Sammy Ray was born in 1916 in Williamsport, and lived there for nearly 100 years. He shared a series of "Memories" from his life, including many interesting tidbits about the area.
Sammy Ray, on the Pilato Mural in Williamsport
The Memories Of Sammy Ray:
" I was born 1-5-1916 East St. · I took lessons from [Guiseppe] Bifferilla. He checked our knuckles and said we played marbles too much. At Brandon Park we had marble contests. It was an 8 foot round circle. If we hit one out, that’s how we won. (that’s how we got to keep our marbles).
We played basketball with a tennis ball.
Our parents didn’t know we went to Sunday school classes for the milk and cookies ·
At age 7 I sold papers on the corner – the big guys would take our corner and make us move to another corner.
At age 8 I cleaned Biff’s shop. At age 14 I gave lessons to some of Biff’s beginner students.
My dad always told us to go out and learn a trade and you’ll never be out of a job. I started to buy real estate and owned almost all the homes on Jefferson St.
Dave Tofani played in Radio City Music Hall, NY. I gave him sax lessons at an early age.
I took our family every night to Slabtown [out 87, near the game farm] swimming. Every Sunday our family went to a different park with family and friends.
I remember Papullo’s open market on the square, when enclosed buggies pulled by horses loaded with meats. I saw a lady putting oranges in her basket. Papullo made her pay for them. I worked for him on Mulberry St.
I worked in 1st Super Market (it was the Acme Market at one time) on 4th & East St. The open market closed. It moved to the new Market House. I worked there in 1923.
I learned a trade working in the silk mills and upholstery shop. When I worked in the silk mill we had the 36 flood. I ran home to help my family move things and make sure my parents were safe.
I got a job on WPA (Workers Project Association) digging ditches in Duboistown.
I was in the 2nd grade when a kid threw a brick in the air to see how high it would go. It came down and hit me in the head and I had to have stitches. I fell off a wagon and the wheel ran over my chest causing my arm to break.
Sammy Ray, 3rd from right.
From Left to right:
Unknown, Scafone, Unknown, Unknown, Unknown, Joseph Mignano Sammy Ray, Pete Sinebaldi, Unknown.
I played in Chicago with the Repasz Band for Exalted ruler Mr.Davis who was over the Elks club. I played in Ny at Grant’s tomb with the Repasz Band.
In 1946, I put on skits to raise money for the Red Cross and our Church. ·
At age 14, I learned to drive a 1922 Touring Buick Sedan on Jefferson St. I bought my first car for 50.00. It was a 1928 Hudson. I had to drain water every night and crank it to start it.
I gave credit in our grocery store and loaned customers a few bucks when needed. I started my grocery business in 1940. I had 800.00 to get it started. I bought a grocery store on Franklin St. After the new expressway came through it took my old grocery store on Jefferson St.
I threw the 1st ball at Little League series in 2007. I remember 45 years ago we walked in mud at Little League.
When I left for the service I came marching down the street with a keg of beer. They had a party behind the store for me.
I worked in the silk mill 13 weeks to learn the trade and ran it for free before I got a loom.
I got a letter 20 years later with 20.00 saying someone stole from me and now he is a Christian and he said we always had smiles for everybody.
I never sold jawbreakers because I was afraid of someone choking, or pea shooters because I was afraid they would get hit in the eye, sniffing glue because kids would buy it to get high.
I had my share of sicknesses-4hr. open heart surgery, ruptured appendix, double hernia, intestinal blockage, tendonitis, broken hip
I remember as a kid when they closed Penn and Franklin Sts. so we could sleigh ride with our sleds.
I remember horses pulling the steam engines from Franklin School. They would drop the harnesses on the horses.
I retired in 1973 at age 57 years of age after 35 years in business. I took up golfing at age 58 years of age. When they started senior league G.Cillo and I took champion 1st and 7th place.
I sponsored the bowling team at the Moose. We won two trophies in 1946.
To keep cool when we were kids we would follow the Ice Man’s truck. ·Our gang always hung out on the corner-nobody had cars. The Policeman walking his beat would always hit the pole with his club to send us home because of curfew.
I had 2 daughters, one in Charlotte(Paula) the other here (Connie). I have 2 granddaughters. I taught Samara flute and Danielle clarinet. I also have 5 grandsons who live in Charlotte and 14 great grandchildren.
In the1946 flood I lost everything in meat case. The water caused the meat case to float causing all the pipes to break loose.
I bought a new grocery store on Franklin St. Now it is known as Ed’s Market.
I liked all my tenants to be 1 month ahead on the rent. It was only 35.00 a month. I sold the rundown home on Jefferson St. I sold the home to Jim Dailey and handed the keys with the agreement he would give me $25.00 a month for ten years.
If I caught anyone stealing in the store, I never got upset. I would talk nice to them to teach them a lesson.
Helen and I went to the Poconos each year. One year, on out 61st anniversary they had a celebration for us at the Lockwood Pines.
I went overseas and landed at LaHarve, France. After a few months I went to England played in London and flew to Scotland and played shows. I was in the Air Force dance and concert bands.
I remember the dirt streets at the age of 6 and I watched they lay bricks on Mulberry St.
I remember the produce dairy which is now the St.Anthony’s Center.
I remember the Macaroni factory on East St.
I would drive my mother in an old whippet over to Bastress every Sunday in May. I remember the car steaming going up the mountain. (We had to sit until it cooled off).
I remember my dad got rid of the outhouse and put it on the back porch. It was a 2 hole Outhouse. We put a toilet on the back porch and pipes were freezing under porch, we used a blow torch to thaw the pipes.
I sold produce at Sciacca’s fruit stand at the Bus Terminal. I was 17 years old.
When I went in the service overseas, my sister Rosie took care of the store to hold my business location.
I had a room on Jefferson St. in the back of our grocery store. We made meals for workers from Robin Door and Sash and other industries on Jefferson St.
In 1948, before hoagies became popular I used a ½ loaf of Italian bread.
When in business I was always there when needed rain, snow, ice or shine and even sick. After I retired, I walked every morning but Sundays 3 miles for 1 hour. On December 30, 2007 I fell and broke my hip and couldn’t do my daily walking after that.
I spent 2 weeks at Sylvan beach with Bennardi Dance Band. We played 2 nights at State College with Joe Flute. We stayed overnight. Every fraternity had bands. I played square dances at Nisbet and Liberty at age 15 and 16.
I played in the Repasz Band rehearsing on the 3rd or 4th floor on 3rd and Pine St. · Our band was the Oldest active band in the area, Sammy Ray and the Soft Sounds. I bought a Martin Sax when I was 18 for 85.00 and I’m still using the same sax.
I remember my first bike. I bought it for $1.00. It had no tires. · When we moved to 2220 Lincoln Dr. in 1950 it was just a path to 3rd St. It was all farm land.
Once I found a pocketknife and showed it to my dad and he said where did you get it. When I said I found it he made me take it back.
We lived in a six room house we heated with a pot belly stove. The only heat upstairs was from a hole in the ceiling. Water would freeze and we had a lot of blankets on the bed. ·We laid around the stove to keep warm, Dad said go to bed, we refused, he said OK you get coal and wood. We said no we’re going to bed. No, get wood first then we came back and he would let us lay around the stove again and then we went to bed.
I also remember, as a young boy, a man riding by yelling rags, rags. We would give him rags
If I ever raised my voice to my mother Dad said heyyy boy. We knew what that meant.
Before going to bed we always kissed and said God Bless up until the time we got married. ·
We all took lessons. Biff gave us lessons to practice. Dad gave us so much time to practice. Our friends would be waiting and we still had to practice our time first. I played a job at Crystal B. Garden when I was 16.The drummer offered me drugs. I always said no.
When I was in the service someone offered me drugs and said it would turn me on. I was satisfied the way I played without it. I played jobs at Park Ballroom before they tore it down. The building was the Hippodrome that later burned down. My wife got her 1st set of dishes there.
When in the service, I watched a guy repairing horns (sax and clarinet) when I came home I did some repairs myself. I learned by watching this man.
My parents made me go to the WRAK Kiddies hour. Half way through I made a mistake. I stopped and the piano player was a couple measures ahead of me.
I had a homemade case and an Eb Clarinet. · Dad always complimented us good or bad. · Dad told us to look at other people straight in the eye. Nobody is better than you and you’re not better than anyone else. They may have more money than you but that doesn’t make them better.
I left for the service with my clarinet. I took the audition twice. Passed the audition to play in the 46 piece Air Force Band.
When I was home on leave my wife, the former Helen Pompeo and I were married April 26, 1943 at Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church. We lived in St.Louis. In September 1944, my wife, Helen, went home to live with her family because she was pregnant with Paula. I remember 3 of us hitchhiked home to report at 7am. I wasn’t sure I was going to see her again. I got back on base at 8am and thought I was going to get hell. Then 3 hours later I got orders for overseas.
Our band played for the Little League dinners every year. Over the years we met a lot of Celebrities, here are a few: Tom Lasorta, Kevin Costner, Tom Selick, Tom Seavers, Bill Shea, Vice President Dan Quail.
I started my band, after playing with Johnny Nicolosi at Knights of Columbus. My first band was Sally Blake, Bill Sauerwein and later we added Ed Kunz. When Stan Luke got ill, replaced him and renamed our band Crescendos. Some of my band mishaps were: We lost all band equipment in 72 flood at Antlers, My mike was stolen at the Oakes Club. Our organ was stolen at the Moose. We left stands in State College, I left my sax on the curb at Lycoming college, When I returned it was still there. Our band always survived. I never needed music I played everything by ear.
I remember in 8th grade at Curtain School, I was always in their talent shows. I sang ‘We Three King’s” and played ‘Spirit of 76” on my clarinet. · I worked for Biff when I was 9 years old. He left for a short time and told me to run the shop. I gave shoes to a customer for $1.85 and they never paid for them. He said he would be back with the money and never returned. Mr.Biff took it out of my pay and I also had to pay my parents back the $1.85 as the result of my mistake. I only made .15 that week.
Over the years people would stop me on the street and said that I played for their wedding. I’ve played for many weddings in 72 years for prominent people.
In the Williamsport Centennial of 1956, I won the contest for the longest and neatest beard.
When my dog was sick, the police came and shot him. That is what they did back then.
We didn’t have a bathtub. I remember carrying a tub upstairs. My brothers and I would take turns in the water.
I played in Jimmy Dice’s Band. Our shoes were always shined and to change the appearance of our jackets we used colored tape to change the buttons.
With Frank Bennardi’s Band I played alto and switched to Tenor. I bought a sax from Mr. Bill Shoulder for $40.00. It was painted Gold.
When I had my grocery store on Jefferson St. I bought a lot of bulk groceries. After retiring from the grocery business, we went to Florida for the winter. I always took my sax and I played in a trio with Mary Mancini. She told me to bring my sax to Florida.
The Repasz Band took the bus up the hill. We always marched with the Little League teams.
When I was young, my family always wet swimming at Mountain Beach.
I started my business in 1940. Regular Cigarettes were $.13 and Name Brand cigarettes were $.25 Candy Bars were $.05 and Green Leafs were 5 for $.01
Our family had the only phone on the block. Other people would call our house to talk to our neighbors who didn’t have phones.
In England, a floor show would travel with our dance band and we’d fly from Scotland to London playing floor shows.
I was going to retire from playing when I was 62 years old, but I stayed with it until I reached 93. Played in Cooperstown with the German Band for the Induction of the ball players into the Hall of Fame. My younger days I played in every bar and club in Williamsport and Lock Haven. · I was Past President of the Repasz Band.
I was Past Vice President of the Senior Golf League at White Deer. Twice I was golf champion with my partner Gene Cillo in the senior league.
We received Congratulations on our 50th and 60 Wedding Anniversary from Madigan, Cappelli and Dempsey when they were in office. On April 26th 2013 we celebrated our 70th Anniversary with family and friends at the Hillside Senior Living. Our Anniversary was April 26th.
See more of the Pilato Mural Here:
In 2011, I was honored with my picture on the mural in downtown Williamsport.
The Repasz Band played a concert tribute to me on my 75th year at the Capital Theater.
I played in many dance bands in the city before I went in the service. Its physical therapy to me. I had my own band since 1964. I always loved music and people. I always had a smile for everyone. I always practiced my sax in the bathroom for better sound. When playing a dance job you never knew what I was going to do. On New Year’s Eve I always wore a diaper to entertain. I was in Pepino’s Follies and directed and performed in several acts. My favorite was “Gunsmoke”, the Italian version. It was at Roosevelt School to raise money for our church. · I was also in another variety show at Roosevelt School called “That’s Entertainment”, to raise money for Divine Providence Hospital.
When I was 10 years old my brothers Joe and Petey and I went canoeing at Heckler’s Park.
We were in the Newberry Band and just got new uniforms. While we were in the canoe it tipped over ruining our new uniforms by getting wet. It was shallow water and we walked to shore. It was cold and people around wrapped us in blankets and gave us a shot of whiskey.
Bands I played with:
Orchestras Sammy Ray & The Soft Sounds (My orchestra)
Danny Vogt Jimmy Dice Earl Gerbrick Louise Todro Andy Welliver Earl Williams John Nicolosi Gerry Kahler Harold Hazen Gene Hoover Joe Monostro Gene Autrey Back up music – for Les Paul and Mary Ford Frank Bennardi Bobby McCreary
Marching Bands & Concert Bands Little German Band Jr. Repasz Band Verdi Band Newberry Band American Legion Band Frank Pilgrim Band in Jersey Shore Sol Wolf Smi Pro Football Band Repasz Band 523rd Air Force Band for 3 ½ years 844 Drum & Bugle Corp Marching Band
Moose Club – 22 years Antlers Club – 41 years Little League – 52 years Sammy Ray and the Soft Sounds – since 1946 Repasz Band – 78 years Bobby McCreary Band – 2 years
I played for the Medical Ball, Fireman’s Ball, and Policemen’s Ball. · Back up music for Les Paul and Mary Ford at the Genetti Hotel · My band played for many school proms in the area and also played for 47 weddings one summer. We played for two weddings in one day.
At 16 years of age I played a few jobs for Vaudeville at the Majestic Theater when I first started. When I was in the Air Force Band I played for Bob Hope, James Cagney, Francis Langford. While I was in the Air Force Band I got to meet Glenn Miller. He was visiting our Unit Band (He was over all the Air Force Bands).
1916-2014
From his obituary:
Sammy Ray, 98, a resident of The Hillside Assisted Living Community, passed away peacefully there on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014, while surrounded by his family.
He was born in Williamsport on Jan. 5, 1916, the son of Pellegrino and Rosalia Trapani Raia.
He was member of St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, a member of the Repaz Band and the Sons of Italy Lodge 2786. He enjoyed golfing, entertaining people, and he especially enjoyed putting smiles on peoples faces.
Sammy was the owner of the former Sammy Ray’s Food Market and a local musician that and his own band, Sammy Ray & The Soft Sounds since 1946. He played with the Repaz Band for 78 years, The Bobby McCreary Band for two years, and played at the Moose Lodge for 22 years, the former Antlers Club for 41 years and at Little League for 52 years. While at the Hillside, a band was created called, Jam with Sam.
He was a World War II Army veteran serving with the 523rd Air Force Band.
Surviving are his wife of 71 years, the former Helen L. Pompeo; daughter, Paula Ray Garver (Morgan), of Charlotte, N.C.; son-in-law, Robert Kibler; granddaughters, Samara McLaughlin and Danielle Kibler, all of Williamsport; five grandsons, Donald, David, Darren, Doug and Daniel Bruner, all of Charlotte, N.C.; and 14 great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Connie Ray Kibler; one sister; and four brothers.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, 1220 Northway Road, Williamsport, with his pastor, the Rev. John J. Victoria, officiating.
The family will receive family and friends at the Crouse Funeral Home, 133 E. Third St., Williamsport, from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday evening.
Burial at Wildwood Cemetery will be at the convenience of the family.
The family would like to thank Susquehanna Hospice and The Hillside for all the care he received.
In lieu of flowers the family respectfully suggests memorial contributions may be made to The Hillside Senior Living Community, 2725 Four Mile Drive, Montoursville, PA 17754. Make checks payable to: Hillside Petty Cash for funding for residents' activities.
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