Fab Five Family Living in Long Beach

At first, Betty Barto's story about moving to Long Beach begins like many others: "I never knew Long Beach existed until a friend of mine moved here,” she said.  

And, like those other tales, this statement is followed by this declaration: "I fell in love with it."

But Barto's story doesn't end there.

Newly married, Barto and her husband left their Seaford residence and settled in the quaint beach town in 1967. Four decades later, Barto's discovery of Long Beach has transformed from a town she feel in love with to a place that continues to hold the same attraction for her mother, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all of whom live in Long Beach.

"It's not often that you see five living generations in one family," Barto said.  "It makes me happy that we all live in Long Beach, that I got to see my children raise their children, and now my grand-daughter raise her daughter. It's very special."

Among Barto's four children, two of them remained in Long Beach, her son lives in the house across the street from her, and her daughter, Linda Vassallo, resides in an an apartment upstairs in their two-family home.

"We moved into this house when I was in first grade," Vassallo said.  "And, when I got married, I got to raise my children here. I went to Long Beach High School, and my children went to Long Beach High School. I can't imagine anything better."

In 2006, Barto's mother, Marian Hall, moved from Bellmore into her two-family home, thereby tying four generations together.

"We're very family orientated, so to have my Nana living in the house, and here for birthdays and holidays, is amazing," Vassallo said. 

The Barto's family grew yet again this summer. On July, 24, Vassallo's daughter, Alicia O'Connell, welcomed her first child, Julia, to Long Beach, adding a fifth generation to the Bartos.

"I grew up in Long Beach, so I know what a great place it is to live," O'Connell said. "To be able to raise my daughter here makes me so proud.  There's really no other community like this."

At the end of the day, Barto couldn't be happier with the choice she made for her family 44 years ago.

"I couldn't have raised my children in a better place,” Barto said, “and that's what makes me happy.”