DOROTHY GANGI AND FRANCES GANCI,
Sixty-Two Years of Friendship.
Dorothy Mucchiari (Gangi) and Frances Lisi (Ganci) lived on the same
street in Brooklyn when they were kids. My mom Dorothy met Frances when she was twelve years old on Bleeker Street - my estimate would
be the year 1944. They are still good friends to this day.
The way the story goes, according to my Godfather Joe Ganci, is that he
was dating Frances Lisi. One day his best friend Phil Gangi asked if Frances had a girlfriend who
might want to go out with him. So
Joe said that she had a good friend named Dorothy. So they double dated. Joe went out with Frances and my
Dad dated my Mom. As the saying goes - "the rest is history."
The photographs cover all
the decades - from the 1940s to 2005. The early
photographs are courtesy of my mother, Dorothy Gangi. The christening photographs are from Aunt
Virginia's collection and the later photographs are mine.
Frances and Dorothy in April 1947. My Mom was 15 years old.
It's Dorothy! This photo was taken in May 1947. It appears to be in the backyard on Bleeker Street.
This photo is undated, but since my Mom is wearing the same outfit as the last photo, it probably was
also shot on May 1947.
This photograph is dated June 1947. In the image you can see the shadow of the person taking the picture. I
wonder who it is?
They look like they walked out of an old black and white movie. It's Frances (left) and
Dorothy on September 21, 1947.
It's Frances on September 21, 1947.
Jumping ahead a couple of years, here's Frances with Joe Ganci on a date with my parents
in 1949 at Bayville, Long Island.
It's Dorothy with Phil Gangi at Bayville, Long Island.
Best friends, Phil Gangi (left) with Joe Ganci at Bayville in 1949.
Jumping ahead a few years again to 1951. From left to right, it's Joe Ganci, Frances holding me,
my Mom, now Dorothy Gangi, and her sister Rosalie on the steps of my first house in North Floral Park, Queeens,
the day of my christening.
Frances dresses the baby (me) while Dorothy looks at the camera.
It's Frances Ganci (left) at my parent's house in North Bellmore, 1969. To the right is my
Grandmother Josephine.
My Dad (left) with Joe Ganci at one of my father's birthday celebrations in the early 1970s.
From left to right, it's my Dad, Frances, Dorothy and Joe Ganci at one of my Dad's birthday celebrations
in the early 1970s. The young boy is my youngest brother Robert.
Frances and Joe Ganci during the holiday season 1979 in their Woodbine Street, Ridgewood apartment.
A summer visit in the 1980s. From left to right, it's Josephine, her parents Frances and Joe Ganci,
Dorothy and Phil Gangi.The young boy in the front is Joe Ganci's grandson Keith.
It's the holiday season 1993. From left to right, it's Frances, Joe, Dorothy and Josephine with her son Erik.
Here I am with my Godmother Frances and Mom during the holiday season 1993.
Jumping ahead to August 2005, it's Frances and Dorothy at Josephine's house in Middle Village.
Notice the similiar blouses and crosses Frances and Dorothy have on. It was not planned.
Frances, Joe and Dorothy in Middle Village, August 2005.
Here they are again on December 29, 2005.
My Mom laughs as Joe Ganci gives her a kiss.
BONUS CLASSIC GANCI AND GANGI PHOTOS.
It's Joe Ganci Jr. (left) with Joe Gangi in the summer of 1969.
It's Mike Ganci during the holiday season 1979.
Here is am with Josephine, who I believe was still a Ganci, in the mid-1980s.
WELL, THAT'S ALL FOLKS! I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR SOME COMMENTS. SO FEEL FREE TO SEND ME
AND E-MAIL. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS PAGE!!!!