New Year’s is just about here, and I can’t believe how fast time has flown by this year. Despite the fact that I have kept a little quiet lately, we have been extremely busy here at LifeStory, and I am excited to give you all a much-needed update!
As many of you have already heard, one of the biggest developments in my career is that I am now the Chief Creative Officer of a company called Narra (formerly Thyme & Tell). We have been working to develop an app that will help families record and preserve their stories, photos, and memories, and share them in unique, high-quality print and digital keepsakes. We are very close to launching our next iteration of the app, and the anticipation is getting hard to contain!
At the same time, I have also been working hard writing an impressive number of LifeStory projects this year that I’m extremely proud of. Here are some highlights from just a few of them:
Joe Lopez, born July 26, 1932, and raised in an immigrant family, grew up in modest though happy circumstances in 1930s and '40s Brooklyn, New York. His father's influence as a loving family man who set high standards and expectations taught Joe the value of honesty, humility, and hard work.
Joe showed natural leadership abilities at a young age as he played with his neighborhood friends in the streets and on the ball fields. At age eighteen when the Korean War broke out, Joe, compelled by a feeling of patriotic duty, enlisted in the United States Air Force. While stationed in England during his service, he met and married June, the love of his life, with whom he raised three loving daughters.
Joe enjoyed an enviable and high stakes career as a cost engineer and project manager, responsible for multi-million dollar construction projects around the globe. Respected for his insights and clarity of vision, his reputation spread throughout the industry. He was continually in demand and at the forefront of his field, which earned him acknowledgment in Who's Who in Science and Engineering and Who's Who in America for many years.
This is the memoir of a great American whose kindness, work ethic, and love of country, family, and life led him to achieve the American Dream.
In this heartfelt memoir, Holly Strelzik and her family paint a vivid portrait of Jonathan Strelzik, the steadfast rock at the center of their lives. Through beloved stories and memories, this book reveals Jonathan’s unique journey, from his roots in a close-knit family to the milestones that defined him as a devoted husband, father, and friend.
As you turn the pages, you’ll encounter a man known for his kindness, strength, and unwavering commitment to those he loves. Jonathan, Holly, their children Michael and Shay, and a circle of friends and relatives recount moments that capture Jonathan’s special spirit, celebrating his heritage, career success, and the cherished traditions and values he has passed down. Jonathan’s life serves as an example of love, integrity, and resilience, inspiring all who know him.
Whether you know Jonathan personally or are meeting him for the first time in these pages, this memoir offers a deeply moving tribute to a life well-lived. It stands as a testament to the legacy he has created—a legacy his family will hold close for generations to come.
Raffaele Coscarelli, born October 1, 1950, in the small town of Rose, Cosenza, Italy, has lived the life of a man whose story needs to be shared. Born to a veteran of World War II who witnessed the Nazi’s atrocities firsthand, Raffaele lived his early years subject to an untenable post-war life in which both the land and economy were barren. Raffaele’s father, imagining no real future in Italy, made the courageous decision to uproot the family to a new continent.
In his memoir, Raffaele recounts his youthful exploits in Buenos Aires and his aptitude for working with his hands. Emigrating to the United States at the age of nineteen, Raffaele applied his mechanical skills, personal charm, and impressive work ethic to launch his career, first as a business owner, and then as a mechanic specializing in massive trucks. A valued and indispensable expert, Raffaele helped his employers’ businesses expand exponentially.
Meanwhile, Raffaele established himself as a family man, falling in love with Emilia, together raising their daughter Vanessa, and loving time spent with his grandson Calvin.
To end this post, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the recent passing of two of my clients: Raffaele Coscarelli and Gustavo Del Vecchio, both beloved husbands, fathers, and grandfathers. I feel enormously privileged to have been able to work with them, engage with their stories deeply, and create memoirs their families are proud to have and share.
Raffaele and Gustavo were unique individuals with truly one-of-a-kind stories, and I can honestly say that learning about what they went through in their lives had a positive effect on my own life outlook, especially during challenging times. Each grew up in WWII- and postwar-Italy, tough days of hunger, danger, and uncertainty. And each lived his adult life in the United States, Gustavo realizing that if he didn’t follow the love of his life to Newark, he would lose her forever, and Raffaele emigrating with family to pursue a future of his making. Raffaele and Gustavo will both be missed.
Cheers to a happy and safe New Year’s, and to a successful 2025!
LifeStory's mission is to make sure you do not lose your family's stories forever. The stories of your life or a loved one’s are legacies that belong in a cherished memoir for following generations to learn from. For more information visit LifeStoryMemoir.com.
If you would like to see these results for yourself or a loved one, fill out this contact form, or reach out to me directly at Richard@LifeStoryMemoir.com or 973-903-1487.
Yours truly,
Richard Squires, MFA, MA
Author & Publisher
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