Individual Details

Name from Paul Morfogen Biography dated April 1993, given to Carol Petranek by Nick Pappas.

Email from Don Marinos to Carol Petranek, April 19, 2011. Don had found our website and submitted some information about his children's spouses. I sent him an email and received this in response:

The first attachment is a family picture taken at my youngest son Adam’s wedding in August of last year. From left to right are me, my wife Cheryl, the bride Christine Tardo Marinos, the groom Adam, my son Shawn’s wife Stacy Campoli Marinos and Shawn.
The second attachment is a cousin’s picture, also taken at Adam’s wedding, showing my siblings children. Front row from left to right; Alexis (Jimmy and Lisa Marinos), Pauline and Constance (Andrea and Tom Protentis). Back row from left to right; Megan (Paul and Lynn Marinos), Shawn and Adam (Don and Cheryl Marinos), Anthony (Paul and Lynn Marinos) and Andrew (Jimmy and Lisa Marinos). We all live in New Jersey, just a few miles away from each other. My brother Jimmy and I live on the same block in Hazlet. My sister Andrea lives a couple of miles away in Holmdel and my brother Paul lives in Old Bridge.

Browsing through the Morfogen family tree was a delight. As a child, I was introduced to many of the family members by my parents, but it was very confusing to remember who was related to whom. The best way I could describe it would be to liken it to that Abbott and Costello baseball routine (Who’s on first, What’s on second, I don’t know, he’s on third base). The family tree has clarified much of my confusion.
I grew up in a two family house on East 5th street in Gravesend, Brooklyn. My parents (Anthony Marinos and Pauline Moundas) and us kids lived upstairs. Yaiyai Christina Morfogenis Marinos lived downstairs with Aunt Mary Marinos, her husband Petro Neckles and their children Peter and Spero.

My Father Anthony and his brother Andrew Marinos owned Tappan’s Restaurant in Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn. Their partners were Teddy Contos and John Larikos. Many family members and friends were employed at the restaurant. If someone he knew needed a job, one would be found for them. Whether it was at his restaurant or another restaurant that he knew needed help. Some people thought that he was soft headed because he would hire people that didn’t quite fit the job description. For instance, he had a parking lot attendant that couldn’t drive and a night watchman/porter that was legally blind. But that didn’t matter to him. They were friends that needed a job and he gave them one. My father wasn’t soft headed; he was soft hearted and would try to help anyone in need.
At Christmas time he and his partners would sponsor a party for the Brooklyn Police Athletic League. The attendees were children and families that were in need. Some of the entertainment was music; magic acts and plays performed by local theater groups. Every child left the party with a full belly and a Christmas present.
My employment at the restaurant started the day I asked for an allowance. I was twelve years old at the time. He coyly asked what an allowance was. I responded by telling him that every week he could give me $2.00 for taking out the garbage and sweeping the stoop. His reply was that those chores were my family responsibility with no compensation. But, if I wanted a job I should come to the restaurant after church (Three Hierarchs) and he’d put me to work. After church I hopped on the bus at Kings Highway and Ocean Avenue and road to the corner of Ocean and Voorhees Avenue where the restaurant was. He ushered me into the kitchen and pointed to a mountain of water glasses stacked in racks. My job was to arrange the glasses on trays and fill them with ice and water so the waiters could bring them out to the dining room. At the end of my four-hour shift he came into the kitchen and handed me $5.00 telling me I did a good job. Well, I thought I was rich. I was asking for $2.00 allowance and here I am with $5.00. Needless to say, I was eager to work again and I did, all through High School. And as I grew more proficient I was elevated to busboy then banquet waiter. There came a time when kitchen help was needed so I learned everything from washing dishes to cooking. It got to the point where I didn’t know what job I was going to do on any given day until I got to work. On days off I dreaded the occasional call that I would get from my father telling me to come in to work a half-day because a half-day to a Greek was 12 hours. My father instilled a work ethic in me that I have to this day. As my father would say, “You get nothing for nothing in life, you have to earn it”.

My mother, Pauline Moundas Marinos grew up in the Bronx. She first lived on Third Avenue and later on at Loring Place. Her parents were Harry and Mary Neckles (Nikas) Moundas. As a young girl she would spend summers at Neckles Beach which was owned by members of her mother’s family. It was there that she learned to swim and dive. She was an avid swimmer and later in life she would take us to the beach frequently during the summer. After graduating Catherine Gibbs she became a bookkeeper for Florsheim Shoe Company.
At this point it may get a little confusing for you but I’ll explain as best I can. Her uncle Petro Neckles married my father’s sister Mary Marinos. I believe that is how my mother met my father. So after my mother and father were married, her uncle was also her brother-in-law. Got it…
She left her job at Florsheim when I was born and stayed at home to raise us kids, and would occasionally work as a cashier at my father’s restaurant. When we were all old enough to fend for ourselves she returned to Florsheim to be the head bookkeeper. When my father’s business closed she was able to get me a job with Florsheim so I could work my way through college. I stayed with Florsheim after graduating, working my way up from stockman to Northeast Area Supervisor. I’ve just celebrated my 40th anniversary with Florsheim. Both of my brothers also worked for Florsheim.
Well anyway, my mother was also a knitter. I always remember her knitting or crocheting some thing or other. Her first knitting endeavor was a Christmas stocking for me and as more children came along each one of them got a stocking, as well as the grandchildren that were born until she passed away. Even my wife Cheryl, who is of Jewish heritage, received a Hanukah stocking with the Star of David topping the Christmas tree. Sweaters, scarves and hats, you name it she knitted it.
She was also very adventurous. Many times she would gather us up and set off on a journey for the day. The beach, Prospect Park Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree, The New York Worlds Fair in 1964 to name a few. The amazing thing was that she not only took her kids but nieces and nephews as well and on public transportation to boot. Mom never learned to how to drive, she didn’t even know how to ride a bike.
Sadly she was only 58 years old when she passed away.

You asked in your email if I know Ann Morfogen and her sister Karen. Well I certainly do. As children we would be together at family gatherings. Her parents Uncle George and Aunt Georgia (Adult cousins were always called Aunt and Uncle out of respect) were wonderful people. I realized when looking at their branch of the tree that Aunt Georgia and I share the same birthday, January 22nd.
When you speak with Ann ask her if she remembers the picnic in Boonton, NJ. I believe it was Zachary and Marilyn Morfogan’s home at the time. It was a hilariously funny event. The Brooklyn Greeks chartered a bus and went to “God’s country” (Boonton NJ.) where we enjoyed a wonderful day of swimming and games and enough food to feed two third world countries. There was a tug-of-war competition that almost sent people to the hospital. Picture a bunch of Greeks in all shapes and sizes tugging on a rope trying to pull the opposing team across the line. Well the strain on the rope was too much and it snapped sending Greeks reeling backwards in opposite directions across the yard into a heap. The women were cackling with laughter.
She also may remember the “Cousins Club” which our parents belonged to. It was primarily a way for the adult cousins to get together to catch up with happenings in the respective families. Each family would take turns hosting the meetings. They would occasionally go to Broadway shows. They also had a spectacular costume party.

In your email you mention Georgia Kostakos Doukas. I knew a Peter Doukas, who lived around the corner from me on East 4th street in Brooklyn. Is there a connection there?

Well I’ve gone on too long. Surfing the family tree brought back a flood of fond memories. They say you can’t live in the past, but it’s certainly nice to visit once in a while.
Will the correction of my wife’s maiden name and updates to my sons’ profiles be made soon?
Also, feel free to add my remembrances to the tree if you wish.
I will be forwarding this email to my family members and encourage them to update/add to our branch of the tree.
What a tree it is… Deep roots and strong branches… It’s a beautiful tree!!!!

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Happy Easter.
Spyridon (Don) Marinos
spyrogyro77@verizon.net

Birth	22 Jan 1952	Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States
Marriage	1974	Living
Death	1 Oct 2014	Bayshore Hospital, Holmdel, Holmdel, Monmouth, New Jersey, United States
Obituary	2 Oct 2014 - 4 Oct 2014	Asbury Park Press
Alt name		Donny
FamilySearch ID		L84S-5LJ

Spouse	Living
Child	Living
Child	Living

Father	Anthony Spyros Marinos (1925 - 2001)
Mother	Pauline Moundas (1925 - 1984)
Sibling	Living
Sibling	Living
Sibling	Andrea Marinos (10 - )

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