My father Richard Frank Campanaro died at age 80 on August 20. He was born in 1936 in the Bronx. His parents John and Elizabeth were born in the late 1800s.
My father had four older brothers. The first, Frank, was 22 years older than my father. His sister Nancy is still alive and she is 96. He was married to my mother, Barbara for 59 years. She was the love of his life. They had known each other since they were five. My father loved us all so much: me, my brother John, and my sister Liz. He was over the moon about his grandson Anthony and granddaughter Adrianna and our family dog Gio.
My father was a lover of all people. He was interested in what they were about. He did not care about race, gender, or sexuality orientation. My father lived in the suburbs of Orlando, Florida. After hearing about the news the shootings at Pulse in June, my father ran to the Gay Latin couple down the block, banged on the door, and gave them big hugs for being safe. He knew that they danced there on occasion.
My father loved that I was a showgirl. He created me. He had me tap dancing and jumping out of cakes in Palm Beach, from the time I was 18, at parties that he threw at the Breakers Hotel. He came to New York and saw Lavinia Draper at Therapy Bar and Stonewall Inn. He is the one who had told me to join the Thespian group in high school. He is the reason I found my passion. I love my father and I will dedicate all my creativity to him.