Joe Gale is a great example of the fire, heart and independence borne from our Italian blood. His mom Roseanne Tramo Gale’s grandparents, the Testas and Bonannos, emigrated to the United States from Sicily, and settled in South Philadelphia. The Tramos’ son, Carmen “Charles” Tramo, moved to Overbrook with his wife Marie where they kept their traditions and the Italian language alive.

When Joe’s grandfather Charles was just 17 years old, he enlisted as a World War II B24 Liberator Mechanic in the Army Air Corps. Charles then worked for Lester Piano before becoming a mailman in his hometown of Overbrook for 26 years. Charles loved connecting with his neighbors, sharing their lives and family stories. Until the day he passed at age 96, he remembered every person behind every door in his neighborhood.