Page 8 - march

COVER STORY

others from their hometown, and recreated and reasonably quiet. Introverted, Suzanne
the good life as they knew it. Others called worked diligently in public school, was

always predictably picked last
for team sports, and was a model
student. She attended Catechism

classes at St. John’s Catholic
school on Saturday mornings and
Sundays after Mass. In addition,
she enrolled in dance lessons,
piano lessons, the school band

where she played the clarinet, the
local library reading program,
4-H, Girl Scouts,Drama Club, and

many more activities. Her mother
was correct; there was no time to
get into trouble.
There was one more odd thing
1955 about Suzanne Mangano. She

spent a lot of time in libraries.
She secretly thought she was
Jewish and spent hours in the

the area, south of the Durham train station, local library, sitting on the floor in a corner,
Omaha’s Little Italy. With a shrug and smile reading about the European Holocaust and
of amusement, everyone who lived there World War II.
accepted the name and went about their Inspired by the story of Anne Frank,
business. However, everyone who lived there Suzanne wanted to be a writer when she grew

knew they were Sicilians. up, just like Louisa May Alcott. Then, with
In the early 1950s, her grandparents her hidden flair for the dramatic, she could
moved to Healdsburg, California. Their imagine being an actress and a tap dancer,

eldest son, Suzanne’s father, earlier married a like Annette Funicello. But, being a doctor
nice Italian girl whose family was also from and teacher, like Dr. Maria Montessori, would
Carlentini. So that is how little Suzanne also be rewarding. Finally, since she liked
found herself in Healdsburg, California. art and impressionism, she thought being
Her childhood was busy. Her mother an artist would be fun. Maybe she could do

believed that children engaged in uplifting it all at the same time.
activities had no time to get in trouble. A good Of course, you may have guessed—I am
mother kept her children clean, well-dressed, Suzanne.

8 ONE COMMUNITY