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Carbone’s Restaurant
Owner former Nuclear Scientist
by Karen Fetter
Natalie Carbone Mangini
has accomplished a well-rounded life that leaves
her with no regrets and a lot of fond memories.
Not only has she carried on her family legacy of
managing Carbone’s Italian Restaurant in
Crabtree, PA, but she can look back on a career
as a nuclear scientist and a mother of four. So
when asked what she felt was her greatest
accomplishment, she paused not a second and said
it was her children.
The story of this amazing woman stretches back
to 1928, when she was born to Nat and Mary
Carbone. She was one of three children,
including her sister Rosalie and her brother
Natale. The Carbone family originally settled in
the Crabtree area to work in the coal mines.
However, when the opportunity presented itself,
her father opted for a career as an
entrepreneur.
In 1936, Nat Carbone purchased Jamison Coal and
Coke Company’s community center building and
created a barber shop, candy store, pool room,
and bowling alley. The family lived on the
second floor and the businesses were on the
first floor.
When the building suffered a damaging flood in
1938, Nat decided to start a tavern. He asked
his wife three times for permission to acquire a
liquor license, but Mary only agreed when he
said it would be for a restaurant. She wanted to
have a family business where people could bring
their children. That’s how Carbone’s Restaurant
began.
While growing up, Natalie
always worked at the restaurant, whether as a
waitress or in the kitchen. But that was not her
only interest. Natalie aspired to be a scientist
from a young age. She had chemistry sets and
performed a lot of her own experiments. It was
no surprise that she would go onto college and
study chemistry. When Natalie graduated from
Seton Hill College in 1949, she soon after found
a job with Westinghouse as a nuclear chemist.
When she arrived at Westinghouse for her
interview, she found her prospective employers
had assumed that her application was from a man.
When they discovered she was a woman, they were
unsure about whether to proceed with the
interview or not. At that time no women were
scientists. But since she was there they
interviewed her and she ultimately got the job.
Natalie was the only woman to work on the USS
Nautilus (the first nuclear attack submarine)
and coauthored the first technical procedure
used on the atomic submarine for detecting and
disposing of radioactive materials. She attended
the welcoming ceremonies for the Nautilus after
the historic “Under the Ice” North Pole crossing
in 1958.
As a result of her achievements Natalie Carbone
Mangini has received many honors. They include
the Mademoiselle Award of Merit in Atomic
Science in 1958, the Award for Distinguished
Italian-American Women in 1958, American
Chemical Society Affiliates of Seton Hill
College Award in 1959, and the Distinguished
Alumnae Award for Seton Hill College in 1994.
Natalie had appearances on What’s My Line on
August 24, 1958, the Today Show on August 25,
1958, and the Dave Garroway TV Show in 1958. She
was also featured in a national advertisement
for Seton Hill College that was in Time Magazine
and was featured in Mademoiselle Magazine.
She has used her expertise to write and publish
four scientific papers and is listed in Who’s
Who of American Women and in Who’s Who in Atoms.
In the late 1950s, her popularity and
accomplishments were at an all time high. Yet
there was still one accomplishment that she had
not yet achieved – she wanted a family.
Natalie married Vincent Mangini and soon after
started that family. As soon as she found out
she was pregnant she had to leave her job as a
nuclear scientist because of the potential
danger to her unborn child. She went on to have
four children: Vanessa, Natalie, Vincent, and
Melissa. Natalie and her husband Vince co-owned
Crabtree Oil Company from 1966 to 1991 while
raising their family. Natalie now has six
grandchildren: Rosalie, David, Patrick, Donovan,
Daniel, and Evangeline.
“I have had a wonderful life but my biggest
accomplishment has been my children. They are
all different and reflect a little of each of
our personalities,” said Natalie. After meeting
Natalie, who could ever underestimate the
strength of a woman or the legacy she has
provided both to her family and her community?
************
While
Natalie was concentrating on her family, Nat and
Mary Carbone continued on with their restaurant.
They were smart, business-minded people. The
menu originally consisted of sandwiches, pastas,
and salads. But soon a friend that was a regular
to the restaurant recommended other items
because he and his wife started to gain weight
from the pastas and sandwiches. As a result, Nat
added meat and fish. The business became a great
success and has been a Westmoreland County
landmark for generations. Many people became
personal friends just from being customers at
the restaurant.
In time, they expanded the building and made
continuous changes that kept Carbone’s
Restaurant lively in the area. In fact,
Carbone’s was one of the first restaurants to
buy and use a microwave. They also were first to
use carpeting in the dining room area and to
have a computer order system.
Carbone’s Restaurant was also the first to serve
Rolling Rock draft beer and was the longest
seller of the local beer.
Natalie’s father passed away in 1981 and her
mother in 1993. Currently, her daughter Natalie
Stefanick and her son Vincent Mangini manage the
restaurant, which continues to do well by
maintaining its reputation for great food, its
innovative edge, and customer service
orientation.
Carbone’s Restaurant can hold banquets for up to
200 people and has four dining rooms for
customers. Customers can also buy Carbone’s
special sauce and salad dressing. Natalie
creates a monthly newsletter for customers and
organizes special menu options. Vincent created
a Pasta Engineering Contest three years ago for
high school students to participate in. Students
design bridges out of pasta and whichever bridge
can hold the most weight is the winner. The
event is one that keeps Carbone’s active in the
community.
In her life, Natalie Carbone Mangini has used
her hands to make food, power nuclear
submarines, and to care for children. After
meeting Natalie, who could ever underestimate
the strength of a woman or the legacy she has
provided both to her family and her community?
Stop into Carbone’s Restaurant, located along
Route 119 in Crabtree, and see for yourself.
Call 724-834-3430 for more information
or to make a reservation.
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