Born 1929 Died 1982

Clem, Jr. is the youngest son of Clemente and Frances, and the brother of Charles.Except for the last 2 years of his life, Clem spent his entire life in Chicago Heights Ill.Like his brother he was raised on 23rd St. which was in the middle of the Italian section of town known as The Hill.He attended Bloom high school where he met his future wife Marilynn Gas (Gasperinni?).Clem had many friends while growing up in "the Heights" and he stayed close to those friends into adulthood.He was loved and respected by both his family and his many friends.

Although he grew up in Chicago Heights, Clem loved spending summers at his grandfather, Mike Occhiato's house in Pueblo.The above picture shows him with his grandpa Mike, and his uncle Joe Occhiato.Clem was a big kid for his age, and Uncle Joe always loved telling the story how they all went to a Notre Dame football game and a few of the higher ranking priests came over to Clem and tried to recruit him for the Notre Dame football team.

Clem and Marilynn met as teenagers and were married not long after high school.Initially they lived with the rest of the Carducci family in the little apartment on 23rd Street. Eventually they bought a small home on 17th Street, where his uncles Hugo, and Romeo also owned homes on the same block. Both Clem and Marilynn worked in the family cab business.All three of their children were born while they were living on 17th. Michael was born first followed by James, and then Karen.

In the early sixties, Clem, Sr. retired from the family cab business and Clem, Jr. and Marilynn took over the business.They helped it grow from its tiny building in downtown Chicago Heights with only a few taxis to the largest taxi service in South Suburban Chicago.They eventually aquired two other surburban cab companies to better service the area.With the companies growth, Clem and Marilynn were able to move from 17th street to a beautiful home near the Chicago Heights Country Club.It was not that long ago that Italians were discouraged from crossing the tracks from The Hill (the Italian section of town) let alone buy a home on the other side of the tracks.Like many other Italians in Chicago Heights,Clem and Marilynn found that with hard work would come success.

Their home on Gregory street was the sight of many of their fondest memories.It became the gathering place for both family and friends. Holidays were a special time at the Carducci home like the Thanksgiving dinner pictured above. During 1960's and 1970''s all the family holidays were celebrated at Clem and Marilynn's.

During the late 70's hard times hit the Chicago Heights area.With the high interest rates of the President Carter years and with fuel prices skyrocketing, the cab business was especially hard hit.In 1979 after 30 years in business Clem decided to sell Safeway Cab.About that same time Clem's nephew, Tim, was putting together a new company in Amarillo Texas.Clem had forseen the economic downturn in Chicago Heights and had asked Tim to keep an eye out for opportunities in Amarillo.With that in mind, Tim and Clems brother, Charles called Clem and a new partnership was born under the name of Pepco Food Service.In 1979 their son Mike made the intial move and by 1980 the rest of the Clem Carducci family moved to Amarillo.By this time Tim had secured 3 new venues for Pepco.The 3 new contracts fit right into the the family's move.Mike managed Pepco's contract at the Amarillo Civic Center,Karen did the same at.the Baseball stadium and Clem and Marilyn operated Pepco's contract at Western Bowl, which was one of the largest bowling centers in the southwest.In addition James found work as fleet manager at his uncle's Pepsi Cola plant.

JAMES -KAREN-MICHAEL

All three of Clem and Marilynn's children moved to Amarillo where new opportunities were awaiting them.

In late 1980, Clem, along with his brother, Charles and uncle Joe Occhiato, opened "The Three Thieves" Steak House.Clem's son Mike, who had been managing Pepco's Civic Center contract, became manager of the steak house.

By 1982, Clem and Marilynn and all three of their children were well on their way to starting a new chapter in their lives in Amarillo,but tragedy stuck. In the spring of that year. the Lord called Clem for one final move to be with HIM.It was a massive heart attack that took Clem at such an early age (52).The family was never the same and it wasn't long before Clem's family and the family of his brother Chuck,went their separate ways.Clem, along with his sister- in- law Rosemary, who died in 1990, were the glue that had kept the family close. Currently Marilynn still lives in Amarillo as does all three of her children.Mike and his wife Pat have 2 children(Mike and Kim).James has 2 children(James and Wendy),while Karen and her husband Chris Davenport also have 2 children(Christy and Matthew).

03/11/2001

Michael Jr. and bride Alissa To the left of bride,Alissa's parents, Mikes sister Kim, and friend. To the right of groom-Pat, Michael sr.,Marilyn, and Karen.