Biography
Personal Life
Elmo was born on July 19, 1919. Elmo married Natalie Lombardo on December 18, 1943. He had two children (Carol and Leonard), one granddaughter (Gina Marie), and one great-granddaughter (Natalie Marie).
Once married, Elmo and Natalie lived in Williamsport, PA. Around 1945, they moved to St. Margeret Street in Brooklyn, MD. In approximately 1950, they moved to their final home on Henry Avenue in Fullerton, MD.
Elmo & Natalie’s Wedding
From left to right: (Flower girl unknown), Natalie Lombardo, Elmo Maiolatesi, Sarafina Miarana, Anthony Lombardo, Mary Miarana, Dagabert Maiolatesi, Josephine Miarana, Philberto Maiolatesi
Maiolatesi Family
July 1958
Elmo (39), Leonard (3), Carol (11), Natalie (36)
Wildwood, NJ
Career
After graduating from Scranton Central High School, Elmo enrolled in The University of Scranton. It was there that he answered an advertisement on the school’s bulletin board for a student to work on Saturdays to learn glassblowing.
At age 19 in 1938, Elmo started “Custom Glass Blowing” Scientific Glassware Research Apparatus.
He graduated from the Egani Neon Glass Blowing School in New York on May 1, 1939.
In 1940, he was employed by Sylvania Electric Products Corporation in Emporium, Pennsylvania, where he made some of the bulbs that were used in the first cathode ray tube (CRT) television sets.
Once in Maryland, he started “The Mayo Sign Company” as a Neon Repairing Specialist of Neon Signs.
In 1941, Elmo was the Chief Glassblower and Instructor on staff at the Johns Hopkins University, Department of Chemistry in Baltimore, Maryland. His work there was considered “Top Secret” as a contractor for the U.S. Government and was involved in the research of a part of the Atomic Bomb. Elmo also worked for Dr. Alfred Blalock, the developer of The Blue Baby Method. Together they designed, and he fabricated a number of glassware used in his surgery and research, including a suction cup for the removal of a tumor. Elmo also fabricated a device for the Artificial Heart-Lung Apparatus.
In 1947, Elmo worked for the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, involved in Naval Research.
For the next 30 years, Elmo was a Lead Glassblower at the Chemical Systems Laboratory (CSL) in Edgewood Arsenal at Aberdeen Proving Grounds (APG), Maryland, from 1950 to 1980.
