WESTERLY — The groundhog and the Teddy Bear — along with his large, extended, Italian-American family — hold special spots in the heart of Westerly native Charles J. Delmonte. Delmonte, the father of three, grandfather of eight and great-grandfather of eight — who was married to his wife, the late Susan Servidio Delmonte, for 62 years — is well-known in his family for his imaginative storytelling and captivating magic tricks.
Now he has another claim to family fame. Today, on Groundhog Day, the proud World War II veteran is not only celebrating his 98th birthday but he is officially releasing his very first book — a collaborative effort featuring a Teddy Bear and his heartwarming, worldwide adventures. "I share my birthday with the groundhog," said a smiling Delmonte as he sat in his living room chair one recent afternoon holding a copy of the book, a children's book based on a true story about one of his nieces and the Teddy Bear he created to cajole her when she was a little girl and then was recounted to another niece, Karen Kurzman, who in turn, stitched together the touching tale for publication.
The book — "How's Teddy? A True Story of Teddy Love" — is about a "magical" teddy bear with a "zipper in his belly" who became such an important part in the life of one of Delmonte's nieces — Tara — that the little bear even had a role in her wedding. But that was a long time ago, he said. "Time goes by," said Delmonte, noting that the project has been years .
