Erie is where Norman and Theresia spent their
remaining years. (F-228)

A couple years after Theresia died of a brain tumor, Norman remarriedAgnes Casey. They lived at 728 Michigan Ave. in Erie, PA. She was yearsyounger than him and outlived even his extensive age at his death. Herson inherited all of Norman's furniture and momentos, items which weremissed by his natural children. His grandfather, Edward Forte's originaldiary was amoungst his effects that likely went to Agnes' son by herfirst marriage. Norman's mass was held at St. Jude the Apostle Churchat11:00 A.M. He and his first wife are interred in Calvary Cemetery,Section 27, Lot 381.

Norman married Theresia Rosa Link on 5 Jul 1915 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA.²¹ (Theresia Rosa Link was born on 22 Feb 1897 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA,²¹ died on 15 Aug 1958 in Erie, Erie County, PA ²¹ and was buried in Calvary Cemetery, Erie, Erie County, PA ²¹.)

Norman next married Agnes Clementine Casey on 13 Aug 1960.²¹ (Agnes Clementine Casey was born on 25 Feb 1904 ²¹ and died on 11 Jul 1986 ²¹.)