Dennis Valentino

Got married to a beautiful Woman at 30, who was born in Dublin Ireland we had two beautiful daughters. Retired now but was resident carpenter for the Frank Loyd Wright home and studio in Oak Park, the Glessner home in Chicago etc.. and many of FLR’s residential homes in and around that area. Worked for John Thorp architects that did all Chicago Historical Society projects. We used Dennis Manella’s tuck pointing company on many FLR’s restoration projects. Dennis and I Grew up together since we were in grade school. Bout 20 Years ago my wife got transferred to Edina Minnesota and we moved to Minnesota. I was often asked why I moved so I always said, ”not all us Italians from Chicago were in da mob, some of us were in the witness protection program😉. They still think Al Capone is still alive... Started working as a custom home builder as a construction manager till the housing market crashed and spent the last 7 years until I retired as a Building Mechanic B.A.S technician for Mystic Lake Hotel and Casino. Been playing Racquetbal 3-4 times a week, ice fishing, boating (240 Sea Ray Sundancer) and meeting up an Harley trips with Chester Schroeder, Ray(Harold) Freeman, Jimmy Harder, Jack Patti and Dennis Menalla. The heart of East Leyden 1970 varsity wrestling team. We are all still great friends. I love those guyzs! I loved high school had some great fun and met some great people. We lost a lot of great ones too... Del, who I loved dearly and think and pray for every day...Mickey, Claude and I were very good friends also. Recently Nick Spaniak and Robert Mick, who were friends from early childhood. Looking forward to see everyone...8-26-22 moved to Ft. Myers’s Florida to get away from the craziness in Minnesota… (ft Myers’s where they still have a police department)

Claud Rodovonavich and I both had 1968 396 Chevy Supersports and we almost got Mr. McCormick to let us take a picture of us coming out of the hole with smoking tires behind school next to football field with goal posts in the background for the first page color photo of sports section. Remembering those long bus rides back from wrestling meets in Dekalb, Reavis and Waukegan we had a bag of oranges injected with Vodka ( Thanks Geno).By the way a bit of trivia is the double eagle on the cover of our 1970 year book was from Dels uncles hotel logo. The O’hare Inn... it was on Manhiem road near Irving.