Rotary Friends - Ralph Granata
Rotary Friends
“Friendship multiplies happiness
And divides sorrows.”
This friend was born August 15, 1929 in Gaeta, Italy. If you look at a map, that’s about ½ way between Rome and Naples. If you don’t look at a map, he assures me that it’s still about ½ way.
He’s been a Downey Rotarian for 35+ years and if you look at a calendar or not, that’s more years than a third of our club have been alive. He might have a thing or two to teach and enrich our lives.
Ralph Granata came to the USA as an immigrant while still in his late teens. Many of his wider family already lived in the Boston area. They were functionally bilingual by then and they wanted to speak the Mother Language with their new relative, fresh off the boat. Ralph says he begged them to use English; “I got’ta learn it,” he argued.
Ralph worked in his uncles’ vegetable store, sausage factory, and restaurants at first. He was successful in learning the language and other skills that would serve him well during his life. When the Korean Conflict started, he enlisted in the Army and worked as a cook and quartermaster for two years, and was fortunate that he didn’t have to go overseas. This also made a friend, named Jeanette, very happy. Jeanette was born in Italy but came as an infant to America and spoke mostly English. Ralph managed enough correct grammar to ask for her hand in marriage and received the desired answer. They married while he was still active in the Army. So began a great family love story. Ralph had learned from both sides of the family tree that there is no success that trumps familial happiness. He and his wife have tried to provide necessities for the kids, including their time. They have also put away a little for the kids future.
Up until this point Ralph had lived on the East Coast. At the end of the war he was released from the Army, and he bought a new Ford and drove his wife westward for 5 ½ days. Los Angeles fit his mental image of the place to raise a family and there was no more westward anyway.
His dad had told him, “You have two arms and two legs. Anything you want to do in life you do by work! Don’t wait for someone else to make it happen.” Ralph rolled up his sleeves and made it happen. He knew how to work with food, selecting, buying and preparing. He knew how to be friendly with his patrons and they became his friends and repeat customers. I watched his magic at two different Granata’s Italian Restaurants and enjoyed the excellent fare.
He’s served in the Downey Rotary Club on many committees and in many ways. He was asked to become President, but felt that the language trickiness might interfere and declined. He declares that his favorite way to serve is at the welcome table; I know you all have sensed his graciousness.
For many years he enjoyed fishing in the Pacific with a friend. They would fish Tuesdays, and cook the catch Wednesdays. Also, the mother country has called to his whole family and they own property and a nice house on the Mediterranean which they visit a couple of times a year. Good work Ralph! Thanks for being our Rotary Friend!