Patty Marvos Brexel Knows Oyster Bay
“It’s the walkway by Townsend Square, the old Foodtown building. They re-did it,” said Patty Mavros Brexel of the May 13 mystery picture in the Enterprise Pilot. “I used to be in Oyster Bay and now live in Bayville. “I was a paste up artist at Community Newspapers in Glen Cove.” She remembered the art director, Rick Brunner. She went on to work in advertising.
“I remembered the mystery photo the week before as the St. Dominic convent,” she added. “This week, I had to call.”
Her dad is Jerry Mavros, who will be celebrating his 80th birthday. “Happy Birthday Jerry!”
Dawn Tolmie Cluff called to say, “It’s Townsend Square.” She is Oyster Bay born and bred! “It used to be the old Foodtown,” she too remembered. [Do you remember meeting just everyone in town in the small cramped aisles where you found exactly what you were looking for. We loved their cans of asparagus tips.]
Billy Minicozzi said a board walk leading to glass doors at the old Pig and Whistle opposite Ransom Beach – an interesting guess. Do you remember their hothouse area?
Christopher Benny sent an email saying, “It’s the inside of Townsend Square.”
Woody Ryder (of the Minuteman Press) called to identify the mystery picture. He is a past president of the Oyster Bay Historical Society and a member of Kiwanis. He said this was an Oyster Bay week for him. He attended the Funeral Mass of a co-worker’s mother, Mary Sangermano, 95, who passed away on May 10. “She was the wife of Michael; mother of Vincent (Jeanne); Elizabeth Bishop (David); Michael Jr.; Maria Santangelo (John); mother of Ina Scadin, and her husband David is the guy I’ve known for 40 years. She was also the mother of the late Paul and had seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
“In lieu of flowers donations to Doubleday Babcock Senior Center would be appreciated,” he said. “Everyone over a certain age knows to take care of DBSC,” he said. She was a longtime member there.
Mr. Ryder chatted about newspapers saying he reads 12 online newspapers a day for business purposes. He said he preferred the feeling of a newspaper in his hands but can’t justify the overseas subscription rates. He reads two dailys in England; and papers in South Africa and Austrailia to keep up with what is happening in those countries where they have businesses. “I have to know what is happening to the Prime Minister of Australia. It’s like when you call America online. They make the overseas responders learn who won the Yankees game the night before. It’s something to fill in the time with.”
Mr. Ryder and his 12-year-old daughter have found the delights of La Petite Boulangerie in East Norwich. “We bought two bagettes, six Linzer Tarts and a loaf of bread. The tarts lasted two days. My wife announced ‘I’m eating that last Linzer Tart. No one touch it.’”
As to the mystery picture, Woody said, “I think it is the hallway taken from back parking lot when walking by what was The Homestead, resurrected. Out in back is the Atlantic Steamer Fire House. It is the only place that has interior brickwork.
“By the way, there is still a banner outside announcing the Homestead Restaurant. I guess they put the original sign on e-bay.”
John DeJesu called to ID the photo as inside Townsend Square. “I was a police officer in Mill Neck, born and raised in Oyster Bay. Now I’m at DBSC. I love it. I met 15 people I know who went to high school with me in Oyster Bay. They know me as ‘Jazzy’ because I used to play the drums in the high school.”
Mr. DeJesu said he enjoys riding around Oyster Bay. His son comes here on Sunday to bring him to church. “He publishes three magazines in New York,” he said.
Mr. DeJesu said he attended a funeral for Mary Abbate (Sangermano). “She was a nice girl and her family lived four houses down the road in Oyster Bay.” It is good for Mr. DeJesu to be back from Florida in with his family and old friends at DBSC. His daughter Jane is a crossing guard in Bayville and likes it very much. She too is a graduate of OBHS, he added.
Belle Santora called and said, “I may be wrong, it’s not the first time. It’s the hallway in Townsend Square, looking from the parking lot in the back out to South Street.” When told “yes”, she said, “Oh my goodness I got something right. I’m back on the good list.”
She added, “What about the Nantucket; we go to the beach every day. I’d look at it and think what a shame. It looks in bad condition. At first we didn’t notice it was gone. I miss it believe it or not. I’m sure they will take good care of it.”
Ms. Santora also went to Mary Sangermano’s funeral. She said, “Our parents were all good friends. They got together in my house for parties. The Abbate family is huge and we socialize. What a pleasant death she had, she just slept away.
“Maybe God will listen to me. When I had my cataracts done, I needed my eyes to take care of my things. I said to God, ‘please don’t take my eyes and he took my legs.’ The one time he listened to me,” she said laughing.
It is a long mystery picture this week but it makes up for the small ones we have been having. After all, the purpose is to give you a voice in the Enterprise Pilot.
