[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 11, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     TRIBUTE TO THE LaGRECA FAMILY

                                 ______


                            HON. HERB KLEIN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 1994

  Mr. KLEIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell an amazing story of a 
family reunion in my district.
  On May 14, at American Legion Post #8 in Clifton, NJ, Josephine 
Muller and her brother, Vincent LaGreca, will reunite after 40 years of 
separation.
  Vince has lived in Australia and New Zealand since 1955. During World 
War II, Vince was in the Pacific theatre and later married a woman from 
New Zealand. However, when relocated to Australia, he did not leave on 
friendly terms with his sister.
  Jerry LaGreca, their nephew in Clifton, played a key role in bringing 
the pair back together. He found photos that belonged to his late 
father. He believed that these pictures were the children of his Uncle 
Vince, cousins that he had never met. He than decided to search for 
these family members.
  Meanwhile, Vince and his wife had remained active in the American 
Legion, despite the great distance from the U.S. His wife, Sheilagh 
LaGreca, turned to this organization when they also began a search to 
find Josephine.
  Jerry tells the story best. He indicates that Vince and Sheilagh 
``wrote a letter to Legion headquarters setting out the problem, noting 
that Josephine might still be living in Garfield, where she and Vince 
grew up, or perhaps a nearby city.''
  Fortunately, Anna Rose LoPinto at the Clifton Post searched the phone 
book for the name ``LaGreca'' and soon found Jerry.
  It is with great pleasure that I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring this family on this remarkable occasion.

                          ____________________