A Journey of Memories

(Leo, Donna Barger Fontana and Tom Fontana)  I met Donna and her husband Tom for lunch while they were in town on vacation. We had a nice time chatting about the Canal Zone and the research I gathered about the Barger family. Donna shared more information to finish the story.

Research and waiting, is how I would decide this past year. It has been busy gathering information for and from the Zonian families. And, waiting on official documents from the National Archives. In some instances, sharing revelations that were surprising and unknown. It has been a good year. I am getting closer to finishing the stories.

(Leo, Carmen Reed Parish, Danny Reed, and Helena Reed)  What a pleasure it was interviewing Carmen, Danny, and Helena Reed for the book, The Last Zonian. We lived in the small town of Gatun, Canal Zone. I had not seen them in 50 years. We shared a lot of memories and laughs.

(Leo, Evelyn Barraza Snider and Tom Snider)  When I sat with Evelyn and her husband Tom, while gathering information about the Barraza family, I laughed at a flashback they shared. It was a reminder that living in the Canal Zone was not always paradise. During a certain time of the year, sections of the road surface appeared to shift. It was an illusion that occurred due to a natural migration phenonium. Zonians disliked this duration of time. Plus, it caused a share of flat tires. And, the smell during that time of the year was horrendous. Seeing crab claws raised on the edge of roadways, as if they were waiving or hitchhiking, meant that crab mating season had begun.

After being informed of a special and talented lady, Alice Forsythe, I sought to pursue her story of being a fabulous dressmaker. I located and met her daughter Edna Forsythe Wilkinson. I discovered that what began as sewing clothes for her family, led to assisting friends and others. Alice made casual wear, dresses, cheerleader uniforms, ball gowns, and wedding dresses. Alice, renowned for her skills, was known as the “go to” seamstress on the Atlantic side of the isthmus in the Canal Zone. When Alice attended the various balls, with her husband Bob, she would enter the gala wearing one of her own beautiful gowns and then she and Bob would dance the night away.

(Leo Cimino and Norman Spector)  I got a great jungle story from Norm while gathering information about his family. We shared a lot about the things we did while living in the Canal Zone. In our youth, we both spent a lot of time in the jungle with friends, exploring, and building forts. We certainly cross paths with critters, snakes, and spiders, but never had the scary encounter that his brother had while washing his mess kit in a narrow creek during a camping and hunting trip in Panama. Having the mess kit was instrumental in the unexpected encounter.

(Leo Cimino, Jane Paulson Martin, and Leo Paulson)  To do this Zonian family interview for the book, I traveled through the center of Florida Gators territory, and then proceeded deep into the heart of Florida State Seminole territory. Just south of Tallahassee, I pulled up to a home on 15 acres and to my surprise; what did I see? A Florida Gators flag. Jane told me that her husband, Milton, was the Gator. No more than she informed me, her brother, Leo Paulson, walked in the door wearing an FSU hat. I had a great time interviewing and recording stories about the family. The hours passed by quickly. To top it off, after eating an afternoon lunch, Jane packed me some famous Canal Zone Mary Jane cookies for my journey back to UCF Knights territory. It was a long day with the reward of another amazing story. During my interview, I questioned whether Mary Jane cookies were named after their mother, Mary Jane Paulson. The answer to that question is revealed in the book.

(Leo Cimino and Marjorie Blair Bulone)  I got another great addition for the book with the Blair family story. I had a wonderful time visiting with Marjorie, seeing her horse Shakkan and dog Alex. It is an honor for me in gathering information, looking at old photos, and reviewing official documents. Marjorie’s father had a key role in the upgrading of new locomotives for the locks in the early 60s. The family also had an unusual pet that had a television appearance. Where and how they obtained their pet is part of the story in the book.

(Leo Cimino, Sherry Hill Webber, and Ken Hill)  Lots of laughs of fun times past at the Panama Canal Society Annual Reunion held at Caribe Royale Orlando this past weekend. Met ten additional families and conducted two family interviews for my book, The Last Zonian, Here’s Where the Story Ends.

(Beth Snider Hutchinson and Leo Cimino)  It was great to see Beth after 49 years at the Panama Canal Society Reunion. We didn’t recognize each, understandable after so many years. I remember her as a JV cheerleader. Her twin brothers and I were in the eighth grade together.

(Joe and Tom Finneman, Leo Cimino, and Steve Barger)  Oh, my goodness, the memories of our childhood. When I interviewed Tom and Joe Finneman for the book, they asked me if I remembered stick fishing. We laughed about this unusual method of fishing. Steve Barger reminded me of rock fishing. It was fun times in a no trespassing area. The unusual method of fishing is divulged in the book.

(Leo Cimino, Bob Oster, and Jim Snider)  Attended the Panama Canal Society Annual Reunion in Orlando, Florida. I met some old classmates. I had a great time at the reunion and in our youth. We all have some silly stories of that time in our lives.

(Carol Tyson Call and Leo Cimino)  I finally met Carol at the Panama Canal Society (PCS) Reunion. Carol is a reporter for the PCS Canal Record. She wrote that I am working on the book and seeking to interview interested families.

(LaRon Graham, Leo Cimino, and Demond Johnson)  Thank the Lord for good friends and good food. I took a quick break from writing and had lunch with a wonderful friend, Demond, at another old friend’s, LaRon’s, food truck. The food was delicious. The Conch Queen. https://conchqueen.com

(Jane Moore Buss, Leo Cimino, and Maurie Moore)  I met with Maurie and Jane to gather the Moore family story for the book, The Last Zonian. We spent half a day chatting and laughing at the fun things they did in the Canal Zone, such as ditching. During heavy rains when the concrete ditches flooded, they would ride the quick flowing water in the ditches at the back of their neighborhood.

(Lori Flores Roche, her mother Pat Risberg, and Leo Cimino)  I interviewed Lori and her mother Pat to gather information and photos about the Flores family in the Canal Zone. We had a pleasant visit sharing wonderful memories of our lives in the Canal Zone. I had not seen Lori since 1972, 49 years ago. The Flores family is one of the twenty stories for book The Last Zonian, Here’s Where the Story Ends.

Gatun Locks from telegraph.co.uk by Peter Hughes

I am happy to announce that I resumed writing, The Last Zonian, Here’s Where the Story Ends. It is the stories of Panama Canal Company employees and their families. We are known as Zonians.

On September 7, 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed two treaties between the United States and Panama. The Neutrality Treaty and Panama Canal Treaty that directed the turnover of the Canal to the people of Panama by the year 2000. The Panama Canal Treaty specified that on October 1, 1979, the US unincorporated territory known as the Panama Canal Zone would be abolished and cease to exist. Meaning, it was the end of any new persons being identified as a Zonian. The 1979 treaty is referred to as The End of an American Era. Additionally, on December 31, 1999, full control of the Canal operations would pass to Panama.

(Leo at Barnes & Noble)  Misty’s Tale is being stocked at the Altamonte Mall location. Thank you to everyone who has purchased my book.