Angela Agnes Price

Angela Price began her life sas Angela Agnes Gomes, daughter of Millicent and Manoel Gomes. She had 6 sisters and 3 brothers. Twin brothers, Manny and Joseph died at a very young age as did a sister Rita. Her Mother passed away when Angela was 12 years old leaving her father, 4 sisters - Connie, Cecilia, Olga and Olive and brother Ted. Angela began working early in life. She worked in factories, one was a hat factory, another a shoe company and others. She contributed to the house and taking care of her younger siblings to help her Dad. She promised her Dad she would never leave home so she would always help out. One night her and friends went to the Arcadia ballroom to a dance as was the thing at the time. It was there she met her husband to be, Frank Gaul. As they danced he told her “you are the woman I am going to marry” she said whatever you do don’t say that to my Father when you meet which was very soon. Of course he did and Angela and Frank both remained with her Dad for a while to help. Eventually they moved out on their own. Later on they had a son named Patrick. In the meantime still helping with the siblings. Brother Ted had now joined the Army Air Force and became part of a bomber crew in Europe. When son Patrick is 4 they are expecting again and planned on Ted being the baby’s Godfather. Well things didn’t turn out as planned and Ted’s plane was shot down during the war over Holland and his body never recovered. The family received a telegram on Thanksgiving November 1943 saying he was missing in action and their daughter Ann was born on December 22, 1943. It was a huge loss for the family. It was supposed to be his last mission. We found out recently that he wasn’t supposed to be on that plane that day. He was going to come home and marry his girlfriend. Angela continued to work and decided she wanted to be a hairdresser so she worked during the day and went to school at night to get her hairdressing license. She then went to work at Armin and Neil’s Beauty Salon on Fordham road in the Bronx. While working, put Ann and Pat through Parochial schools. After being in that salon for a couple of years decided, with husband Frank’s encouragement to go out on her own and open a salon. It was a scary exciting time and once again things didn’t go as planned. She was diagnosed with breast cancer the day before “Ann’s Beauty Salon” was due to open. She was only 40 years old and had accomplished so much. Her surgery took about 8 hours and involved a very radical mastectomy with skin grafting from her thigh. She had to have a private nurse with her for 2 weeks. It was followed by 25 X-Ray treatments which burned her. She never complained and as soon as possible she took the bus to her shop with her left arm which was all swollen strapped to her chest and with 1 arm managed to work on a customer or 2 a day, then get back on the bus and head home where a long walk followed the bus ride. Always thanking God she was alive. As she got better her salon became a success. She paid off her business loan ahead of time. She did the cleaning, the bookkeeping, everything herself and all this with an 8th grade education!! Daughter Ann had the hairdressing bug also, so she would apprentice and learn so much from the most gifted hairdresser. In fact when Ann went to cosmetology school the head of the school said there is nothing to teach you but theory because your mom taught you everything.

She eventually talked her sister Connie into becoming a hairdresser and they eventually opened a shop together called “Ann & Con’s Beauty Salon”. Another success!.

Angela became a Grandmother of 5: Antony, Daniel, Joseph, Matthew & Michelle.

A Great Grandmother of 10: Patricia, David, Zach, Taylor, Elizabeth, Colin, Alexandria, Lauren, Nic & Emily.

She loved her Grandchildren so much. When Antony and Danny were young boys living in N.Y. She would take them to different places, museums, bus trips and the most famous a helicopter ride over Manhatten. Angela was not too happy to fly but decided this would be a very exciting thing to do. When they returned to the ground and she thinking “Boy, that was some ride”? and realized she had not seen the sign before they took off that said THRILLRIDE!!!!!! That was the first and last helicopter ride for them….

Years after her husband Frank passed away her mailman asked her out and they eventually got engaged, married and had some great years living in Tuscon, Arizona. He passed away and Angela relocated to California to be close to her family. She lived in Escondido and Poway.

In conclusion Angela was truly given the right name at birth because she was and is an Angel. Her faith in God and her thankfulness to God never left her, even in her darkest hours she continued to thank God and always said, “I have had the best life. God gave me everything I asked for, A husband and children.” We all thank God for having her in our lives. She was a loving daughter, sister, Mother, Great Grandmother and mother-In-Law. She truly was an example of Faith, love and devotion to God and family. She set the bar high for all of us. Thank you