The world lost a great man when Pop-Pop died 8/5/04. He was a very giving man and my father always tells me that our family are "givers" not "takers", and it all started with him. He gave his whole life to the people that meant the most to him. Those people were his beutiful wife, his children, his grandchildren, his friends (who were all good people in heart) and children. One of his great accomplishments for the children was to be one of the ones to create "pop-warner" little league football in New Windsor New York near the town he grew up in. He also was one of the ones to create the little lake called Crestfew Lake. This was a place for families to go and swim and rent boats and water bikes and they held scuba lessons and so many more things. That was a time ago and Hugo is remembered at that lake for all time as "Mr. Crestfew".
He did so many more things including being very involved with every activity his children ever attempted and that's what his life was really about. Being there for his family was his passion and when his grandchildren popped out he loved every single one of us so much. He used to tease me about the cereal I used to eat as a child. He called it "yucky charms". Oh and the Big Crab...he used to pretend to be the "Big Crab" and grab us and not let go. He used to sit in his big chair and put his hand in the air JUST above our heads and would say "you're not tall enough yet". His apples he used to slice us always tasted so much better when Pop Pop sliced them.
He will always be remembered in the hearts of so many people.
So many people showed up at his wake and funeral including the mayor of Newburgh and the veterans of the "Breakfast Brigade", a group of military veterans that met every Friday. Go figure...Pop-Pop organized this group too!
He was LOVED...and not even by all the people whose lives he made better. Just by his family he had so much love that it was unbelievable. He will be greatly missed and greatly appreciated by many people for years to come.
Hugo Giammarco, may you rest in eternal peace and paradise.
In closing I would like to tell you about a little joke that was going around at the funeral. It tells of Pop-Pop being up in heaven...and there's no doubt that he was making an already perfect place even better by organizing something the first five minutes he was up there!