“She’s older than the Michael”
“J. Perkins Elementary School, and on January 10, 2017, will be celebrating her ninety-sec- ond birthday, with family and friends, at her home in the Old Colony Development. Her name is Frances Isabella Noto.”
“Frances is the daughter of the late Gaspere “Frank” Len- tini and Marie DeAmicis, who immigrated to America from Italy and found a home at Kemble Place in South Boston. Frances was the second young- est, named after her late sister and first born, who died at an early age. Frances’ three older brothers are deceased and died in their early sixties. Her sister Angie died at the age of 80, her sister Josephine passed away at the age of 91, Anne died at the age of 97,”
“while her sister Mary is 94.”
“Frances fondly recalled growing up in South Boston. She loved it.”
““We didn’t have much,” she said. “But we had each other and a lot of friends. We knew”
“people of all different back-”
“grounds. Armenians, Turks, Irish, Lithuanian, Polish, and of course…Italians. We all got along, sat on our door- steps, played on the street, and looked out after each other.”
““There was always something going on in Southie, always something to do,” she added. “On Sundays after Mass we’d roller skate over the bridge to Castle Island because there wasn’t a roadway back then. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we would listen to Irish music at Castle Island. Then every Friday they had different shows-free events sponsored by the city-at Columbus Park (now Moakley Park) like talent shows, music, and boxing events. One time I won the hula hoop contest and was so happy. On Sundays we also went to the Old Aquarium at Marine Park (which opened in 1912 courtesy of the Park- man Fund but was sadly demol- ished in 1950/now the home of the Murphy Rink), listened to bands play at the bandstand at Farragut Park and went swim- ming every day in the summer at the beach(the Lagoon).””
““It was terrific growing up in South Boston,” she said fur- ther. “There’s no place like it with the beautiful parks and beaches. It was wonderful. Everyone kept a watchful eye out and we were safe. Nobody had much but enjoyed each”
“other’s company all the time.””
“As a youngster, Frances loved taking the trolley, for five cents, to the RKO Theatre in down- town Boston with friends and family, to watch a show and a movie for twenty-five cents. As she grew older, she enjoyed dancing at the Wonderland Ballroom in Revere, Moseley on the Charles in Dedham, and the American Legion Post in Quincy. Frances has traveled extensively. She’s been to more than a handful of states, and loved her experiences in Cali- fornia, Nevada (Vegas), New York, Florida, Oklahoma, Illi- nois, and Hawaii. Frances also enjoyed her eight cruises to the Caribbean Islands as well as her vacations in Canada, Italy, Switzerland, Ber- muda, Jamaica, and Mexico. She simply loves traveling.”
“In 1959, Frances moved to the Old Colony Development and has called it home ever since. She raised two daughters while working as a seamstress for over three decades. When she retired she really didn’t retire for long as she thought, because she was subsequently going to be looking after some of her great grandchildren. And when family duty even- tually knocked on her door, Frances kept a loving eye and a roof over the head of her great grandchildren, Brenna, Lana, Larrisa, Danny (sadly now deceased), and Julian.”
““My Aunt Nancy and my great grandmother are like my mom and dad,” Julian said. “My aunt is like a tough dad while my great grandmother is like a mom. They took us in, took care of us, and helped out with everything in our lives that mat- tered. I guess who needs a mom and dad when we have them”
““My great grandmother does everything,” he concluded. “She likes to keep busy and be active. She cleans the house, fixes things, and still takes care of her great grandchildren.””