Cherished memories of some real cool early Levittown dudes

Ann and her brother Jimmy in 1947. He was five-years old and she was two.

By Ann Crescenzo Fazzino, class of 1961

Pete Cybriwski from the class of 1960 was the first boy who ever kissed me. That was a long, long time ago, more than 57 years ago in front of Northside School. I remember going to my first Division Avenue dance and Pete asking me to do a Lindy with him. I thought that I would die. When Pete danced everyone stood around him. Tommy Paturzo (class of 1960) was a good friend of my brother Jimmy's and I remember them doubling at a prom. I recall Jim took MaryAnn McNally (1960) to her junior prom at Division and to his senior prom at Memorial.

Later on Tommy and his sister, Marilyn moved to Florida. Marilyn Paturzo came up during her school break and stayed with me for about a week. I remember very well how popular Pete and Tommy were. And Jimmy definitely held his own. Although Jim went to Levittown Memorial (class of 1959) every girl at Division had a crush on him at one time or another. I know because at least a dozen girls begged me to set them up with him. (LOL) Those were definitely the days.

After school I would take girls home for dinner with me and Jim always brought guys home. My mother would have American Bandstand on our TV and she knew everything that was going on with the regulars from the show like Bob and Justine, and Kenny and Arlene, and Rosalie. Jim and I would practice their new dance steps until we were in sync. Because of that no matter where we went he'd search me down to be his dance partner.

A couple of years later when we went to night clubs on Long Island, girls would get upset with me because my sweet brother would watch over me like a hawk. No guy was ever good enough for his little sister. So, Jim wanted to dance every dance with only me. I finally explained to Jim that we were cramping each others style. Eventually, he and his classmate Ken Chauney went to different night clubs. That's how Jim met his wife Michaele. I was blessed to have had the coolest brother in the entire world.

Editor's note: Jim Crescenzo passed away on January 24, 1988