Berchman Rogero began on January 11, 1922. He was raised in Miami, Florida. A vastly different Miami than today. He learned the trade of carpentry. His family had little money. He witnessed the Labor Day hurricane of 1935. The same hurricane that wiped out 40 miles of Henry Flagler's railroad track linking the Florida Keys. His boy scout troop pulled bodies from the warm September waters of Biscayne Bay. He went to flight school. He married Eva Ciarrochi in an Appalacian coal dust settlement along the Cumberland Road, otherwise known as Uniontown, Pennsylvania, in 1947. He served in the United States Navy, most often at sea, during World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and on various peacekeeping missions. He circled the globe more than once. His wife Eva bore five children, one of which is my mother, Theresa. On September 15th, 2011, he passed away.
I traveled to Florida this December to spend time with my family over the Christmas holiday. On Christmas Eve, my mother, brother and I drove to Sanford, where my grandma still lives. My brother Matt and I had the opportunity to visit our grandpa's workshop. (After retiring from the Navy, he dedicated much of his time to custom cabinet-making). This workshop served many purposes, one of which was a quiet place to build. Before we touched anything, Matt and I took quiet time to walk around. To reflect on the man with giant hands (they seemed that way when we were just kids). To try and see things through someone else's eyes. I took the following photos.
Just a few more from around the house and outside of the shop....
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| Once a grapefruit tree |
