Happy Canada Day, tributes, trips, and discoveries on Monday Morning Diary (July 1)

by Sam Juliano

Posted above are recent photos of my youngest brother Paul with his wife Rita Juliano and daughters at his home with NJ Democratic Governor Phil Murphy and then solo with NJ Democratic Senator Corey Booker.  In two weeks Paul will be elected to the most powerful position in Bergen County, New Jersey’s most populous, the Chairmanship of the Democratic Party. The county is controlled by Democrats in a big way. This of course makes him one of the key figures in the entire state.  Congratulations Paul, this is an accomplishment of titanic proportions and the greatest honor for Fairview, our family and friends!

Duane Porter, dear friend and film scholar extraordinaire has posted a Top 10 (2019) round-up like none other at Wonders in the Dark!  Readers are urged to check it out!

The annual summer school program launched today and I’ve been busy setting the stage for this one-month venture entitled “Literature and creative writing enrichment.”  Because the week has been hectic in a number of ways, Lucille and I actually -and this is quite rare- did not manage to watch a single film in theaters this past.  Ah, strike that, Lucille did take the boys to see the latest installment of the Ariella horror series, but I stayed back.  Otherwise it was a moving Sunday tribute for a longtime friend who passed at age 63 of the always fatal pulmonary fibrosis and two visist to family members, one as a result of the passing of my maternal grandfather’s 95 year-old brother and another the results of dogged research by my daughters who found an unknown cousin in Connecticut through Ancestry.com on Lucille’s side of the family.  We drove up to Connecticut to meet the 30ish year old woman.

Jimm Giannini Tribute held at Fairview’s La Fortuna

A “celebration of life” for lifelong friend, fine actor, and beloved father, husband, and brother Jimm Giannini was staged at Fairview’s La Fortuna Sunday afternoon. Jimm, age 63, who grew up in Fairview has lived in the Hollywood Hills area for 30 years and was once famously seen in a Clariton television commercial and in a short television film among other fabulous gigs. Tragically he suffered with the always fatal pulmonary fibrosis over the last several years. Jimm’s sister, the singer and performer Fran Giannini Leonardis gave a soulful and stirring speech and beautiful song for her dear brother as did brothers Joseph and Patrick and his exceedingly close friend Joe DeSena who proudly announced that Jimm was best man at his own wedding in a tear-inducing testimonial. Lucille and I met up with the Giannini family and lifelong friends Jim MacLeary and Peter Danish among others at the center-of-town banquet hall. The family provided food, drinks, deserts and most of all their hearts for their beloved sibling.

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