February 5
February 5
Made my gut turn when I saw his picture here. What a good man. What a giving man. What a great American. What a great friend, always there, always a smile. A toast to you, Al, Black Label!
This memorial website was created in memory of Al DeMatteis, 78, born (in Brooklyn!) on July 30, 1935 and passed away on August 7, 2013. We will remember ALD forever.
Tributes
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August 7, 2023
August 7, 2023
It's MemoriALDay - remembering you on your 10th anniversary :)
June 18, 2023
June 18, 2023
Happy Father's Day ALD :)
August 7, 2022
August 7, 2022
Thinking of you on your Anniversary in heaven! Always grateful for your kindness - you are greatly missed - Hoping you are running things smoothly in Heaven!! love Mary, Kevin A., Emily and Tom
June 20, 2022
June 20, 2022
ALD - Happy Fathers Day
July 30, 2021
July 30, 2021
Happy Birthday to you, Big Al, our Great Father. You are in our heart and soul forever. RIP, Al.
September 24, 2020
September 24, 2020
Writing my memoirs of my family's life in Asia and was thinking about a special character I was introduced to by friend Mike Van Zyl. For the few years I worked with Al in Hanoi I found him to be one of the kindest and most interesting people I had come to know in my almost 40 years in Asia. He will know be part of my memoirs.
July 30, 2020
July 30, 2020
Happy Birthday to Big Al. You are in all our Delta staff's mind and heart forever. Rest In Peace Al.
April 17, 2020
April 17, 2020
Delighted to come across this tribute site. What a character ALD, the Mayor of Hanoi, I had the privilege of being there with him from 1994 to 1999.
A great charismatic and energetic guy, with a heart of gold, certainly a wonderful ambassador for America in the new Vietnam.
He holds a special place in my heart. He took me from Ireland to Vietnam and changed my life. Rest In Peace Al
PCJ
A great charismatic and energetic guy, with a heart of gold, certainly a wonderful ambassador for America in the new Vietnam.
He holds a special place in my heart. He took me from Ireland to Vietnam and changed my life. Rest In Peace Al
PCJ
June 16, 2019
June 16, 2019
Remembering my dad on this Father's Day - what a blessing he was to the world.
August 7, 2018
August 7, 2018
5 years ago, our Big Fater - Al DeMatteis said good bye to us to go to a peaceful place. He has always been in our memorial. Here are some pictures from the first day that he established Delta. God Blessing Al.
July 30, 2018
July 30, 2018
Happy Birthday Big Al,
My restaurant is closed, but your memories will always remain, hope you are doing great up there. Is there JW on ice?
Your friends,
donald berger, Thuy and Che too!
My restaurant is closed, but your memories will always remain, hope you are doing great up there. Is there JW on ice?
Your friends,
donald berger, Thuy and Che too!
June 17, 2018
June 17, 2018
Happy Father's Day dad - thinking of you.
July 31, 2017
July 31, 2017
Happy Birthday in Heaven, Dad. You are so missed.
xo
xo
July 30, 2017
July 30, 2017
Happy Birthday Poppy - love you - Kevin Andrew, Emily and Thomas
October 15, 2016
October 15, 2016
My name is Mike Witschel. I worked with Al many years ago on the S.A.N.G. Project in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was my first job after graduating from college.
Al was, of course, the boss over there. He was a regular, genuine guy who knew everyone by name. He was full of energy. We had a Company softball team which played in a league against teams sponsored by other foreign contractors. Al was the pitcher, and a good one. I played left field. Every time someone hit a fly to left, Al would be screaming "nice catch, Mikey" from the mound while the ball was still in the air. I remember thinking that I better not drop it with Al predicting a catch.
I stayed the two year duration of my contract. When I was nearing my last day, Al called me down to his office. We talked about my future, and the experience in Saudi Arabia. At the end, he handed me an envelope and wished me well. The envelope contained 20 one hundred dollar bills. He certainly didn't need to do that, but knew that it would help me as I returned at 24 years old to the U.S. That was the kind of guy he was. He appreciated people.
Rest In Peace, Al.
Al was, of course, the boss over there. He was a regular, genuine guy who knew everyone by name. He was full of energy. We had a Company softball team which played in a league against teams sponsored by other foreign contractors. Al was the pitcher, and a good one. I played left field. Every time someone hit a fly to left, Al would be screaming "nice catch, Mikey" from the mound while the ball was still in the air. I remember thinking that I better not drop it with Al predicting a catch.
I stayed the two year duration of my contract. When I was nearing my last day, Al called me down to his office. We talked about my future, and the experience in Saudi Arabia. At the end, he handed me an envelope and wished me well. The envelope contained 20 one hundred dollar bills. He certainly didn't need to do that, but knew that it would help me as I returned at 24 years old to the U.S. That was the kind of guy he was. He appreciated people.
Rest In Peace, Al.
July 30, 2016
July 30, 2016
Happy Birthday Dad, thanks for a lot of great memories!
July 30, 2016
July 30, 2016
Al the gang has gathered for a toast and dinner to celebrate your birthday
June 19, 2016
June 19, 2016
ALD, Happy Father's Day! You are missed.
July 30, 2015
July 30, 2015
Happy Birthday big Al, I am having a double with one ice cube and a toast to you. Linda and Dorothy are here too!
Leave a Tribute
Recent Tributes
February 5
February 5
Made my gut turn when I saw his picture here. What a good man. What a giving man. What a great American. What a great friend, always there, always a smile. A toast to you, Al, Black Label!
August 7, 2023
August 7, 2023
It's MemoriALDay - remembering you on your 10th anniversary :)
June 18, 2023
June 18, 2023
Happy Father's Day ALD :)
Gallery
Merry Christmas 2023 :)
induction to the Seton Leadership Society
8/7/23
RIP Al
Big Al, A Kind -hearted Person
Al gave his openning ceremony speech at Vocational Training Center in Thai Binh Province, Vietnam
lunch with Lan+family in Rockaway July 2023
Happy Fathers Day ALD :)
Recent stories
August 29, 2022
To: Charlie Carron
Sent: Wed, Aug 24, 2022 5:15 pm
Subject: helicopters @ jobsites
Hi Charlie – mom just found these pics. Did other NYC contractors use helicopters, or was it a proprietary CJC/ALD scheme?
Keith
You are not going to believe this, so here goes.
The date this photo was taken was Saturday May 12, 1973. This was an all, ALD show.
Lifting things using a helicopter had been done before but sparingly as it is not allowed to lift over another's property in NYC, due to insurance liability.
The job was Harlem River Housing, later changed to, I think Riverview or River Park in the Bronx. The project was built for the Urban Development Corporation, UDC. The project manager was Bob Germano, and believe it or not he and his wife came up from NC and stayed with Jo for a few days, just last month. Harry Castrova was the DEM Project Manager. Charlie
Sent: Wed, Aug 24, 2022 5:15 pm
Subject: helicopters @ jobsites
Hi Charlie – mom just found these pics. Did other NYC contractors use helicopters, or was it a proprietary CJC/ALD scheme?
Keith
You are not going to believe this, so here goes.
The date this photo was taken was Saturday May 12, 1973. This was an all, ALD show.
Lifting things using a helicopter had been done before but sparingly as it is not allowed to lift over another's property in NYC, due to insurance liability.
The job was Harlem River Housing, later changed to, I think Riverview or River Park in the Bronx. The project was built for the Urban Development Corporation, UDC. The project manager was Bob Germano, and believe it or not he and his wife came up from NC and stayed with Jo for a few days, just last month. Harry Castrova was the DEM Project Manager. Charlie
Dirty Jobs
December 29, 2021
Article on ALD's effort to rebuild a bombed-out church outside of Hanoi.
"Construction is what I do. I'm the guy in the company who gets his shoes dirty."
"Construction is what I do. I'm the guy in the company who gets his shoes dirty."
man on a mission
October 22, 2021
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