Bush and Bono
NORRISTOWN >> Except for professors of political science or American history, the policies of past presidents tend to become broad brush strokes over the passage of time.
What is remembered more is the person behind the title, and such is the case with the recent passing of George H.W. Bush, the one-term 41st of 45 presidents, whose personal touch brought the native of New England and transplanted West Texan to the East End of Norristown, right up against the Plymouth Township borderline, on a brisk April day in 1988.
It was there, at the home of the DeAngelis family that the then-
vice president’s limousine pulled up in front of the home-business at 805 E. Main Street right around 4 p.m.
It was an on-again, offagain engagement because events in the Persian Gulf never made it a 100-percent sure thing that he would be able to make the trip, but Teresa “Big Z” DeAngelis had her meal of spaghetti and meatballs – with stuffed boneless chicken – ready when the vice president made it to town.
The daughter of Teresa and Bob DeAngelis, Paula, had worked on Bush’s 1980 campaign for president (he lost out to Ronald Reagan but loyally served as his vice president for two terms) and he had befriended the family enough that he visited Teresa at Sacred Heart Hospital in 1986 when she was recovering from cancer.
The meals, according to legend, had already been a tradition with less fanfare and another was promised to him during that visit to Sacred Heart.
After toasting to the health of the cook, Bush was gone by 5 p.m. — and on to an event at the Union League in Philadelphia. He went there well-fed. “Can’t you tell looking at me?” he responded, when asked about the meal at the DeAngelis home. “It was wonderful.”
In the days before, e-mail and text, Bush sent the family a more personal handwritten note that arrived a few days later with the following message:
Dear Bob and Big Z, I had tears of gratitude in my eyes when I left your family home yesterday. Will sent along the photos; but even they won’t be able to express the joy I felt at seeing you better.
The meal was great – of course!!
Your neighbors gave me a really warm welcome. Love and thanks to all, George
That letter was in possession of Russell J. Bono, then a platoon Sgt. with the Norristown Police Department who worked closely with the Secret Service in providing security for the visit.
Although he was serving in professional capacity, and could not afford for his platoon to let down its guard during the visit, the opportunities to encounter people like Bush – among others – offsets dealing with some of less than desirable individuals on a daily basis.
It was mailed to him in a package from Mrs. DeAngelis – he personally never called her “Big Z” – and kept in a safe place with a picture of himself with Bush after the vice president asked to meet some of the local men in blue who were helping to provide security.
“It’s quite a task to get prepared for a visit like that,” said Bono. “There are a lot of security concerns.”
Bono – who later ascended the ladder to captain, chief of police and Montgomery County sheriff – recalls a lot of advance work in conjunction with the Plymouth Township Police Department – as the secret service was concerned with location of the home in a valley and mostly with the Conte Luna factory’s location, and number of windows, across the street.
Once that work was done, and Bush was secure inside, there was a bit of a collective exhale.
“We were hanging around outside, and someone came out of the house and said, ‘the vice president would like to meet the officers’ and he took us in,” Bono recalled, adding the role of his platoon that day was mostly with traffic control. “(Bush) was very gracious, very kind. He was grateful for our help.”
And the woman known as Big Z was as well, serving the officers a second helping, after which they posed for a picture with Bush’s official photographer.
“A couple of weeks later, we got the pictures in the mail,” said Bono, who was left with only fond memories of the encounter.
“He showed a lot of kindness, just in his willingness to meet with the officers. I was, obviously, sad to hear that he passed away. I thought he was a decent president and, more importantly, a decent man. I respect his heroics during World War II, and he seemed like a down-toearth guy.”