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Monday, April 25, 2016

Ambridge memorabilia: Fitzgerald & Syka needle kit

This small, but nicely-equipped, cardboard sewing needle kit was a promotion for the Fitzgerald & Syka Oxygen & Ambulance Service. The kit belonged to the late Edward J. (Eddie) Dzubak Sr., posted courtesy of Eddie's children, Lesabeth Trzcianka and Eddie Dzubak, Jr.

While over the years, Eddie Sr. owned and operated three gas stations in Ambridge, he also worked for the Fitzgerald & Syka Funeral Home--which became the John Syka Funeral Home in 1974 --for 60 years. The funeral home provided one of Ambridge's earliest ambulance services.

I don't know exactly how old the kit is, but the "COngress-6" phone exchange places it after the mid-1950s--before then, Ambridge's exchange was "AM-6"--but before all-number dialing started (around 1963?)

The front cover of the kit shows the funeral home on the corner of what was then Latimer Ave. (now Kennedy Dr.) and 9th St. where it still is located.


Needle kit, front cover
Fitzgerald & Syka Funeral Home
circa mid-1950s to mid-1960s
owned by Eddie Dzubak, Sr.
courtesy of Lesabeth Trzcianka and Eddie Dzubak, Jr.

Needle kit, interior

Needle kit, back cover
Ambulance & Oxygen Service
Fitzgerald & Syka

1 comment:

  1. jd aka john domansky

    nice needle, case. pic is great too. caddy w/twin headlights dates it about 1960s early, i will ck, to make sure. pretty sure other funeral homes had ambulances too, forgot eddie sr worked there, a thomas astorino, from divine redeemer school, worked for them maybe too, not sure exact, but recall him being at a family funeral, maybe for mom in early 1980s.

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