Linda Corbin
I was born in New York. When I was 2 years old my mother passed away after giving birth to my sister Lydia. When I was 4 years old my dad remarried to a wonderful woman and mother, Carmela, who was a widow and had an older girl and boy.
We then became his and hers and, one year later, ours (a boy was born). My dad, Vincent DeVincolis, never finished school, as he had to work to help his family. His mom and dad, Louis and Rose DeVincolis, moved to America from Italy. They arrived at Ellis Island and moved to Long Island where my Aunt Millie, Uncle Sal and my father were raised. Later in years they moved to Holley, New York, which is the town that I grew up in. It was a very small town and almost everyone was related to each other. Most of the town was Italian, so you can imagine all the wonderful food we had growing up.
I graduated at Holley High School majoring in business. I worked in my senior year for a lawyer when I had days off. After I graduated, I worked at the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P) as a secretary to a chemist. I typed formulas every day from dictation and also sent out telegrams. A job became available at a car dealership and I worked there until I moved to California.
My family was already living in Rosemead, but I stayed in New York because my grandmother was alive and I could not leave her. When she passed away, I moved to Fresno. My dad worked at Lockheed Martin, an aerospace company, until he retired. He worked on top-secret projects. He was on the team that designed the stealth bomber. He never told us about it until it was made public. My dad had very little education, but was very smart. I was so proud of him and all his accomplishments.
I found a job at Bingham Toyota and started working there Dec. 26, 1979. I started out as a cashier, then a warranty clerk to a processor of car deals. Mr. Bingham started an in-house Leasing Company in 1989 and I then took care of the books for the company having at one time 2,000 customers.
I enjoyed working with my clients. He eventually closed the lease company and I became the office manager until he sold the company. With the new owners, I was the senior staff accountant until the office was closed and then I no longer had a job. I worked at Bingham Toyota for 34 years.
When I was working, I was in charge of the event planning at the dealership and really loved planning all the parties and events that we held. I also helped with the many fundraisers that the dealership held. We supported March of Dimes, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Hinds Hospice and the Children’s Shoe Drive.
After I moved to Fresno, I met my husband Timothy Corbin. This year we will be celebrating 33 years of marriage. We have one daughter and two sons. We also have three grandsons and three granddaughters. I watch our youngest granddaughter, Charlee Rose, and enjoy her very much.
I am in the Psi Beta Psi Sorority and we have two main fundraisers each year raising money for cancer research and Hinds Hospice. I am also in a Red Hat group.
I am the queen for the California Classic Chassies. This is a group who has worked hard and is now able to enjoy life. We spent one year getting together two to three times each month making crafts. We were able to raise money for a local school to purchase coats for children. We also made goody bags for a local nursing home for all the patients. We went to the Veteran’s Hospital and put on a concert for the patients and played our instrument, which is a kazoo. It felt so good to be able to bring happiness to the veterans.
I teach Sunday school and have been doing this since I was 14 years old. God has blessed me with a wonderful family and many good friends. I now am able to go to the senior center and have made many new friends.
Life is good and I feel so blessed to have been able to do the things that I truly enjoy. I have been on several cruises, seen England and also Switzerland. Someday maybe I can take my dream vacation to Italy.
This story was originally published July 4, 2016 at 3:23 PM with the headline "Linda Corbin."