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long and trying month in steerage to join him. In addition to Adeline, they had 5 sons in the U.S. who all lived and grew up in the family home on Front Street. Mike worked the mines in Marshall and did carpentry work on the side. Rosa La Salle died in 1928. Mike La Salle continued to live with the large De Santis family at 1045 Front Street until his death in 1945. The kitchen became Mike's bedroom in 1935 when the De Santises moved in. ... The De Santis children have fond memories of their father and their childhood relationship to their parents. Lou recalls that his "mother taught my dad English and my dad taught my mother Italian." However, the children were not taught Italian. His parents told him: "You're Americans; you'll speak English in the home." His parents didn't speak Italian around their children, but did speak that language when they socialized with other Italian immigrants. Doris recalls that her father was a fine musician who played the trumpet and mandolin. She relates that every year at Christmas and New Year's her father and a group of other ethnic Italians in Louisville would form a band and go around and serenade every house. Louis De Santis was 14 years old and a freshman in high school when his father was killed. Doris Winslow was 11. They have different memories and reactions to that traumatic event in their lives. Lou remembers his Uncle John (La Salle) coming to his home the morning of January 20, 1936, and telling his "mom there was a big explosion out at the [Monarch] mine." He said: "I'm afraid Tony was in there." La Salle then went back to the mine to help with the rescue work. Doris recalls being told at school about the explosion. The family waited about two days with slim hope that Tony would be found alive, but they "knew better." His body was recovered on Tuesday night, January 21rst. He was 37 years old. His family did not stand vigil at the mine shaft. Their mother, Adeline, was too distraught to go there. Doris does not "remember anything except Mom crying and grieving." She was devastated by her father's death.... Lou also recalls his father and Uncle John frequently mentioning that the Monarch Mine was "loaded with gas" and that "the mine managers knew it." To this day he believes that his father's death was a "tragedy that shouldn't have happened." Tony De Santis' funeral was held on Friday morning, January 24, 1936, at the St. Louis Catholic Church in Louisville. Arrangements were handled by Henning Mortuary. He was buried in the Louisville Cemetery. Besides his widow and 6 children, he was survived by his parents in Italy and his brother, Val De Santis, of Louisville. He also had a sister in Italy. 6