Joan and Frank were married on Aril 7, 1945, after Parliament gave Joan permission. Frank, however, was required to return to America without his new bride. Joan, 19 at the time, was forced to stay in England because of the extensive process she would have to go through in completing her permission papers and having them signed off by her government for her move to America. The following year, Joan was finally able to join Frank in America.

Joan came across the Atlantic Ocean on a German boat named the Larkspur, which had been captured by the Americans from the Germans during the war. It took Joan, who endured severe seasickness, 14 days and 10 hours to arrive in America.

Joan was ecstatic upon entering New York harbor and seeing the Statue of Liberty. Frank met Joan at the dock and they shared a long and joyful embrace. After Frank and Joan let it sink in that they, as a happy and still-newlywed couple, were together at last, they made their way to a New York City hotel booked by Frank’s aunt for the night. The name of the hotel, appropriately, was the Victoria Hotel.

The next day, Joan met Frank’s mother and family. His father had died when Frank was 5-years-old and his mother never remarried. Joan enjoyed her new Italian family and learned to cook and sew while working in a dress factory. Frank became a car mechanic and enjoyed every minute of it.

After moving from Brooklyn to Queens, Frank and Joan had three children. As they became older, they made the move to Franklin Square, where they still happily live today.

The couple’s family would like to wish Frank and Joan a happy 68th anniversary and a happy 93rd birthday to Frank and 89th birthday to Joan.