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for larger version       Remembers Rockaway Fondly I was born in Far Rockaway, in the then named St. Joseph's hospital. In fact, my brothers and sister were born there, as well. My parents lived in Rockaway Beach, right on the corner of Beach 93 Street and Holland Avenue; with mom's sisters living in the house directly behind us on the corner of Holland and Beach 94 Street (they faced the Municipal Lot). We all shared the same backyard and our great aunt lived two houses away on Beach 93 Street. My mom Gerry, was born and raised in Rockaway Beach, as were her three sisters (Eileen, Margaret, and Patricia Rosebrook). From those ladies and their husbands there are 19 assorted cousins who have dispersed thru Long Island, Texas, California, Florida and New Jersey. Although our moms have all passed, most of us remain in contact to this day. I recently paid a visit to Rockaway (the last time we visited was to obtain a copy of mom and dad's marriage certificate from St. Rose, when my dad passed away in 1987) and stood in front of my old house, where the daughter of the person mom and dad sold the house to all those years ago, still resides. Eileen was as gracious as can be and we told her that we would return for another visit next summer and stop again to say hello. Rockaway looked so beautiful! The sun was shining, the ocean was inviting and so we walked the boardwalk, took a drive down Rockaway Beach Boulevard, drove past St. Rose and St. Camillus, passed the fire station (where my grandfather Edwin Rosebrook) was a member way back in the 1940's and 50's. It made my heart smile to visit and find Rockaway so wonderfully like home. I did forget how narrow the streets were… I remembered frozen custard, Playland, fireworks on the boardwalk, walking to the penny candy store on Rockaway Beach Boulevard and those wonderful summers on the beach. Just wanted everyone in Rockaway Beach to know that my wonderful childhood memories of Rockaway are intact in my heart.
KATIE COLBY
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