The highest §1 point in Key West FREE VOL. VI, NO. 3 Key West, Florida MARCH, 19 81 Commissioner Heyman fought this proposal from the beginning and was FROM later joined by Commissioner Mary Couch Reunion BY EILEEN MOORE QUINfJ Whatisa Graham. Both are to be congrat- e ulated for their efforts. else, then just to see the changes ONE OF THE finest examples of Key "I remember," admits Delores Ro- driguez Taylor, who now lives on around here,'' declares Susan. "And West matriarchy is to be found in ihe boy, are there ever changes!" Birkenstock? Hello - The news on Peggy Mills' life and times of Annie Delpino Catholic Lane and is the first-born Gardens is not so happy, either. Rodriguez. This soon-to-be-89 woman,, daughter of Annie's third marriage. Bo Red, a marvelous local man Bill•Lorraine writes in this issue born and raised "up around the grave- "But most of all, I remember her bed." AIINIE DELPINO HAS witnessed lit known and loved by many, many Key that townhouses may be slated to go "Who could ever forget that?" erally thousands of changes. Her ov;r yard," in many ways epitomizes the to- neighborhood is unrecognizable to he Westers, died this past month. He in there - maybe some of our readers tal Twentieth Century woman. Born in muses Susan Casey Phipps, Delores had been the subject of at least will have some suggestions on how Casey's daughter, who, although born it looked when she was a young wife 1892, married three times in her life, and mother. "Old Town" is net old a! three pieces by Phoebe Coan which this magnificent, one-of-a-kind giving birth to 13 children, and still and raised here like her feminine fore- appeared in this paper. A rare garden can be preserved. bears, now resides in Drummond, Okla- all, but rather, quite new. "There aseci called "Mama" by the young'uns, Annie to be ?. custom-made coffin business and special man. Since Bo had died Rodriguez maintains her familial posi- homa, where her husband works. penniless he had been consigned to Congratulations to the "Weren't you born in that bed. Mama?" .right over there," indicates Julia, tion as traditional "ruler of the" pointing to the left-hand side of burial in the "Potter's Field" Southernmost Road Runners Club! roost." "Not only was I born in it, I section of our graveyard. This Charles Street, which faces Annie's Their representative, Ned Guardenier Yes, she's getting old.'Sure, spent my wedding night in it!" re- form of burial is a pretty cut- reported that the marathon raised sponds her mother. "That bed has seen home. "'Course, that was years and and-dried, cold and unemotional she's a little forgetful and sometimes years ago." $4,500 and that $2,000 was given repeats herself. "Is today Saturday or more life and action in its day than and unattended affair. Thank- to the Save the Babies Fund at the Sunday?" she queries. "On Sundays I go all of us put together! It's a good SOON, GRANDSON ED TAYLOR arrives fully, a group of Bo's friends Florida Keys Memorial Hospital, thing beds can't talk!" got together and raised the money to the Glad Tidings Baptist Church. for the picture-taking. "Five genera- $1,500 was given to the Florida They know me there, you know." to permit his remains to be dis- Keys Marine Institute, and the tions of Conch women!" they all pro- interred, cremated and scattered Tomorrow's only Saturday, and so claim. The newest addition to the clan, March of Dimes received $1,000. she needn't worry. Her mind having been at sea which is what he wanted. Next month we hope to have some Baby Jessica Leigh Phipps, Susan's set at ease, she sits back and wraps daughter, is meeting her great-great- pictures and text on the marathon. the blanket about her knees to keep Many of us were very' dis- grandmother for the first time. The away the cold. two hit it off beautifully. IT. .in rim ••.11 ilnuiv appointed that Mayor McCoy, Is the season finally starting? 1 nif.l \i nil "Tell gramama your name." It']' ]Tt>h J"iHk .li'-»irpiii'i Commissioners Esquinaldo and Weekley It looks busier downtown. The i<mi' Ir.iilui tor IT IS SAID of Annie Delpino Ro- "What's your name, honey?" lav,in .inJ Miinti"-n[ saw fit to vote for the golf weather has gotten to be lovely driguez that she still consumes twice "Je-ss-i-ca!" course proposal of flrnheim and again and that should bring the as much as a person half her age. Per- Wood. A handful of years ago an tourists. s "Jessica what?" aroused group of citizens, fearful haps it's.this voracious appetite that "Je-ss-i-ca Leigh Phipps!" . i _J keeps her going. It was then that the questions got hari. 11 tin 11 of city action which paved the See you next month. way for high rises, got enough For almost 70 years, she has lived "How old are you? Where do you live? A.li to ill at 212 Telegraph Lane, at the foot of m VOIil1 tt't'l | > "Key West!" rniviK signatures on petitions for a ref- my erendum that the City backed down Charles Street downtown. "Once the home "Wishful thinking!" and adopted an ordinance protecting of a Captain James," this two-story Conch house, with its high ceilings and More playful answers from Jessica us against high rises. There are increased the happy spirit of the home- two ways to go on this, I believe. interesting antique furniture, seems to house her wall. There's an old radio coming festivity. Fd, trying to act pro- One is to get 35% of the registered Our cover artist this time is F. voters to sign petitions requesting cabinet in ofie corner, graced by old- fessional and play the photographer's Let your feet make a place for themseK'es. Ronald Fowler. He will have an world paintings and portraits on the role satisfactorily, has his hands full that the offending ordinance be exhibit of drawings and paintings repealed. If the City fails to walls. Knick-knack shelves of various settling them all into place. "Mama, at Moira's Gallery in Key Lime sizes and shapes dot the interior, as you stand there, to the right. That's L-... footprints — act on this request then it goes Square from March 26 to April 8 to referendum. The second way, do caned chairs and turn-of-the-Century good. Now you in the back, Delores, and 505 Southard Street which was the way that the anti- dressers. In the kitchen are hutches ..Susan, you right there. Ah, fine, high rise group went, was to start built by her firstborn son, John Dis- fine." diel, who, along with his wife Julia, Seated: Annie Delpino Rodriguez. "What about Jessica?" a petition drive that had 90 days Clockwise: Jessica Leigh Phipps, from its start to get 20% of the lives in and cares for her. A home-made "Sit her down on the arm of the pie cooler, replete with circular Susan Casey Phipps, Dolores Taylor. registered voters requesting that Casey, Dolores Rodriguez Taylor. chair, next to 'gr-gr-gramama'," he de- a new ordinance be adopted in place screening, serves as the repository for cides . of the old one and then, if tha canned goods and staples. "Yeah, that's a good idea." City failed to act, by gathering There are hundreds of charming "Just where she belongs." items too numerous to mention, collec- THERE IS A general spirit of another 5% of the registered laughter over this remark, while Annie, "Now, everybody smile." voters, the issue would be forced tions of a lifetime of child-raising • Well, close enough. and memory-gathering. For this is the prone to reprimand somebody for some- falstaff to referendum. Possibly enough thing, leans over to her daughter-in- And the party continues. people are unhappy enough with old homestead of Annie Rodriguez' off- spring, where they come from near and law, Julia Maria Disdiel, exclaiming, "WE MADE IT a special point tc this decision on the golf course "Take that cigarette out of your bring Jessica down tc meet her 'grgr- - to go this route.. Incidentally, far to reminisce about the "good-old- COLORFUL days ." . mouth!" grandmother'," Susan comments, "beeause "No!" shoots back Julia, and to- we knew how happy it would make her WITHIN THE PAST month, that's gether they laugh again. One"thing leads tc another, and we CLOTHIJVG exactly what some of them did. The "You're all right," smiles" Annie. really don't know when we'll be bac house at 212 Telegraph Lane was filled "You take good care of me." Looking this way again." with "the gift of gab," as Annie's over her vast brood, she sighs and Susan married a Navy .man who v•as led Newly Arrived In Key West nw | children, grandchildren, great-grand- says again, "You're all right. All of stationed in Key West. This is what From The Sunny (Tieditefranean Coast £5eu*> yfiuJT cmxjr 1 BOHR children, and even the newest great- you. " her away from "the rock." Our mailing address: , great-grandchild, converged to "chew "You see?" acknowledges daughter suMouro "BUT I WAS the first one to ao ON the rag." Delores, nicknamed "Lola" by her fam- 616 Duval St. 294-7541 '• KMUt 513 Fleming Street ily.