Millie Rigoli (1923-2024) was a beloved centenarian who actively served her community of Bayside for over 50 years. She volunteered at P.S. 159, the Board of Elections the Department of Education, the Selfhelp Clearview Senior Center, St. Josaphat’s Church, and Blessed Sacrament Church, where she taught in the Religious Education Program for over 25 years. She also served as a board member of the Church's Senior Citizens Center. P.S.159 is located at 205-01 33rd Avenue in Bayside, NY, between 205th Street and Clearview Expressway Service Road. Millie Rigoli Way is at the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 205th Street, by the school where Millie made a lasting impact with her years of dedicated service.

Emanuel Gold (1935-2013) was senior ranking Democrat in the New York State Senate from 1971-1998. He was the prime sponsor of over 80 laws. In 1977, he crafted the nation's first "Son of Sam" law which calls for victims of notorious criminals to be compensated from profits criminals gain from the sale of their stories. He also wrote laws covering health and medicine and the rights of the disabled.  Adam Gold (1972-2012) was an avid fan of comic books, chess and Star Wars. He was devoted to his family and lived his life with courage and dignity.

Police Officer George Scheu (d. 1987) was a resident of Flushing, Queens. He served in the Navy for three and a half years before joining the New York City Police Department, where he served for over 19 years and received 14 medals for outstanding work as a police officer. An active member of the Naval Reserve since 1967, he was named the 1985 Sailor of the Year for New York State. Scheu was also vice president of the East Flushing Civic Association. On July 16, 1987, he was shot while attempting to stop an armed robbery while en route to a meeting of his Naval Reserve unit. Found on Murray Street in Flushing, Scheu died from his wounds five days later at the age of 41.

Detective Keith L. Williams (1954 - 1989) Williams was killed on November 13, 1989, while transporting a prisoner from court to back to Riker’s Island. Williams was born and raised in Jamaica, Queens. He attended Jamaica High School, where he played varsity basketball for four years, and Long Island University in Brooklyn. He began his career in the Department of Corrections where he worked until his appointment to the Police Academy in 1981, serving in both Bushwick and South Brooklyn before becoming a detective for the Queens District Attorney’s Squad in 1987. Williams was a dedicated officer and citizen who coached teen-agers in a neighborhood basketball league and started the Keith Roundball Classics, a basketball tournament in Liberty Park. He also sponsored an after-school program at P.S. 116. He received two Excellent Police Duty citations and was honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor in 1990.

In 1970, Iccey Elvalina Gibbs Newton (1939-1993) and her husband moved to Woodside where they raised four children. She helped form the Woodside Tenants Association and then worked for NYCHA for 20 years. She started tenant patrols in Woodside Houses and served as District Coordinator for the Girl Scouts of America. She served on Community Board 1 from 1991 until her death.

Conrad Poppenhusen (1818-1883), entrepreneur and philanthropist, was born in Hamburg, Germany on April 1, 1818. After working for a whalebone merchant as a whalebone purchaser in Europe, Poppenhusen moved to the United States in 1843 to set up a whalebone processing plant on the Brooklyn waterfront. In 1852 he obtained a license from Charles Goodyear to manufacture hard rubber goods, and then moved his firm to a farming village in what is now Queens. Poppenhusen is credited with creating the Village of College Point, which was formed in 1870 when it incorporated the neighborhoods of Flammersburg and Strattonport. In order to accommodate his factory workers he initiated numerous developments; including the establishment of housing, the First Reformed Church, and construction of streets.. In 1868, he opened the Flushing and North Side Railroad, which connected the town to New York City. In that same year he also founded the Poppenhusen Institute, which was comprised of a vocational high school and the first free kindergarten in the United States, and is the oldest school in Queens today. After Poppenhusen retired in 1871, his family lost much of its fortune due to the financial mismanagement by his three sons. Conrad Poppenhusen died in College Point on December 12, 1883.

Ann and two gentlemen (probably members of the board) at Annual Dinner, some time in the 1960's, taken at Waldorf-Astoria.     Library Dedication at then Boys Club of Queens, Ann is the woman in a dark dress standing in doorway facing camera, Taken in the 1960-70's.   Mary Demarkos Ann Buehler and Lucille Hartmann posting before bleachers in gym at Variety Boys and Girls Club, taken some time in the early 2000s Ann working on a crafts project with kids, Taken sometime in the early 2000.

Henry Waichitis, undated photo

Abigail Adams (1744-1818), was the wife of John Adams, patriot leader, lawyer and second president of the United States. She was a patriot in her own right and a supporter of education for women. She married John Adams in 1764. From 17874 to 1784, she raised four children alone and ran the family farm. Her son, John Quincy Adams, was the sixth President of the United States.

Edwin Hoyt (1804-1874) was a businessman who lived in Astoria in the 1800s. he was the millionaire senior partner in Hoyt, Sprague, and Co., a dry goods business, with Governor William Sprague of Rhode Island. Hoyt’s son, Edwin Chase Hoyt, and Governor Sprague’s son both married daughters of Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury under President Abraham Lincoln, and later Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. When Hoyt died on May 15, 1874, at the age of 70, all prominent dry goods businessmen kept their doors closed on the morning of his funeral out of respect for the deceased.

Remington Vernam (1842-1907) was born in McConnville, New York, and moved to New York City with his family in 1854. He attended public school and went on to law school. He first came to Far Rockaway as a retreat from the stress of his work as a lawyer, but soon saw an opportunity to develop the area. His wife Florence, noticing that he signed his checks "R. Vernam," decided to name the hotel and surrounding community as a variation, "Arverne," which she thought had a nice French sound.

Lieutenant Frank McConnell (1896-1918) was the first Richmond Hill resident killed in World War I. A star member of the Princeton crew team, McConnell was killed on July 26, 1918 in northern France during the Second Battle of the Marne. This battle marked a turning point of the war. On July 18, 1918, the Allied commander, General Ferdinand Foch, counterattacked German troops with forces that included McConnell’s division. At Château-Thierry, American troops won their first decisive victory of the war by forcing German troops back across the Marne in what was one of the first large-scale retreats by the German army.

Dianne T. Signer (b. 1969) worked at Fred Alger Management in the World Trade Center. She was killed in the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001.

Henry E. A. Meyer (1886-1927) served with the NYPD and was assigned to the 54th Precinct, now the 104th Precinct, when he was killed while attempting to capture two robbery suspects. He was known as "Big Hen" to distinguish him from his brother, Philip "Big Phil" Meyer, who was also a member of the NYPD. The brothers were called twins despite the difference in their ages, as they had joined the force together in January 1914. The two worked together at the same station for a period, and together and separately became known for their ability to break up gangs. On September 16, 1927, Meyer was driving with his wife Tillie on Cypress Hills Street when someone stopped him to say he'd heard a woman screaming in the Beth-El Cemetery and had located and freed the two women, who had been locked in a crypt. They told Meyer they'd been robbed of money and jewelry at gunpoint by two men while visiting their father's mausoleum. Driving with his wife to find a police call box, Meyer saw two suspicious-looking men, who denied any connection to the crime and agreed to let the women have a chance to look at them. Tillie went back to meet the women, and Meyer was going to take the men in his car, but when Tillie looked back, she saw them running off. She rushed back to the car, where a crowd had gathered around her husband. He has been shot multiple times. He died at Wyckoff Heights Hospital hours later. Fellow officers from Meyer's 54th Precinct tracked down one of the suspects, who was identified by Tillie and the victims, and who had a piece from his shirt missing – the fabric was found gripped in Meyer's hand. He described the other assailant, who police tracked down through pawn shops. He admitted to the robbery as well, and police found the stolen items at a pawn shop he pointed them to. A large crowd that included many police officers gathered in support as Meyer's casket was led from his home of Loubet Street Forest Hills to Lutheran Cemetery on September 20, 1927. The two suspects, 18 and 22 years old, were convicted of second-degree murder and illegal weapons possession, and later for robbery as well. They were sent to Sing Sing, with the gunman sentenced 50 years to life, and his accomplice sentenced 45 years to life. Council Member Robert Holden proposed co-naming this street in Meyer's honor in June 2023. A ceremony to dedicate the street was held on October 25, 2023. Meyer's brother, Philip, passed away while on duty on June 19, 1929, as a result of heart disease. The street where he had lived in Glendale was co-named in his honor in December 2023.

Fiorello H. LaGuardia (1882–1947) was born in New York City to immigrant parents, attended public schools and graduated from New York University Law School in 1910. After practicing law for several years, he was elected as the nation’s first Italian American member of Congress in 1916. He served as a U.S. Representative until 1919, when he resigned to join the Army Air Service and serve in World War I. Upon his return, he was president of the New York City Board of Aldermen in 1920 and 1921, and was re-elected to Congress from 1923 to 1933. LaGuardia then served as mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945. Among LaGuardia's many achievements as mayor, he is credited with unifying and modernizing New York City's public transit system, consolidating much of the city government, cracking down on illegal gambling, and beginning transportation projects that created many of the city’s bridges, tunnels, parkways and airports. He was also instrumental in the establishment of Queens College. In September 1937, Mayor LaGuardia broke ground on this airport's site. Its construction was funded through a $45 million Federal Works Progress Administration grant. More than half of the 558 acres on which the airport was built was man-made, filled in with more than 17 million cubic yards of cinders, ashes and trash. The new airport opened in 1939 as New York City Municipal Airport. In August 1940, the Board of Estimates renamed the facility for LaGuardia, who considered the project one of his greatest achievements. Today it is the third largest airport in the New York metropolitan area.

Conrad Poppenhusen (1818-1883), entrepreneur and philanthropist, was born in Hamburg, Germany on April 1, 1818. After working for a whalebone merchant as a whalebone purchaser in Europe, Poppenhusen moved to the United States in 1843 to set up a whalebone processing plant on the Brooklyn waterfront. In 1852 he obtained a license from Charles Goodyear to manufacture hard rubber goods, and then moved his firm to a farming village in what is now Queens. Poppenhusen is credited with creating the Village of College Point, which was formed in 1870 when it incorporated the neighborhoods of Flammersburg and Strattonport. In order to accommodate his factory workers he initiated numerous developments; including the establishment of housing, the First Reformed Church, and construction of streets.. In 1868, he opened the Flushing and North Side Railroad, which connected the town to New York City. In that same year he also founded the Poppenhusen Institute, which was comprised of a vocational high school and the first free kindergarten in the United States, and is the oldest school in Queens today. After Poppenhusen retired in 1871, his family lost much of its fortune due to the financial mismanagement by his three sons. Conrad Poppenhusen died in College Point on December 12, 1883.

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In the course of his 25 years in politics, Joseph Addabbo (1925-1986) won much respect from his colleagues, constituents and community for his ability to be just, compassionate and effective. A lifelong resident of Ozone Park, he was educated at City College and St. John’s University, where he received his law degree in 1946. Addabbo began his career as a lawyer. First elected to represent the 6th District in Queens in 1960, Addabbo, a Democrat, was re-elected to Congress 12 times. He supported legislation to benefit the elderly, education, small businesses, veterans benefits, and appropriation of funds for economically depressed areas. As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense (1979-1986), Addabbo played a powerful role in both shaping and challenging national defense policy. He worked to curb defense spending, sponsored legislation to halt the Vietnam War, and advocated a nuclear freeze while at the same time bolstering defense contracts for New York. Addabbo served in Congress until he died on April 10, 1986.

Dr. Charles Richard Drew (1904 - 1950) was a pioneer in the development of blood plasma preservation, as well as a surgeon and teacher. He also created the first “Blood Banks” to store large quantities of blood for medical use. Charles R. Drew was born in Washington, D.C. the eldest of five children in an African American family. He excelled in school and was awarded a scholarship to Amherst College where he earned his B.A. in 1926, he received his medical degree from McGill University in Montreal in 1933, and his Med.D.Sc. from Columbia University in 1940. In 1935 he began his association with the College of Medicine of Howard University where he later returned to become professor and head of the Department of Surgery. Drew’s research changed the world of medicine. Most notably, he demonstrated how to separate whole blood into red cells and plasma, and how they could be stored for longer periods of time. Drew’s development of a national blood bank was a great contribution to humankind and modern medicine. The early work toward this began in 1940, during World War II. when he was asked by Great Britain, which desperately needed blood and plasma to treat military and civilian injuries, to direct the Blood for Britain project. In doing so, he supervised the collection of an estimated 14,500 pints of plasma for the British.  In 1941, the American Red Cross appointed Drew as the director of the first Red Cross blood bank, which put him in charge of providing blood to the U.S. Army and Navy. He established organizational standards, regulated production techniques, and ensured that safety protocols were followed. One of his key innovations was mobile blood donation stations, later called “bloodmobiles.”  Drew tragically died in a car accident in 1950 at the age of 46. He is remembered for being outspoken against racial discrimination and segregation.

Dr. Dolores Beckham (1954-2016) was an educator for 40 years and served as the principal of Joseph Pulitzer Middle School since 1999. She was an alumna of Queens College, Columbia University, and St. John’s University, where she received her Ph.D. Under her leadership, Joseph Pulitzer Middle School in Jackson Heights introduced a dual language program. It was one of 15 recognized as Chancellor’s Citywide Model Dual Language Programs. She was a Fulbright Award-winning principal in 2008 and traveled around the world for conferences on education and leadership.

Roy Ottoway Wilkins (1901-1981) was an American civil rights leader from the 1930s to the 1970s. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, he worked for the weekly newspaper, the Kansas City Call. His reporting on the treatment of blacks in Army flood control projects helped to bring about change. In 1931 he began working with the NAACP, eventually serving as as Executive Director from 1955-1977. In 1963 her helped organize the March on Washington. In 1967 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Lyndon Johnson.

Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. (1943-1993) was born in Richmond, Virginia, and began playing tennis at the age of 10. In 1966, he graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he won the United States Intercollegiate Singles Championship and led his team to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship. In 1968, Ashe made history by winning the men’s singles title at the U.S. Open. He was the first Black player selected for the United States Davis Cup team and remains the only Black man to have won singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. By 1975, Ashe was ranked as the number-one tennis player in the U.S. After a series of athletic triumphs, Ashe began to experience heart problems. He retired from tennis and underwent heart surgery in 1979 and again in 1983. During one of his hospital stays, Ashe likely received an HIV-tainted blood transfusion, which led to his contraction of AIDS. Despite his illness, he remained active in public life, participating in youth initiatives such as the National Junior Tennis League and the ABC Cities Tennis Program. Ashe also became a vocal critic of South African apartheid, which contributed to his being named the 1992 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. He passed away from pneumonia in New York at the age of 49.

Aristotle (384 BCE-322 BCE) lived in ancient Greece, and is known as one of the most highly regarded philosophers and scientists in human history. Though he was prolific in many fields, some of his most famous contributions include creating a discipline of formal logic, zoology, and his ethical and political theories. He studied under and with Plato in Athens, which is reflected in many of his writings. In his later years, Aristotle founded his own school called the Lyceum where he taught students and lectured to the larger public for free.

Thomas J. Travers (1897-1958), was a prominent Queens Democrat and Jackson Heights community leader. Born and raised in Manhattan, he attended St. Agnes Church and Parochial School and MacDowell Lyceum. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War I, he returned to New York to marry his childhood sweetheart, Ann Desmond. The couple settled in Jackson Heights, where Travers took an active part in the social and political life of the community. In addition to his involvement with St. Joan of Arc Church, the Catholic Youth Organization, and the Jackson Heights Sandlot Baseball League, he was an active member of the Jackson Heights Taxpayers Association and the Queens Chamber of Commerce. During World War II, he worked on three War Loans Committees and chaired the Jackson Heights Committee for the New York War Fund. He served as Democratic District Leader for Woodside-Jackson Heights from 1940 until his death in 1958.

Clement Clarke Moore (1779–1863) was a professor of Oriental and Greek literature at New York's General Theological Seminary from 1823 to 1850. He also donated a large piece of land that he had inherited, located in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, to the seminary. Moore wrote on a variety of topics but is best known today as the author of the enduringly popular Christmas poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas." The poem was first published anonymously in 1823 and there has been debate over its true authorship; many scholars believe it was actually written by Henry Livingston, Jr., but decisive proof has been elusive. The poem became a classic popularly known as "The Night Before Christmas” and brought the idea of Santa Claus to mainstream culture. Moore died in Newport, Rhode Island in 1863. The Moore family was among the earliest settlers of Elmhurst, Queens, having been granted 80 acres there in the mid-1600s; Clement Moore spent much of his childhood at the family estate in Newtown. The Moore Homestead Playground, also in Elmhurst, is named in the family's honor. Prior to the colonization of Elmhurst, the land was considered part of the Canarsie and Munsee Lenape territories.

Remington Vernam (1842-1907) was born in McConnville, New York, and moved to New York City with his family in 1854. He attended public school and went on to law school. He first came to Far Rockaway as a retreat from the stress of his work as a lawyer, but soon saw an opportunity to develop the area, and opened a hotel. His wife Florence, noticing that he signed his checks "R. Vernam," decided to name the hotel and surrounding community as a variation, "Arverne," which she thought had a nice French sound.

The following text was contributed by Det. Abear's widow, Catherine Abear: Ray Abear \[1976-2020] was a Queens native and spent his entire life in this community – he was raised on this block and this is where he would start a family and raise his children as well. He attended St. Nicholas of Tolentine church, P.S. 131 and St. John’s University. His first job was at Mark’s Aquarium on Parsons Boulevard, which gave him his passion for sea life, something he shared with many communities he came into contact with. He even helped businesses, community members and members of the NYPD set up their own aquariums. There’s even a fish tank in his memory at the Queens Special Victims office.   Ray’s passion and commitment to the community was professional as well. His entire 20-year career in the NYPD was spent making the Queens community a better place – first in the 112th Precinct and then in the Queens Special Victims Squad. Local business owners, restaurants, community members – everyone knew Ray and his giant smile.   There are few more challenging tasks in law enforcement than Special Victims, and Ray was passionate about his work with the Queens Squad. Each of the letters from colleagues supporting this honor of a street co-naming highlighted the compassion, patience, sensitivity and skill Ray brought to this most difficult work and the commitment he brought to finding justice for these individuals. One letter even said, “No one performed this difficult work better than Detective Raymond Abear.”   This honor – having their dad’s name permanently affixed to this street corner – is a reminder to his children that their dad was a hero not only to his family but the entire community and he will never be forgotten. Ray’s legacy will live on forever thanks to everyone who helps keep his memory alive.

Staff Sargent Edward R. Miller (1918-1944) lived in Glendale, Queens. He served as in the US Army in Africa, Sicily, and Normandy. He was killed in action in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest in Germany on November 22, 1944 at age 26.

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) grew up in Tuscan, with his father. He practiced sculpture, architecture, engineering, and scientific inquiry, but was most known for his paintings. Born during the Renaissance era he studied under the sculptor Andrea Verrocchio. He quickly gained artistic skills and joined Compagnia di San Luca in Florentine at 20. For most of his artistic career, Leonardo bounced back and forth between Florence and Milan. He first moved to Milan in 1483. There, he undertook projects like The Virgin of the Rocks and the famous illustration for “On the Divine Proportions” named the Golden Ratio. After living 16 years in Milan, the French invaded, prompting Leonardo to go back to Florence, where he created his iconic portrait, the ‘Mona Lisa’. Leonardo returned to Milan in 1508, serving under French rulers. As a result, his work was influenced by religious practices, and he began working on a composition known as The Virgin and the Child. Despite battling ill health, including paralysis from a stroke, Leonardo continued his scientific exploration of anatomy, architecture, and other fields. Some of his works include a helicopter blueprint, parachute, flying machine, and scuba gear. In 1519, Leonardo died, leaving his estate to his pupil Francesco Melzi.

David Norman Dinkins (1927-2020), the first Black mayor of New York City, was inaugurated on January 1, 1990 and served until January 31, 1993. Dinkins was born in Trenton, New Jersey, and grew up in Trenton and Harlem. After graduating from high school, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, earning the Congressional Gold Medal. He earned an undergraduate degree at Howard University, then attended Brooklyn Law School, graduating in 1956. He practiced law privately from 1956 to 1975. He represented the 78th District in the New York State Assembly in 1966, and served as president of the New York City Board of Elections from 1972 to 1973. He served as a city clerk for ten years. On his third run, he was elected Manhattan borough president in 1985, serving until 1989. Elected the 106th mayor of New York City on November 7, 1989, Dinkins defeated three-term incumbent mayor Ed Koch and two other challengers in the Democratic primary and Republican nominee Rudy Giuliani in the general election. Economic decline and racial tensions, including the Crown Heights riot of 1991, led to Dinkins's defeat by Republican Rudy Giuliani in the 1993 election. Dinkins was a professor of professional practice at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs from 1994 until his death, served on numerous boards, and remained active in Democratic politics. Highlights of his administration included the cleanup of Times Square, the Beacon Schools program, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, and the "Safe Streets, Safe City" plan. Dinkins was responsible for several initiatives that continue to bring significant revenue to New York City: the 99-year lease signed with the USTA National Tennis Center for the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, Fashion Week, Restaurant Week, and Broadway on Broadway.

Walter Carl Becker was an American musician, songwriter, bassist and record producer, best known as one half of the acclaimed jazz-rock band Steely Dan. Becker was a native of Forest Hills, growing up at 112-20 72nd Drive. In 1971, he and his songwriting partner, Donald Fagen, formed Steely Dan, creating music that was highly regarded by critics and fellow musicians alike, and that sustained a devoted audience for more than 40 years. In 2000, Steely Dan won four Grammys, including Record of the Year. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

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Walter Bowne (1770-1846), served as a State Senator and as New York City Mayor. As Mayor (1828-1832), Bowne is remembered for his strict policies aimed at preventing cholera epidemics. Following reports of an outbreak in a neighboring town during the summer of 1832, Bowne established a stringent quarantine policy regulating travel in and out of the metropolitan area. Bowne, like others of his time period, believed that cholera was spread through direct human contact. He required that all ships maintain a distance of at least 300 yards from municipal ports and that carriages remain at least 1.5 miles from the city limits. Bowne's well-meaning attempts to prevent a cholera outbreak failed, and hundreds of New Yorkers died of the disease. It was not until 1883 that the German physician Robert Koch discovered that cholera spreads through contaminated water or food. By that time, cholera epidemics had been largely contained by the construction of the Croton Aqueduct and the provision of clean water for consumption and bathing.

Ronald Spadafora (1954-2018) was a 40-year veteran of the FDNY who supervised rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero and was the chief of safety for the entire 9/11 recovery operation. He died of 9/11 related illnesses.

Text courtesy of Susan Latham. This is a photo of my sister Beth and me sitting with my grandparents, Noni and B-Daddy. The second photo is a formal shot of my grandparents, Bill and Cecelia Latham. Latham Park is named after my grandfather, William Harris Latham, in recognition of his long association with Robert Moses, New York City’s master builder who was responsible for creating much of our city’s parks and transportation infrastructure. My grandfather died when I was in my early 20s, well before I fully understood who Robert Moses was and the significant impact of my grandfather’s work in New York City and New York State. My grandfather grew up in Norwich, CT, and like his father, Alan Latham, he was an avid beekeeper – which led to the name “B-Daddy,” as he was known by all of his grandchildren. The B-Daddy that I grew up with lived in Lewiston, NY, near Niagara Falls, where he worked with the New York Power Authority as the chief engineer of the Niagara Project; at the time, this was the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. I have a vague childhood memory of seeing B-Daddy on television when he gave Soviet premier Alexei Kosygin an impromptu tour of the power plant, and I remember that my grandmother was unhappy that he was in shirt sleeves instead of a suit. Most of my experience with B-Daddy was after he retired – although he still had a lot of clout and got us free tours of the power plant, as well as free rides on the Maid of the Mist and all the Niagara Falls attractions when we visited every summer. He was a tall, strong man who loved to fish and hunt, and he was very athletic – there was a photo of him with his rowing team at MIT at my grandparents’ home. He was also an avid gardener and beekeeper, which meant we enjoyed fresh-picked vegetables and all the honey, honeycomb and honey butter we could ever want when we visited. Peanut butter and honey sandwiches were common lunch fare. It was only after he died in 1987 that I learned more about his professional career, much of it from Robert Caro’s book "The Power Broker," and more recently, from Internet searches. B-Daddy graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1926 with a degree in civil engineering. In 1927 he began working with Robert Moses – or “RM,” as B-Daddy called him – at the Long Island State Park Commission. When Moses was named Commissioner of New York City Parks, B-Daddy followed him to New York City, where he became the Consulting Park Engineer. As the head of the Division of Design, he was responsible for the preparation of all plans and specifications within the Parks Department, and he played a major role in the design and installation of the 11 New York City public pools that opened in 1936, including Astoria, McCarren, Crotona and Jackie Robinson Pools. He also worked as general superintendent and director of maintenance and operations at the New York City Parks Department, and was heavily involved in the 1939 World’s Fair at Flushing Meadows Park (somewhere, there are home movies he filmed of King George and Queen Elizabeth visiting the Fair). In the 1950s, he moved upstate to engineer the St. Lawrence Power Project, the first active power plant of the New York Power Authority, which opened in 1958. He then moved to Lewiston to oversee the construction and opening of the Niagara Power Plant. In 1987, after his death, the New York Power Authority dedicated a new icebreaker (a ship designed to break through ice blocks and create a clear passage) on the Niagara River as the Latham in his honor, citing him as a “major figure in construction of the St. Lawrence and Niagara hydroelectric projects.” I got to see it in person in 2019. I should note that I grew up in New Jersey and moved to Queens in 1989. My apartment in Woodside on 51st Street, where I lived for 11 years, and my current home in Jackson Heights on 79th Street, where I’ve lived for 20+ years, are equidistant to the original site of Latham Park, which was on 69th Street and Broadway. In fact, I passed through it many times over the years without ever realizing that it was named after B-Daddy. And then one day, my brother – who is also named William Harris Latham – found it in a Google search of his name and sent me a link, asking if I had any idea where this park was. And of course I did! Honestly, what are the odds that a girl from New Jersey whose grandfather lived in upstate New York would end up living just blocks away from a park in New York City named after him!? Of course, Robert Moses is a controversial figure. His urban renewal and highway construction projects displaced thousands of people and destroyed neighborhoods, and my grandfather’s close association with him for so many years makes me more than slightly uncomfortable. But I can’t change who he was – and I do take some pride in the fact that my grandfather had a hand in so much of New York City’s infrastructure that we rely on today.

Patrick Deignan (1946-1983) was a civic and community leader in his neighborhood of Jackson Heights. He co-founded the Jackson Heights Civic Association and was founder and board chairman of the Catherine M. Sheridan Center for Senior Citizens (now the Catherine Sheridan Older Adult Center). He was also active in various charitable, fraternal, and church organizations. In 1971, he became a member of Community Board 3, serving as its chairman from 1973 to 1975. He was a Democratic District leader in Jackson Heights from 1974 to 1982, chairing the Borough President's Commission on Charter Revision and also serving on the executive committee of the Queens Democratic Party. Deignan was born on Staten Island on March 17, 1946, and raised in Jackson Heights, where he attended Blessed Sacrament School. He later continued his studies at Manhattan College (now Manhattan University) in Riverdale. He died on October 6, 1983, at Lenox Hill Hospital after a brief gastrointestinal illness. Survived at the time by his wife, the former Joy Laskowski, and a son, Patrick Jr., he is buried at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York. On November 5, 1997, a ceremony was held at 34th Avenue and 69th Street, at the western end of a 26-block-long mall in Jackson Heights (also known as Paseo Park), to co-name the stretch of traffic islands in Deignan’s honor as Patrick C. Deignan Mall.

Benjamin N. Cardozo (1870-1938), former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (1932-1938). Justice Cardozo is notable for both his defense of the New Deal’s social programs during his six short years at the Supreme Court and his advocacy for the common-law approach throughout his judicial career.  Born in New York City to a Portuguese Sephardic Jewish family, Justice Cardozo was tutored by Horatio Alger and various home tutors as a youth, before being admitted into Columbia College at age fifteen. Cardozo had ambition to restore his family’s honor, after his father, Judge Albert Cardozo of the Supreme Court of New York, achieved notoriety for his involvement with the corrupt Tweed ring. The elder Cardozo resigned in 1872, just before he could be impeached. After the younger Cardozo’s graduation from Columbia College and a few years at Columbia Law School, he joined his father’s law practice and entered the bar. In 1914, Cardozo was appointed to the Court of Appeals, he would serve eighteen years at the court - five of which at the head. Following Oliver Wendell Holmes’s retirement from the United States Supreme Court in 1932, Justice Cardozo was named to the Supreme Court by President Herbert Hoover. This appointment earned him the distinction of being the second Jewish judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court, after Justice Louis Brandeis. Despite later describing himself as an agnostic, Justice Cardozo volunteered within the Jewish community throughout his life. He was a member of the Judean Club, a board member of the American Jewish Committee, and a member of the Zionist Organization of America at various points. At the point of his appointment to the Supreme Court, he resigned from all offices except for his membership on the Executive Committee of the Jewish Welfare Board and on the Committee on the Advisor to the Jewish students at Columbia University. On the Supreme Court, he was one of the “Three Musketeers” - the nickname given to the three liberal members of the Court that supported the New Deal agenda, including Justice Brandeis and Justice Harlan Fiske Stone. He is noted for his defense of social security and old-age pensions in particular.  The City of New York acquired the land for this playground in April 1955, and it opened in August 1957 as J.H.S. 198 Playground. The playground contains benches and a softball field for the school and the community. Parks Commissioner Henry J. Stern changed the name in 1985 to Benjamin Cardozo Playground, physically commemorating the life of a man who left an indelible mark on New York City.

In the course of his 25 years in politics, Joseph Addabbo (1925-1986) won much respect from his colleagues, constituents and community for his ability to be just, compassionate and effective. A lifelong resident of Ozone Park, he was educated at City College and St. John’s University, where he received his law degree in 1946. Addabbo began his career as a lawyer. First elected to represent the 6th District in Queens in 1960, Addabbo, a Democrat, was re-elected to Congress 12 times. He supported legislation to benefit the elderly, education, small businesses, veterans benefits, and appropriation of funds for economically depressed areas. As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense (1979-1986), Addabbo played a powerful role in both shaping and challenging national defense policy. He worked to curb defense spending, sponsored legislation to halt the Vietnam War, and advocated a nuclear freeze while at the same time bolstering defense contracts for New York. Addabbo served in Congress until he died on April 10, 1986. The area bounded by 80th and 83rd Streets, 133rd Avenue and North Conduit Avenue was named for Addabbo in 1986. It is one section of Tudor Park, which consists of 24.2 acres acquired as parkland between 1915 and 1974.

Charles J. Vallone (1902-1967) was a judge on the Queens County Civil Court. He received his law degree from Fordham University in 1928 and went into private practice until being appointed to fill a vacancy on the court by Mayor Robert F. Wagner in 1955. He was then re-elected twice to the post, serving until his death in 1967. A number of Vallone's descendants have continued in public service, including his son Peter, a New York City Council member from 1974 to 2001, and grandsons Peter Jr. and Paul, both of whom have served as Council members from Queens.

Remington Vernam (1842-1907) was born in McConnville, New York, and moved to New York City with his family in 1854. He attended public school and went on to law school. He first came to Far Rockaway as a retreat from the stress of his work as a lawyer, but soon saw an opportunity to develop the area. His wife Florence, noticing that he signed his checks "R. Vernam," decided to name the hotel and surrounding community as a variation, "Arverne," which she thought had a nice French sound.

Marjorie and Nicholas Ferrigno were founding members of The Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association. Marjorie Ferrigno (1916 – 2013) was an educator who founded the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts. She was President of the American Educational Theatre Association which represented all nonprofessional theatre in the United States, Secretary and Executive Committee member of the American National Theatre and Academy, was Chair of the North Shore Branch League, taught speech courses at several universities, a founding chairman of the drama department at LaGuardia High School of Music and Performing Arts, past President of the American Educational Theatre Association, chairman of the North Shore Branch of League of Woman Voters and steering committee member of the Economic Development Committee. She was a founding member and President of the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association and won a landmark court case to enforce a restrictive covenant, which led to a rezoning of part of Northern Boulevard. Nicholas Ferrigno (d. 2010) was a senior instructor for American Airlines at JFK and LaGuardia Airport and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. He was a founding member of The Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association.

Officer Robert J. Rogerson (1920-1975), a 29-year veteran of the NYPD who worked as an inspector in the License Division at the 114th Precinct in Astoria, was struck by a car, ultimately succumbing to his injuries. On June 24, 1974, he was at the station, standing in the middle of 35th Street near Astoria Boulevard to direct a cab driver into a driveway for the car's inspection. The cab went out of control, hitting Rogerson and dragging him 20 feet, striking and pinning him against a utility pole. The crash left Rogerson with a fractured skull, two broken legs, and internal injuries. He was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in critical condition. Several of his fellow officers donated blood to assist with his internal hemorrhaging. Left in a coma, Rogerson tragically never recovered, and he passed away from his injuries on March 3, 1975. He was survived by his wife and two children, whom he lived with in Ridgewood, Queens, close to where this street was co-named in his honor. Inspection of the cab revealed no mechanical defects. The cab driver told police his foot had slipped from the brake pedal to the accelerator. He was given a summons for speeding.

Monsignor William F. Burke (1917-2005) was ordained in 1943. His love of the Rockaways began at St. Francis deSales in 1945 before his transfer to St. Camilus Church in 1951. He founded the famous The St. Camillus Band in 1952. In 1963, he began his work at Institutional Services of the Brooklyn Diocese but remained a fixture at St. Camilus.

William Steinway (1835–1896), born Wilhelm Steinweg, was a German-American piano manufacturer and former president of Steinway & Sons. The company was founded by William's father, Henry E. Steinway, shortly after the family moved from Germany to New York City in the early 1850s. William took over Steinway & Sons in the 1870s after the death of his father and two of his brothers. Steinway was a generous patron of the New York opera and orchestra companies, as well as touring European musicians. His investments in the arts and innovative print advertisements led to the construction of Steinway Hall in Manhattan and other halls worldwide. In the 1870s, Steinway relocated the company's operations to what is now northern Astoria, Queens, after purchasing a home, Steinway Mansion, and the surrounding property to establish a company town, Steinway Village. The Steinway Mansion and Steinway Piano Factory still stand, and many nearby buildings bear the Steinway name. As one of New York City's leading industrialists, Steinway's developments included the transportation industry. One of his former resorts east of Astoria became LaGuardia Airport; he was a partner in the American production of Daimler AG/Maybach cars, and served as head of the New York Subway Commission. Steinway wanted to expand his Steinway Railway Company, a trolley system for his workers under the East River. Steinway died in 1896 before the completion of tunnels and subway line. The Steinway Tunnels under the East River and the Astoria subway station Steinway St were named in his honor.

William Sobelsohn (1929-1982) was a committed resident of Audrey Street in Kew Gardens. After graduating from Queens College, he served in the Korean War. He was a longtime member and officer of the Kew Gardens Civic Association as well as a prominent member of Temple Anshe Sholom. He was an activist and supporter of the Kew Gardens Council for Recreation and the Arts.

Margaret “Peggy” Kirkland (1930–2024) was the first female president of the Guy R. Brewer United Democratic Club in Saint Albans, Queens, an organization she was a member of for over thirty years. A fierce advocate for voting rights, she served as a poll worker and registered community members to vote. In 2024, she received the Citizen Citation Award. “Mrs. Kirkland was more than a community activist, she was a guiding light, a mentor, and a fierce advocate for Southeast Queens. From her service on the Board of Directors to her time as President, she dedicated her life to uplifting others and leading with love.” —Senator Leroy Comrie

Danny Jared Mendoza (1990-2022) received a B.A. in International Relations from The City College of New York and an M.A. in Political Science from Long Island University. He worked at City Hall in the Mayor’s office of Immigrant Affairs as Neighborhood Organizer where he served New Yorkers and members of his neighborhood to connect with City resources and services. He was a dedicated community leader who cared passionately about uplifting immigrant communities. Danny had a deep love and knowledge of cultures, languages, and politics. He also worked as a journalist at the local community newspaper, Queens Latino based in Jackson Heights. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked with community-based organizations, elected officials, churches and members of the community in Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona, and the south Bronx to connect members of the community with COVID-19 vaccinations services, face masks, food pantries, emergency rental assistance, excluded workers fund among other NYC resources.

Herbert Louis Huntley Sr. (1937 – 2019) was a community leader in Southeast Queens. Huntley served in the United States Marine Corp before he became the first African-American manager of Dan’s Supreme Market in Jamaica, Queens. He went on to work at the New York City Board of Education as a Substance Abuse Specialist Level 3 Supervisor until he retired in 1995. Huntley served as his wife’s campaign manager to become elected to Community School Board 28, and led her campaign to become New York State Senator for District 10. He was a member of the Locust Manor Block Association for 17 years, a member of Community Board 12 for 14 years, served on the JCAP Advisory Board for 10 years, was a board member of the Southern Queens Park Association, and was honored by the United for Progress Democratic Club.

Michael Perna’s (1940-2020) family migrated to Corona, Queens, beginning with his grandfather, also named Michael Perna, in the 1920s. Grandpa Perna was a concrete and mason worker who taught Michael from a very young age. As his grandfather’s protégé, he learned both how to work with his hands and how to give back to the community. Community members with limited means knew they could rely on him to fix and repair anything, and he was always a willing and dependable source of relief for many. Michael’s mother brought him to church regularly, as she was president of the Saint Ann’s Rosary Society. This opened the doors for him to address the crucial needs in the church as well. Some of his extensive involvement and dedicated work included helping to build and provide regular maintenance at the local church, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, organizing volunteers to plan and prepare community events such as the Annual Mount Carmel Feast. He maintained his grandfather’s garden on 111th and 52nd to help the families in the community that were in need and during the Vietnam war he advocated for the many military troops from Corona by collecting monthly donations from community members, in order to prepare care packages that he shipped to those stationed abroad. He was an inspiring and a beacon of hope to people near and far.

Moses M. Weinstein (1912 – 2007) Was a respected lawyer, politician, and civic leader who lived in Kew Gardens Hills for nearly half a century. Weinstein was the son of a tailor who was born and raised on the Lower East Side. He worked his way through Brooklyn College and Brooklyn Law School. During the Second World War, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, Weinstein settled in Kew Gardens Hills, taking an active role in the Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association and the Democratic Party. He first ran for the New York State Assembly in 1958, winning the first of his six terms at the seat, and was Majority Leader from 1965 to 1968. Weinstein was also Chair of the Queens County Democratic Party from 1962 to 1969, and Majority Leader of the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1967. Weinstein stood out from among his colleagues through progressive legislation and was an ally of Mayor of New York Robert F. Wagner, and had a working relationship with Governor Rockefeller. Weinstein sponsored measures that created the Urban Development Corporation and the Crime Victims Compensation Board, reformed divorce, and welfare laws, established a consumer bill of rights, increased aid for air-pollution controls and Regents scholarships, and promoted hospital expansion. He supported rent controls, veterans rights, aid to small businesses and antidiscrimination laws. In 1969, Weinstein was elected as a Queens State Supreme Court justice, rising over the years to the Appellate Court, where he presided until his retirement in 1989. As a judge, Weinstein ruled on cases that determined due process and constitutionality in public school financing.

John Wesley Drumm (1862-1930) was a Queens educator whose career began before the consolidation of New York City. He started his 37-year career as a teacher and principal at the Glendale Union Free School #13, which had recently expanded. At that time in 1893, it was part of Newtown, but after the five boroughs came together in 1898, the school was renamed Public School 67. He served there as principal until 1915, after which he was principal at Public School 91. He was also principal of the newly opened Public School 119, but passed away at the end of its first school year. He died suddenly and unexpectedly of heart disease on June 8, 1930. Soon after his passing, faculty, alumni, and the schools' mothers clubs began planning memorials. That fall on his birthday, October 28, they planted a tree in his honor in the yard of P.S. 91. Plans for a more permanent memorial began afterwards, and on May 21, 1932, the John Wesley Drumm Triangle was dedicated following a weeklong observance. The site, which had been acquired by the Parks Department on February 4, 1926, was named for Drumm on April 19, 1932 by the Board of Aldermen. A parade led large crowds to the dedication, and a dinner dance was held that evening. A plaque was donated to the site by the Alumni Association of P.S. 91. The space received an upgrade after Councilmember Thomas Ognibene secured $204,000 in capital funding to add new greenery, decorative pavement, and benches from the World’s Fair. A ribbon cutting for the renovation took place on August 25, 1997.

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Gavriel Davidov (1934-2020) was a lawyer who devoted his life to the noble goals of sowing the seeds of good and tirelessly extending a helping hand to all those in need of his assistance. Having lived for almost half a century in New York, having quickly achieved a stable financial situation, he invested tremendous efforts in the development of the religious life of the Bukharian community, and achieved tremendous success. His indomitable energy and initiative played a significant role in the fact that there are about 35 Bukharian synagogues uniting many thousands of believers. It is in these places that a huge number of young people found their personal happiness, creating wonderful loving families and developing strong homes. Not a single large-scale charitable event had gone without the active participation of Gavriel, who, by his personal example, attracted masses of people to raise funds for the implementation of various social programs. He played a big role in the creation of two yeshivas, where almost one and a half thousand learners, ranging from primary to high school students, study today. He was one of the authors of the concept and an active contributor to the implementation and construction of the Bukharian Center on 71st Avenue, as well as the reconstruction of the Beth Gavriel Synagogue on 108th Street in Forest Hills.

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Barbara Clark (1939-2016) represented southeast Queens in the New York State Assembly from 1986 until her death in February 2016. At the time of her death she was the Assembly's Deputy Majority Whip. She also served as Chair of its Education, Children and Families, and Environmental Conservation Committees; and head of the Education Committee of the Black, Puerto Rican and Hispanic Caucus. She was also head of the New York State Women’s Legislative Caucus and a Commissioner of the Education Commission of the States. She was a fierce supporter of quality public education and was a leader in the campaign to obtain funds through the lawsuit of the Campaign For Fiscal Equity. She established the first magnet schools at Andrew Jackson High Schools in Cambria Heights, for she believed that the classes at the High School were too large. She supported schools in the City with such educational enhancements as video studios and legal resource centers. Her legislation included banning predatory lending and increasing support for health care. Her allocations supported important civic and educational groups in her communities. Her colleagues termed her “a bold, courageous and dedicated public servant who defended the well-being of her fellow New Yorkers in every way possible.”

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Reverend Monsignor Leopold Andrew Arcese was the first Chaplain of the NYC Department of Sanitation. Arcese was born in Arpino, Italy on June 21, 1887. After arriving in United States, he attended Holy Cross College in Worcester MA and St. Francis College and St. John's University Seminary in Brooklyn. He was ordained 1911 and served at churches in Glen Cove and Huntington Long Island. He also founded St. Frances of Paola Church in Brooklyn. From 1931 to his retirement in 1966 he was pastor of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ozone Park. As pastor emeritus he remained in the community until his death on January 30, 1970. He was given Papal honors and the title of Right Reverend Monsignor in 1941.

For fifty-seven years, Flora Marinelli (1933-2018) was a devout member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, through which she served as an educator, humanitarian, and community advocate. She earned a Masters in Religious Education from Fordham University and was principal of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in West Islip, NY. After teaching Religious Studies at Fontbonne Hall Academy in Brooklyn, Flora returned to her hometown of Dutch Kills where she began her thirty-five year ministry at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church. Sister Flora was widely regarded as kind, encouraging and compassionate by everyone who knew her. She was an active member of the Dutch Kills Civic Association and worked with local elected officials and charities to highlight constituent cases. She participated in charity events, as well as rallies against harmful overdevelopment in Dutch Kills.

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John Proctor and Arthur Hopson were members of the 369th Infantry of the National Guard, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters. Formed in 1913, this unit was comprised of African-American servicemen at a time when the country’s armed forces were segregated along racial lines. Proctor and Hopson were killed in action on September 29, 1918, during the liberation of Sechault.

Mary Whalen (1917-1987) was President of the Woodhaven Residents Block Association and founded the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp. and served as its first president. She was a member of Community Board 9, the American Legion and War Veterans posts, and the Woodhaven Women's Democratic Club.

Named for WWI veteran Corporal Frank Farrell Fagan (b. 1896) in Astoria, Queens. He enlisted in the Marines on May 2, 1917 and served overseas in France in the 43rd Company of the 5th Regiment until 1919. While he was in France, he fought in numerous battles including the Aisne Defensive in the Chateau-Thierry Sector, the Aisne-Marne Offensive, and the St. Mihiel Offensive. Fagan was promoted to Corporal on January 1, 1918, and received the French Croix de Guerre with a gilt star for coolness and bravery. The French Croix de Guerre was created in 1915 to award all members of the Allied Forces for acts of courage in battle. He was discharged with excellent character on August 13, 1919. Fagan Square sits at a busy Astoria intersection near the N/R train and William Cullen Bryant High School. The .004-acre site has been parkland since 1915, and today, it's part of the Greenstreets program.

Bishop Roy L. Gilmore (d. 2007) led an extraordinary life with an outstanding commitment to the people of Laurelton, Queens. Bishop Gilmore had 41 years of ministerial service and more than 50 years of service to the community.

Marlon Bustamante (1981-2006) was on his second tour of duty in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division when he was killed on February 1, 2006 in a roadside bombing in eastern Baghdad. Bustamante moved with his family to the United States when he was a year old and grew up in Corona. After graduating from Flushing H. S., he joined the Army in 2003.

Scott Jordan (1966-2020) was an Ozone Park resident, a longtime south Queens activist and Community Board 9 Member. Jordan worked for the NYC's Mayor's Office of Housing Recovery Operations and was instrumental with helping local residents rebuild their homes following Superstorm Sandy through the Build It Back Program. He was a pillar of the local community and was active with his local parish, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Ozone Park. He received papal honors by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and entered the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem – Eastern Lieutenancy.

Dolores Rizzotto, who died in 2014 at the age of 70, was the the district manager of Queens Community Board 2 for 15 years. In that position she created a syringe exchange program to combat the hazard of loose needles in the streets of Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City. She was also instrumental in bringing a veteran’s shelter to Borden Avenue. Rizzotto started many toy drives at Christmas and many clothing drives as well. She helped create innovative programs such as V Cops, veterans who volunteered for community patrols and other community activities.

Lowe Court is named in honor of brothers David Lowe (1915–1942) and Gordon Lowe (1921–1943), both of whom were killed overseas during World War II. Both brothers were graduates of Jamaica High School and were members of the Jamaica Jewish Center. David B. Lowe (1915–1942) was born in Brooklyn, New York. He and his brother were the sons of police lieutenant Max Lowe. He attended Jamaica High School, where he excelled in sports, and later played varsity baseball at Long Island University. After graduation, David worked as an athletic director for the Queens Park Department and played baseball in the Queens Alliance. He entered military service as an aviation cadet in December 1941, earning a commission as a bomber navigator assigned to the 400th Bomb Squadron of the 90th Bomb Group in the Pacific. In the early morning of December 18, 1942, Second Lieutenant David Lowe was the navigator aboard a new Consolidated B-24D Liberator, nicknamed "Texas Terror," bound for Iron Range Airbase in Queensland, Australia. Shortly after taking off from Amberley Airfield, the plane encountered severe weather, lost all contact, and was reported missing. The wreckage of the B-24 was not found until January 7, 1944. It had crashed into the southern side of Mount Straloch on Hinchinbrook Island, killing all 20 airmen onboard. The crew's remains were originally buried in Ipswich Cemetery, later exhumed, and permanently interred on January 7, 1949, at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Nebraska. Gordon Lowe (1921–1943) David's younger brother, was a noted athlete in baseball, basketball, and track at Jamaica High School. He was a junior at City College and an aspiring actor when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps on January 17, 1942, as an aviation cadet. Like his brother, he graduated as a navigator. By May 1943, with no news yet about the fate of the "Texas Terror," Gordon was deployed overseas to serve with a bomb group in North Africa. Just two months later, Gordon was killed in action during a raid over Sicily. Gordon Lowe was initially buried in El Alia Cemetery, Algiers, Algeria. His remains were later repatriated to East Farmingdale in Suffolk County, New York, on June 3, 1948.

Bishop Ignatius A. Catanello (1938-2013) was born in Brooklyn and served in the Diocese of Brooklyn his entire life. He also served in Queens, living at the Holy Family rectory in Fresh Meadows from 1989 until his death in 2013. He served as the Holy Family Pastor from 2007 until his retirement in 2010. In addition, he served as pastor of Saint Rita in Long Island City and St. Helen in Howard Beach; was the principal of Cathedral Preparatory Seminary High School in Elmhurst from 1991 to 1994; served as chaplain for the New York Mets; and taught theology classes at St. John’s University for about 30 years. Bishop Catanello attended St. Francis College in Brooklyn and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington. He was ordained in 1966 and later earned two master’s degrees from St. John’s University and a doctorate in religious studies from New York University.

Msgr. Robert R. McCourt (1935-2001) was a longtime pastor at St. Pascal Baylon Church in St. Albans and of Saint Clement Pope in Ozone Park.

James A. Thomas was the first African-American warden for the Department of Corrections for New York City. He joined DOC in 1946, was promoted to that rank in 1965.

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(The following biographical information was provided by Samaritan Village in Richmond Hill, Queens.) Sylvia Simowitz was born in 1919. Throughout her life she gave unsparingly of her time and energy to the various community organizations with which she was associated. These included: Therapeutic Communities of America, Queensboro Council of Social Welfare, Association of Voluntary Agencies on Narcotic Treatment, Queens Transitional Services and the Queensboro President’s Council on Substance and Alcohol Abuse. In 1984, at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, Simowitz was cited as one of the Empire State Women of the Year for her leadership in the development of drug abuse treatment services. In 1966, Simowitz joined Samaritan Village as a volunteer assistant to its founder, Father Damian Pitcaithly. She was involved in all aspects of Samaritan Village, from improving the management of the kitchen to counseling clients’ family members to representing Samaritan Village before state and federal agencies. After holding several administrative positions at the organization, she was named First Executive Vice-President. She provided 32 years of inspiring leadership throughout the Samaritan Village organization on its Board of Directors as it grew to a network of 13 locations providing services to 1,500 men and women. On October 8, 1998, following Simowitz's death, Samaritan Village dedicated its flagship facility located at 130-15 89th Road in Richmond Hill in her memory. Simowitz also volunteered in Beth Israel Hospital North, Mary Manning Walsh Nursing Home and New York Hospital, and was a longtime member of Hadassah. The Sewarol Park High School Alumni Association honored Simowitz for her lifetime of achievements.

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A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip-hop act formed in Queens, New York in 1985 consisting of rappers Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, DJ and co-producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad and rapper Jarobi White. They were one of the most progressive and crucial rap groups of the 1990s. They received the Founders Award at the Billboard R\&B/Hip Hop Awards and was honored at the 4th VH1 Hip Hop Honors. In 2017, they were awarded the Brit Award for International Group. They sold over 4,660,000 albums, including 4,500,000 in the United States and 60,000 in the United Kingdom.

George E. Spargo (1903 - 1987) was the former general manager of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. He was a protégé of Robert Moses, and supervised the construction of the Throgs Neck Bridge, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and the New York Coliseum. Spargo was born in Westerly, Rhode Island and received a degree in engineering from the University of Rhode Island. In 1928 he moved to New York and lived at 71-40 Juno Street in Forest Hills, Queens with his wife and daughter. He was hired by Moses in the 1920’s and was one of the few associates with whom Moses would directly interact. In 1955, New York City acquired land in Woodside to carry out renovations on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The small plots of green along the BQE in this area were named by Commissioner Henry Stern in 1987, two were called Crosson Green and Crosson Park. The other four - Jennings Park, Latham Park, Sherry Park, and Spargo Park - were all named for the most prominent and dedicated of the “Moses Men.”

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This area was once used as a dumping ground for agricultural waste by farmers from nearby St. Albans and Springfield. Alfred Ashmead (1818 - 1891) and Amelia Ashmead (d. 1887), who moved to Jamaica from England purchased the land in the 1880s and created a community garden. The Ashmead’s transformed the space into “the show place of Jamaica Village” wrote the Brooklyn Eagle, a paradise of "roses, peonies, gladioli and hollyhocks . . . whose fragrance and beauty residents from all over the village came to enjoy." The Ashmead’s eventually deeded the property to the village for a public park. In 1898, when Jamaica was incorporated into greater New York City, the park came under new jurisdiction, and by 1910 had become derelict and overgrown with weeds. In 1914 the Jamaica Women’s Club, led by Kate Porter Blanchard, partnered with the Queens Department of Parks to create at Ashmead Park the borough's first public playground. The park was formally opened on July 31, 1914. Some 400 children attended the event, which featured a band, ice cream, and a speech by Park Commissioner John E. Weier. Like most city playgrounds at the time, Ashmead Park was supervised by a "play director." The Women's Club rented a nearby store to shelter children in the event of a storm and to keep first-aid supplies. Harriet Hassler of the Queens Children's Library curated a weekly "storytelling hour" for younger children. Ashmead Park was cut in half when Liberty Avenue was re-aligned through the space in the late 1930s. Too small and surrounded by traffic, it was no longer suitable for a playground. Today it survives as a little island of green, anchored by a flagpole, commemorating the long-ago generosity of the Ashmead’s and their commitment to improving life in our city.

John Patrick Brennan (1906-1956) served the Juvenile Affairs Branch of the New York Police Department for more than 17 years, but perhaps was more well known for his service to young track and field athletes as a leader in Police Athletic League (PAL) activities, among other leagues—in fact, two of the young women he coached even made it to the Olympics. Born on September 5, 1906 in Glasgow, Scotland, Brennan immigrated to Maspeth in 1916 with his mother, who had recently been widowed. His leadership in sports began early when, in his teens, he organized the Emeralds baseball team. While at Newtown High School, in addition to baseball, he also excelled on the track and became a cross-country champion of Queens. Brennan then won a scholarship to attend Fordham (class of 1929), where he continued to win on the track as the cross-country team's captain. Soon, however, Brennan began to focus more on the Seventh Regiment of the National Guard. But he still managed to incorporate his love of athletics, organizing and participating in tournaments through the Regiment. As captain in 1931 and 1932, he led the Seventh Regiment team to two successful State Military Athletic League championships. He would return to these annual track meets in later years as an official. After being placed in charge of a city-wide PAL track program in 1945, Brennan began focusing on girls' track and field. During this time he organized his first AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) girls’ track team, from which Mae Faggs of Bayside achieved entry into the 1948 Olympics. At 16 years old, Faggs was at the time the youngest person to compete for the U.S. in the Olympics. Though she didn't qualify for the 200-meter finals in 1948, she went on to win a gold at the 1952 Olympics in a 4x100 relay that broke the world record, and a bronze in the same race in 1956, becoming the first woman to compete in three Olympics. Following his time with PAL, Brennan created another sports program for the Equitable Life Assurance Company. Though the team did well, administrative changes soon led to its end. Those athletes came together again under Brennan in a new team known as the Mercurettes. From there another Olympian emerged, this time a javelin thrower, which at the time was a somewhat unusual sport for American women. Woodhaven's Marjorie Larney, 15, gained entry into the 1952 Olympics as its youngest javelin thrower. She had adopted the sport after Brennan had seen her tossing a football before track practice one day, and noticed her great arm. Though she didn't win a medal, she continued with her successful javelin and discus throwing career for many years. In February 1956, Brennan was heading home from a track meet when he suffered a heart attack, dying three weeks later and leaving behind his wife, Margaret Foster Brennan, and three daughters: Margaret Mary, Susan Anne, and Teresa Ellen. This field was dedicated in his honor on June 7, 1959, and, fittingly, following the dedication the PAL held a track and field meet at the site.

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Jack Friedman (1959-2015) served as Executive Director of the Queens Chamber of Commerce for seven years. He also served on Community School Board 26 for ten years, serving as president for five of those years. Friedman served on the New York State Joint Legislative Task Force and Community Board 13Q. He was president of the Coverdale Gardens Co-op, served on the board of directors of the Rocky Hill Civic Association, chaired the board of education of the Hebrew School at Bellerose Jewish Center, and served as president of the Middle School 74Q Parent Teacher Association.

Annie Cotton-Morris (1949-2023) was a community leader who served as president of the Woodside Houses Tenants Association for over forty years. She was a graduate of the New York City public school system and attended City College of New York, where she majored in Early Childhood Education. She spent over 30 years working at Verizon. In 2015, Cotton-Morris was elected Queens District Chair on the Citywide Council of Presidents, where she worked to bring stability and assurance to New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents citywide. She pushed political leaders for more affordable housing and to upgrade conditions for NYCHA residents, improving the quality of life for communities throughout Queens. Cotton-Morris also started the Sisters in the Hood program, offering mentorship and career advice for teen girls, as well as the Woodside Gents program for young men, which provided mentorship and sports involvement for young people. She served as a board member of Urban Upbound, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living in public housing. In honor of her decades of dedication to her community, Cotton-Morris posthumously received the New York Senate’s Women of Distinction Award from Senator Michael Gianaris in May of 2023.

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Stanley Wdowiak (1925-1988) served in World War II as a Radioman Second Class on board the destroyer excort U.S.S. Pillsbury. He received the Navy Cross from the President of the United States for his extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty when the U.S.S. Pillsbury captured the German Submarine U-505, on June 4, 1944, off Cape Blanco in French West Africa. The submarine was running on the surface with enemy personnel below setting demolition charges and scuttling. Stanley Wdowiak, with two other crew members of the U.S.S. Pillsbury, plunged down the conning tower of the enemy submarine and captured the German crewman. Eventually, the enemy submarine was towed to Bermuda. In later years, Stanley Wdowiak lived in Maspeth with his wife and children.

John Vogt (1956-2023) held many extracurricular activities, including volunteering and serving on the board of Sunnyside Shines, the local Business Improvement District, that he was instrumental in founding. He served on the board of Sunnyside Shines for the entire history of the organization, serving as Board Chair since its founding in 2007. He was also a former President and longtime leader of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce. He continued to support local businesses for his entire life and to improve the streetscape of Sunnyside. He served on the board of Copiague Kiwanis, working to foster the next generation of leaders. He was the President of the American Venice Civic Association, working to improve his local community and was very active with Troop 284 of the Boy Scouts.

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Staff Sergeant Patbouvier Enrique “Bobby” Ortiz (1964-1991) was a longtime resident of Queens who was killed in action during Operation Desert Shield. Born in Munich where his father, a U.S. Army 1st Sergeant was stationed, Ortiz was raised in Richmond Hill. In May 1983, at age 19, he followed his father's footsteps by enlisting in Army. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. His unit was one of first to be deployed to the Persian Gulf in Operation Desert Shield. On February 27, 1991, he volunteered to go on a rescue mission to find a pilot who had been shot down behind enemy lines. Ortiz was flying in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, searching for the downed pilot, when the craft was shot down. Ortiz was killed, along with helicopter's pilot and co-pilot. He was 27 years old.

Louis F. Simeone (1920-1984) was a Corona community activist. He was committed to fighting for increased senior housing in Corona and was a member of Community Board 4 and Community School Board 24, serving as the chair of both. Simeone earned his accounting degree from St. John's University, and had his own accounting and insurance firm in Queens, the Simeone Agency. He was also active in other civic organizations, including the Lions Club.

Private First Class Alberto Colon (1949-1968) was a United States Marine who was killed in action in Vietnam on February 20, 1968. He had just turned 19 at the time of his death. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

Dharmacharya Laldharry Seerattan (1933-2020) founded the Shri Devi Mandir in Jamaica, Queens. A dedicated humanitarian, he initiated numerous charitable missions with the support of his family and community, which eventually led to the creation of the Shri Devi Mandir Global Humanitarian Mission. Born in Guyana on October 5, 1933, Seerattan and his wife, Oomriah, were rice farmers. In 1983, they immigrated to the United States with their children. A devout follower of Durga Maa, Seerattan established the Shri Devi Mandir in 1988, five years after arriving in the U.S. His early humanitarian efforts, driven by his family and community, laid the groundwork for the Shri Devi Mandir Global Humanitarian Mission. His son, Pt. Tillackdharry Seerattan, continues his father's spiritual leadership at the mandir. In 1995, Dharmacharya and his wife founded the Shiv Shakti Mandir in their home village, taking on its maintenance. Each month, they sent food and clothing to the mandir for distribution to local villagers. Seerattan collaborated with various charitable organizations, including BAPS Care International, where he helped build a well in a poor Indian village in 2005. He also contributed to relief efforts for the Tsunami, Gujarat and Pakistan earthquakes, Guyana floods, Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti earthquake, Superstorm Sandy, and the Sankara Eye Foundation. Additionally, he sponsored Thanksgiving meals for senior citizens in Richmond Hill, Queens. Dharmacharya Seerattan established the Shri Devi Mandir Global Humanitarian Foundation Inc., which undertook projects such as building a home for a disabled mother in Guyana, distributing food hampers and eyeglasses, establishing computer centers, and funding student scholarships. He also supported Queens Hospital Center’s Department of Cardiology and provided aid to Guyana during the COVID-19 pandemic with over 16,000 face masks, 2,500 food hampers, and 2,000 children’s meals. His extensive humanitarian work earned him numerous citations. He passed away on July 12, 2020. His legacy continues through his 11 children, 29 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild, as noted by Ashook Ramsaran at the unveiling of Dharmacharya Seerattan Way on September 17, 2022.

Rocco “Rocky” J. Moretto (1924 – 2018) was drafted into the United States Army during WWII in 1943. He was a member of Company C in the Army’s First Infantry Division, the legendary Big Red One, who stormed Omaha Beach at the cost of more than 2,000 casualties. After the Normandy landings, he went on to serve in five campaigns before the war ended. He was awarded two Bronze Stars and on the 60th anniversary of D-Day, he was honored with the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest honor, in recognition of his service. A longtime Astoria resident, Moretto served on the United War Veterans Council of New York as well as post commander of American Legion Post 6 and the VFW Post 2348, located at 31-35 41st St between Broadway and 31st Avenue. VFW Post 2348 in Astoria was renamed in his honor in 2013.

Linda Ruscillo (1948-2018) was a longtime active member of the 100th Precinct Community Council, where she notably initiated a youth committee that developed after-school chess and volleyball programs for kids in the area. Her husband Danny also served the Council, first as recording secretary and then as president. Linda then became its corresponding secretary. The two worked together to bring back Rockaway ferry service after budget cuts arising from Hurricane Sandy threatened to shut it down, as well as to combat excessive plane noise in the area. Linda was also a noted animal lover who, over many years, adopted several cats and dogs. Linda passed away on October 1, 2018, at the age of 70. She was proposed as a candidate for street co-renaming by City Councilmember Joann Ariola, and the family held a ceremony to unveil the new street name on June 30, 2024, on the corner of Beach 124th Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard. "Linda Ruscillo was not just an advocate for this community," Councilwoman Ariola said at the ceremony, as noted by The Rockaway Times. "She was an inspiration, a role model, and a leader, to name just a few of her many titles.

Abram D. Ditmars (1822-1899), was an Astoria native who served as the first mayor of Long Island City. Ditmars was born in Newtown, New York (now the area of Elmhurst, Queens) on February 14, 1822 and attended local public schools. He later studied law under the auspices of John L. Riker and was admitted to the bar in 1844. In addition to beginning a career in law, Ditmars pursued a lucrative business as a real-estate dealer and was an active member of the Holland Society

Allison Hope Liao was only three years old in 2013 when she was hit and killed by a driver while crossing the street with her grandmother despite having the right of way. Since her death, the Liao family has helped to form “Families for Safe Streets,” an advocacy group comprised of families who have lost love ones or experienced serious injuries as a result of traffic violence. Her family’s efforts have been instrumental in lowering of the New York City default speed limit, passing of several traffic safety bills, and fighting for more safety cameras. Allison’s death was also among the catalysts for Vision Zero, a set of initiatives and outreach plans aimed at ending traffic deaths and injuries on New York City streets.

Thomas J. Ashton (1979-2001) was an electrician assigned to work at the World Trade Center on the day of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, where he tragically lost his life. A lifelong resident of Woodside, Queens, Ashton grew up in the Big Six Towers, attended St. Sebastian School, and was a devoted member of St. Sebastian Church.

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Reverend Monsignor Peter Zendzian (1952-2015) was associated with Maspeth all of his -life. He was baptized at Holy Cross Church in Maspeth, where he later served as Pastor for thirteen years. Before being the Pastor of Holy Cross Church, he served as a priest at St. Margaret's Church in Middle Village and St. Adalbert's Church in Elmhurst. He also served as Pastor of Saint Matthias Church in Ridgewood. He was heavily involved in civic and cultural activities, including serving as Chair of the Polish Apostolate in the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, Chair of the Polish American Priests Association and Chaplain of the Children's Smile Foundation in Maspeth. Monsignor Zendzian was also involved in the Polish American Congress and the Polish Supplementary School Council of America. He was heavily involved with matters of immigration, having served as the Director of the American Episcopate for Immigration in the United States, and sat on New York City Mayor Ed Koch's Immigration Advisory Board and the United State Department of Justice's Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). During his time at Holy Cross, he led the renovation of the church and supported the Festival of Polish Culture, led the creation of a monument of St. John Paul II, he served as chaplain of the Children’s Smile Foundation and was honored by Polish authorities in 1997 with the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.

Rabbi Simcha Krauss (1937-2022) was a leading figure of Modern Orthodox Judaism and an advocate for women’s rights within Orthodoxy. He created a rabbinical court to support women whose husbands refused to divorce them. He studied at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, where he received his rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner in 1963, and later studied with the Modern Orthodox luminary Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik. He served as a congregational rabbi for decades, first in Utica, New York, and later in St. Louis and in the Hillcrest neighborhood of Queens, where he led the Young Israel of Hillcrest for 25 years. He taught Talmud at Yeshiva University and began to get more involved in issues related to the role of women in Orthodoxy. In the 1990s, he began supporting the practice of women’s prayer groups, in which women gathered to worship together without men and often to read from the Torah together, a ritual traditionally only performed by men in Orthodox communities. In 1996, his wife became the founding principal of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, one of the first Modern Orthodox high schools to teach Talmud to women.

Salvatore Saraceno (1930-1994), a printer and lithographer, moved to Long Island City in 1958 and began buying and renovating brownstones. He served on Community Board 2 and was instrumental in creating John F. Murray Playground from what had been a rubble-strewn lot. He was also a leader in obtaining the designation of the Hunters Point Historic District, the first Historic District in the Borough of Queens.

George O’Neill (d. 2018) served in the United States Army. He later became the owner of O’Neill’s sports bar, which had been founded by his father in December 1933. O’Neill’s became well-known for hosting events, such as benefits for the NYPD, FDNY and St. Jude’s Hospital.

According to her family, Ava Conklin (2003-2023) was an eternally happy 19-year-old who loved ice cream, travel, animals, Broadway, and the Beatles. Living in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan and working at the Rockaway Hotel, she was waiting at a bus stop for her sister, Peyton, on Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Beach 108th Street on June 24, 2023 when she was fatally struck by a driver who jumped the curb. Born August 3, 2003 and raised in Hell's Kitchen, she spent a lot of time in Rockaway as well. Growing up, she was dedicated to the theater and music that surrounded her in the Theater District. In the fifth grade, Conklin joined Rosie’s Theater Kids, a local nonprofit arts organization that connects New York City public school kids to music and theater, where she gained a love for acting, dancing, and singing. She had just completed her first year at Vermont State University, where she was a psychology major. Legislation to rename the intersection in Conklin's name was introduced and passed in the City Council by NYC Councilwoman Joann Ariola in June 2024. The street co-naming ceremony took place on August 3, 2024, which would have been Conklin's 21st birthday. Her family, friends, Ariola, and some Rosie’s Theater Kids gathered for the ceremony. Since her death, Conklin's family has been advocating for a change to laws in drug testing drivers involved in fatal car crashes.

Alejandro Nino (d. 2010) was a dedicated community member, serving in various roles throughout his life. He was a member of the City Volunteer Corps, a therapy aide at Coler Specialty Hospital, a maintenance worker for the Department of Parks, and an assistant at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen. Nino was raised in a Colombian-Cuban household on 49th Street and had lived in Woodside since 1981. He served in the Army National Guard until 2007, when he was diagnosed with cancer and honorably discharged. Nino lost his battle with the disease in March 2010, at the age of 36.

Lorraine Sciulli (1934-2017) was a member of Community Board 5 for over two decades. An active participant in her community, she was a long-time first vice president of the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA); served as editor and advertising manager for the Juniper Berry Newsletter; and was chair of the membership committee. In 2012 she was named one of New York State's Women of Distinction, an honor given annually to one woman in each of the state's 62 Senate districts.

Justin Zemser (1995–2015) was a highly respected figure in Rockaway. A popular student at Channel View Academy High School, he served in student government, played on the football team, and graduated as valedictorian in 2012. While in high school, he interned for Council Member Eric Ulrich to serve his community and learn about local government, while also volunteering at a local church and soup kitchen. After earning admission to the United States Naval Academy, Zemser remained closely connected to his hometown, frequently returning to Channel View Academy to give inspirational speeches to students. As a role model, he inspired many local youth to follow in his footsteps by joining student government. Tragically, Zemser was killed while traveling home to Rockaway when his Amtrak train derailed in Philadelphia. Today, the community honors his memory through several annual events, including a children's obstacle course race.

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Edith N. Putney was a teacher at Newtown High School and founded the XYZ club. She died at the age of 39, attempting to save 3 of her students who drowned in a rafting accident. The tablet was placed on the wall of Newtown High in 1923.

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Jayden Zahir McLaurin (2007-2023) was a lifelong resident of the Ravenswood Houses, where his deep passion for basketball began. A talented athlete, he played for the Boys & Girls Club (CM3), Team Pro Reps, Martin Luther King High School, IS 204, and the 114th Precinct’s Saturday Night Lights program. As a sophomore at the Martin Luther King Jr. High School for Law, Advocacy, and Community Justice, Jayden was a resolute member of the bowling team and aspired to a future career as a realtor or an attorney. A natural leader and a pillar of his community, Jayden served as a vital bridge between local youth and older generations. He was known for his instinctual kindness, never hesitating to assist seniors or volunteering his time to organize community events. Tragically, Jayden’s life was killed while he was riding a Citi-bike in a hit-and-run accident in April 2023, leaving a profound void in the neighborhood he so vibrantly represented. In the wake of his passing, the Boys & Girls Club, local schools, the 114th Precinct, and the Ravenswood Community Center have honored his legacy through memorial events and basketball tournaments. His family remains a dedicated voice for change, organizing rallies for the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims to raise awareness about intersection safety and prevent future tragedies. On Saturday, March 9, 2024, Council Member Julie Won and the family of Jayden McLaurin held a street co-naming ceremony at 35th Avenue and 21st Street for the 16-year-old Ravenswood Houses resident at the intersection where he lived.

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Allen Sylvane (1913-1984,) was chief engineer for Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center. He also designed and managed the installation of all radio and sound systems in New York City's public schools from 1936 to 1946. He was also active in civic and charitable work in the Rockaways. He spent 25 years with the Neponsit Property Owners Association, was a member of Community Board 14 and a director of Peninsula Hospital.

Jonathan Narain (1991 – 2018), was a corrections officer at Rikers Island, who was shot and killed on September 14, 2018, in a road rage incident on his way to work. He was a regular attendee at Shree Durga Mandir, a Hindu religious institution. He was a leader within the Mandir and worked with students and worshippers offering counseling, and even career advice about working for the City of New York. He was an inaugural member of Naturally Recklez, a popular charitable Caribbean music group in Queens where he played the dholak, a percussion instrument. It was here he began mentoring and coaching teenagers. He left behind a legacy as a role model and provided young people access to music education in the neighborhood. Within the Department of Correction, he was an active member of the Desi Society, a South Asian and Indo-Caribbean organization that seeks to increase minority recruitment in the Department.

Louis C. Moser (1904-1983) was an activist in Jackson Heights for over forty years. Moser is best remembered for the creation of the North Queens Home Owners’ Civic Association, founded in 1941 with only ten families. The group focused its efforts on preserving the residential character of northern Queens by preventing over-development and defending the rights and interests of homeowners. Moser also promoted both pedestrian and motorist safety in Jackson Heights; he successfully petitioned for the installation of safety lighting on sidewalks and traffic lights in his community. By the time of Moser’s death, 700 families belonged to the North Queens Homeowners Civic Association. Throughout his 42 years of civic service, Moser staunchly supported the proliferation and maintenance of parks and playgrounds in Jackson Heights.

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Anthony J. Pranzo (d. 2012) was a popular teacher and principal for 23 years. After his death in 2012 from pancreatic cancer, Community Education Council 24 recommended that his school, P.S. 113 be renamed in his honor "because the late principal turned the school into a beacon of academic excellence," according to a report from QNS in 2013. The school had previously been named for Isaac Chauncy, U.S. Naval officer who fought in the War of 1812. At the 2013 CEC 24 meeting, the new PS 113 principal, Alejandro Megias, noted that Pranzo "turned that building into a family made up of teachers, parents and children.”

Anthony Leo Placella, a native of Long Island City, served in the US Army's 4th Infantry Division in World War I. He died of bronchio-pneumonia abroad on October 16, 1918, twenty-six days before Armistice and the end of the war. This park has since been renamed Sixteen Oaks Grove.

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Christine Haider (1947–2023) was a dedicated leader in her Flushing community. She served on Queens Community Board 11 for more than 30 years and was the first female Board Chair from 2014 to 2019, leading an all-female group of officers. Her deep knowledge of board rules and procedures earned her the nickname "the parliamentarian" of the community board. She also presided over the Harding Heights Civic Association and was an active member of numerous local, national, and international organizations, including the Saul Weprin Democratic Club, the National Notary Association, and the International Association of Administrative Professionals. Haider was deeply engaged in various local issues, such as infrastructure improvements, zoning protections, and school safety. Haider also had a long career in administration. She worked as an executive secretary for the National Industrial Conference Board in New York City and for Columbia University before becoming an administrator in Columbia’s Partnership for Gender-Specific Medicine in 1978. From 2005 to 2007, she worked as a human resources specialist, assisting the medical recruiter for the New York Army National Guard. Haider was married to her husband, Howard (1941–2016), for 49 years. He also has a street named in his honor, located at the corner of 207th Street and Northern Boulevard.

Fred O. Wilson (1922-2007) was a decorated pilot and one of the last remaining Tuskegee Airmen who served in World War II. He was one of four Native American pilots to fly with the Tuskegee Airmen, a predominantly African-American fighter squadron which is remembered as never losing a bomber to enemy fire. He, along with the rest of the Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Medal of Honor presented by President George W. Bush.

Christopher J. O’Sullivan (1936-1965) was born and raised in Astoria, Queens. He attended Immaculate Conception School in Astoria, Xavier High School and enrolled in the ROTC program at Fordham University. After graduating in 1958, O’Sullivan was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army and became an airborne ranger. He served in Thailand, before going to Vietnam as a military adviser. In May of 1965, during a counter attack against the Viet Cong, O’Sullivan was hit by shrapnel. He died on Memorial Day, May 30, 1965, at the age of twenty-eight. On behalf of her husband, Mrs. Eleanor O’Sullivan accepted six medals, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart.

E. M. T. David Marc Sullins (1971-2001) was an ambulance paramedic based at Cabrini Medical Center. He was killed during the rescue operations at the World Trade Center following the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001.

Walter Ward (1911 - 1994) was a member of the New York City Council for a quarter of a century, serving 13 terms from 1968 until 1993, representing the 32nd District which encompassed Howard Beach, Broad Channel, the Rockaways, Ozone Park, and South Ozone Park. Born in Brooklyn, Ward studied at the Dale Carnegie Institute before establishing his business, the Ward Advertising Company, which specialized in outdoor signs. He sold the business in 1971 to devote himself solely to representing the 32nd district of the City Council, where he fought for clean beaches and against airplane noise. Ward became chair of the City Council Committee of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and a member of the Education, Finance, Youth Service and General Welfare committees. Ward served as a Democratic elector for New York State in the 1960 presidential election, helping to cast a winning vote electoral vote for John F. Kennedy. Towards the end of his tenure, Ward was the oldest member of the legislative body, and had earned the unofficial title "Dean of the Council." After losing his bid for a 13th term in 1993, Mr. Ward continued to serve as a Democratic district leader in Queens. In addition to his political activities, Ward served on various community boards and organizations, such as the 101st Precinct Community and Youth Council, the Ozone Howard Little League, and the Wyckoff Heights Hospital Advisory Board.

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Mario P. Russo (1915 – 2002) known to many as "Mr. Rockaway," was a member of Queens Community Board 14 for over 30 years, head of Arverne Civic Association, started Dancing Under the Stars, and was responsible for many of the tree plantings in Rockaway. Mario Russo was born in 1915 in Jersey City, N.J. to Anna and Rocco Russo. He was the youngest of six children. His parents had a summer home in Arverne and Mario came to Rockaway during the summers. As a teenager and young man he worked for Mr. Leo Miele delivering ice and also at a grocery store known as Mondello. Mario met Diana Macaluso in Rockaway one summer and they were married at St. Rose of Lima Church on November 30, 1941, by Rev. James Galvin. The marriage took place the week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Diana worked for the Rockaway Chamber of Commerce and later for Social Services. Mario joined the United States Coast Guard and served from 1942 to 1945. Mario was a carpenter by trade and worked on many of the Rockaway projects such as Hammels Houses, Arverne, Nordeck, Dayton and Surfside and later at the Green Acres shopping area. Before his retirement, Mario was head of the Somerville-Arverne Civic Association, served as President of the Arverne Civil Council Inc. for many years and put out a monthly bulletin.

Lynda McDougald (d. 2018) moved to Curtis Street in East Elmhurst in 1965. In her youth, she attended PS 127, Flushing High School, and worshipped at the Corona Congregational Church. In the 1960s, she was a Civil Rights pioneer. She marched on Washington with Dr. King, and participated in a sit-in at the Department of Education. She founded the networking/investment group Wealth of Knowledge that is now known as Endeavors Unlimited. In 1991, she joined the staff of the Abyssinian Baptist Church and served as its membership and ministry manager. In 1978, she was a founding member of the Curtis Street Block Association and served as the president many times. She was also the president of the East Elmhurst-Corona Civic Association. She was a member of the Antioch Baptist Church of Corona, Community Board 3, the Jerome Hardeman Sr. Child Care center, the Frederick Douglass Democratic Association, the NAACP, and the 115th Precinct Council.

George S. Kaufman (1928-2018), was the founder of Kaufman Astoria Studios, a film studio located in Astoria, Queens. In 1982, Kaufman, a Korean War veteran, took over the old movie studio lot that had fallen into disuse. The studio had originally opened in 1920 and had been used by the likes of the Marx Brothers. Over 120 silent and sound films were produced at the studio while it was home to Paramount Pictures until the 1940s when during WWII, it was used by the US military to produce films. Kaufman renamed it Kaufman Astoria Studios and transformed it into a full-service studio with more than 500,000 square feet of soundstages. The surrounding area was revitalized, becoming the Kaufman Arts District, and home to the Museum of the Moving Image. The studio was recognized by a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Many movies and television shows have been filmed on the lot, including Hair, The Wiz, Goodfellas, and Sesame Street. Kaufman was an active member of the Real Estate Board of New York and also served on the boards of a number of philanthropic and civil organizations, such as The Whitney Museum, the Fashion Institute of Technology, Exploring the Arts, and the Museum of the Moving Image. He was the Founding Chairman of the Fashion Center BID.

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Joseph Austin (1904-1998) was a longtime youth league coach and active member of the Jamaica, Queens community. Austin worked after school at the Boyce MotoMeter Company in Long Island City to support his family. He played on the company baseball team and would later play semi-professional baseball on various teams. After losing his job during the Great Depression, Austin coached co-ed youth sports teams in baseball, basketball, and football. He continued coaching after he found a job at the Piels Brewery in Brooklyn once the 21st Amendment ended prohibition in 1933. One of Austin’s most famous players was Governor Mario M. Cuomo (1932-2015), a fellow dedicated public servant and accomplished baseball player.

Peter N. Chahales (1922-1994) known as “Mayor of Maspeth”, along with his wife Ethel were the owners of the popular Spartan Restaurant on Grand Avenue and 73rd Place where people went for fine dining and political fundraisers and weddings. Peter and Ethel drove around town in their antique car and always took the time to talk with neighbors, they also organized the local Gay Nineties Parade, where store owners dressed up in period outfits and there were marching bands, clowns, antique cars and trucks.

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Yianni Colombos volunteered to help the elderly in his community by helping them do their shopping, shovel snow for those who could not and also assisted those with Down Syndrome. He died due to an allergic reaction at Mount Sinai.

Henry Clayton, Jr. (1943-2019) relentlessly served his community starting in the 1970s, providing free extermination services in his Southeast Queens community. He then went on to open what became one of the largest black owned travel agencies in NYC in March of 1988, growing to employ over 30 black and brown community members who also went on to become professional entrepreneurs. He also partnered with Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York to provide safe, affordable, and memorable trips for seniors and their families. Additionally, he used his community route as a Frito-Lay salesman as a pathway to support, employ and mentor young men throughout Jamaica Queens. He provided holiday gifts out of his own pocket for over 150 families every year.

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More info coming soon. If you have information about a named place currently missing from our map, please click on "Add/Edit" and fill out the form. This will help us fill in the blanks and complete the map!

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Luke J. Lang (c.1894-1917), was a soldier who died in World War I. He lived on Bleeker Street in nearby Ridgewood and worked as a printer for J.E. Hetsch on Duane Street. The land for this park was originally owned by Alden Sampson & Son and was acquired by the city in 1916. Measuring 1/1000 of an acre, Luke J. Lang Square is said to be the smallest park in New York City.

Andrew J. Reiff (1887-1963) was a community activist and president of the Ridgewood-Metropolitan Civic Association of Queens.

Mr. Shri Prakash Gossai, born in Guyana in 1953, came to the United States in 1983 on a teaching scholarship for marine biology. He taught for 10 years at Thomas Jefferson High School, serving underprivileged youth. He had a strong connection to spirituality and went to India for intensive study of Vedant Hindu philosophy. After his studies, he founded the Bhuvaneshwar Mandir in 1984 in Brooklyn and then founded the Queens branch located at 86-01 101st Avenue in 2004. At Bhuvaneshwar Mandir, he was able to distill the wisdom he had attained in India, and package it into easily accessible, practical, and inspirational advice on living life efficiently while striving for peace in the world. Mr. Gossai went back to Guyana in 2006 as the Spiritual Advisor to the President of Guyana. This was his dream and it was there that his millions of devotees around the world learned of his untimely passing in 2009.

Frank Golden (1915-1968), was a prominent labor leader. Golden was an officer of the New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council as well as the founder and chairman of the Queens Community Labor Committee.

Joseph Hock (d. 1937) died while saving his fiancée's little brother and his friend from drowning in Jamaica Bay. It was a hot week in the middle of summer, so Hock suggested that he and his fiancée, Helen Radford, take her 7-year-old brother, James, and his neighborhood friend Edward Internia, 9, to the beach on August 21, 1937. Hock, 24, was generous with the local kids. Working as a radio mechanic at General Electric, he often brought them places on his days off. On this day, the four went to Idlewild Beach in South Jamaica—a site that, in 1948, became Idlewild Airport and which was eventually renamed as John F. Kennedy International Airport. Suddenly James and Edward got too far into the water and began to struggle, crying for help. Hock ran into the water, fully clothed, and managed to bring the boys into shallower water, where others brought them to shore. But Hock didn't make it, falling back into the water and drowning before anyone could save him. James, undeterred by the scare, grew up and joined the Merchant Marines, where he served at sea for most of his career. He said his sister, Helen, wasn't able to shake the horror of seeing her fiancé die that day. She never went into the water again. This road on the grounds of Kennedy Airport was renamed in Hock's honor by the Port Authority on January 7, 2019.

Rev. Henry J. McCormack (1915-1993) was a Catholic priest who served the northwestern Queens community for more than 50 years. He was head of the Hospital Apostolate for the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens and acted as the Chaplain of Queens General Hospital (now NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens) in the neighborhoods of Jamaica Hills and Hillcrest, as well as a comforter for the sick at the nearby Long Island Jewish Hospital in Glen Oaks. McCormack was ordained on June 9, 1941. He was first appointed in the same year to St. Luke’s Church in Whitestone by Bishop Thomas E. Malloy. He served as pastor of Our Lady of the Snows parish in Floral Park from 1974 until his retirement on January 1, 1988, when he transitioned to pastor emeritus. The congregation celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination June 9, 1991. McCormack died on October 30, 1993. Henry J. McCormack Triangle was named in his honor in the same year. It is located on a traffic island at the intersection of Union Turnpike and 79th Avenue, between 258th and 259th Streets in Floral Park, which is a short walk from Our Lady of the Snows, Father McCormack’s former parish.

James Clifford Gadsden (1926 – 2005) was a community leader and activist, often referred to as “the Mayor of Springfield Gardens.” He was a community spokesman who motivated the residents of Springfield Gardens to unite in order to protect their rights and residential property from being rezoned as commercial property, organizing his neighbors to fight the creation of a warehouse in the community in 1967. He was one of the founders and first chairperson of the Spring-Gar Community Civic Association. He also served on Community Board 13 for over 20 years, was the Democratic District Leader in the 31st Assembly District – Part B, and served on the Community School Board – District 29 in Queens.

Sean Bell discovered at the age of six that he was passionate about baseball. He began playing for the Ozone Park Wakefield Little League where he remained a player for eight years. He then went on to play baseball for John Adams High School where he led his team to the NYC High School Championship played at Yankee Stadium. He went on to play for Nassau Community College where he averaged 11.0. He put his baseball career on hold to support his family. In the early morning hours of his wedding day on November 25, 2006, he walked out of a Queens nightclub, climbed into his car with two friends who had been celebrating with him and was killed by bullets fired by five police officers. The shooting sparked protests throughout the City. The officers involved were ultimately acquitted of criminal charges brought against them. Nevertheless, Mr. Bell’s death has led to reforms within the police department, including the administering of breathalyzer tests after every time a police officer discharges his/her firearm.

Lance Corporal Kopacska (1945-1967) graduated top of his class in Automotive High School in 1965 and dreamed of opening his own Texaco service station. When Lance Corporal Kopacska was around, friends, neighbors and even strangers’ cars ran like new. He willingly wanted to fight for his country and enlisted in the Marines in 1965. Tragically, he was killed in the line of duty during the Vietnam War in May 1967 at the age of 21.

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Vito Locascio (1935-2006) was a 40-year veteran of the New York City Parks and Recreation Department. Locascio first came to work for Parks at the greenhouse in Forest Park in the early 1950’s. He was drafted soon after, and served in the Korean War where he was wounded in battle and received an honorable discharge. Locascio then returned to the Parks Department where he rose through the ranks. Locascio served as president of DC 37 Local 1508, Uniformed Parks Supervisors, for 12 years in Coney Island. As Local 1508 president, Locascio helped gain weekend premiums for Parks Supervisors and established some of the local’s rich traditions, including the honor guard. Locascio trained Supervisors and Parkies and was an instructor at the agency’s Olmsted Center Training Academy. He was president of the Columbia Society, an Italian fraternity, for 32 years and served as president of its national fraternity. He finished his career for the Parks Dept. in downtown Brooklyn and passed away at age 70 from cancer in 2006.

Stephen Piorkowski (1960-2015) was an athletic coach at Bayside High School for more than 20 years. He led the softball team to many championships and also coached the girls' basketball team.

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Arthur “Artie” Hill (1922-2010) was one of the first men of color to rise to the rank of Chief in the New York City Police Department. Chief Arthur Burit Hill was born in New York in 1922 and grew up in Harlem. He graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx in 1940 and served in the United States Army during World War II from 1942 to 1946. Upon an honorable discharge from military service, Hill took civil service exams and joined the NYPD in 1946. He steadily rose through the ranks and became the first African American Commander of the Support Service Unit. Hill was the Commanding Officer of the Malcolm X funeral detail in February 1965. The St. Albans resident retired from the NYPD in 1973 to begin a second career as an executive for UPS. He became active in civic and charitable organizations in Southeast Queens, including his service as the long-time Executive Secretary of the Guy R. Brewer Democratic Club.

James M. Hughes, Sr. was a civic leader, a member of Amity Baptist Church, a successful entrepreneur, a Master Mason and the Chairman of the Brinkerhoff Action Association, an organization that promotes civic pride and informs homeowners and residents of their rights in relation to city projects.

John Bowne, (1627–1695), an English Quaker, arrived in New Netherland in 1649. Defying Governor Stuyvesant's attempts to suppress religious freedom, Bowne offered his home as a meeting place for fellow Quakers. This act landed him in jail, even leading to deportation, but eventually his conviction was overturned. Bowne returned to Flushing, acquiring land that included the Quaker Meeting House and a burial ground, where he rests after his death in 1695. Before Bowne's arrival, this land belonged to the Matinecock people, native inhabitants of Flushing Creeke. Although history records land sales to the Dutch and perhaps to Bowne himself, it also documents prior violence against the Matinecock community, and a devastating smallpox epidemic in 1652. Despite these hardships, some Matinecock people remain a living presence in Queens today.

Betty Myrl Victoria Davis (1938 – 2001) was a Jamaican immigrant and a resident of Elmont, served as a crossing guard for nine years at PS 147 and Sacred Heart Roman Catholic School, both in Cambria Heights. She braved snow, sleet and rain but always enjoyed the sunshine in reporting to work to protect children every day, from the hazards of the road. Davis was a long-time member of the Hollis Avenue Congregational Church, where she served as president of the Chancel Choir and Sunday school teacher. She was a member of the church’s charismatic prayer group and coordinated children’s plays. She died performing her duties as a school crossing guard at the intersection of 221st Street and 115th Road which has been renamed in her honor.

Walter J. Wetzel (1944-1966), a native of Queens, attended Our Lady of Grace School, Far Rockaway High School, and St. John's Preparatory School. He joined the US Army in 1965 and began a tour in Vietnam on May 8, 1966. While on reconnaissance, his group was ambushed by two active enemy machine guns. Pfc Wetzel destroyed one with his first grenade. Though wounded, he threw a second grenade, destroying the other machine gun and saving many lives. He died on May 29, 1966, and was awarded the Bronze Star with V for valor.

Flight Officer Lawrence A. (Bubba) Brown (1909-2012) was involved in the Red Tail Project of the Tuskegee Airmen. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1942 and spent World War II serving in a segregated unit in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He was a flight officer and one of the original Tuskegee Airmen. He was wounded in Italy and spent 18 months recovering in Army hospitals. After his discharge, he worked in the Minnesota Department of Revenue as a tax auditor. From 1966 to 1968, as an accountant, he helped set up an income tax withholding system in Uganda, East Africa under a contract with the United States Agency for International Development. He was one of the three original founders of the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis, which opened its first house in 1979. He was a volunteer coach and mentor at the Phyllis Wheatley Settlement House and also tutored in the Minneapolis Public Schools.

Frank W. Plaut (1884-1949) was a native of Flushing, Queens. He was active in the civic affairs of his neighborhood and also donated the land for this park. Plaut grew up in a house near the present location of St. Mary’s Cemetery. After his marriage to Katherine Siebert in 1917 and the later birth of their daughter Dorothea, Plaut and his family moved to Long Island City. In 1926, the family relocated to a new home in Auburndale, but finally settled just a few blocks away on 170th Street. Plaut is remembered as an outgoing and spirited citizen who was an active member of the Flushing Democratic Club.

Born in Brooklyn to Bavarian immigrants, George Seuffert, Sr. (1875-1964) received his only formal music training from the violinist Joseph Zoellner. Seuffert became a music teacher and concert violinist before establishing the Concordia Military Band in 1894, later becoming the Seuffert Band. They performed on a bandstand on this spot until 1920, when the bandshell was built to replace it. Seuffert worked as a bank executive and personally knew John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), the famous Marine Band leader. Sousa had a large influence on Seuffert’s son, George Seuffert, Jr., who took his father’s place as bandleader in 1931. Seuffert retired in 1945 and died in Ridgewood, Queens, on November 9, 1964. The bandshell was named for him by local law in 1979. George Seuffert, Jr., was born on May 10, 1912, and learned to play the piano when he was four years old. He began providing free concerts in 1928, when he was just 16, and three years later went on to fill his father’s position as bandleader. Seuffert then served in the Marines during World War II, conducting the Third Marine Air Wing Band in the Pacific. He studied music at New York University, where he earned his M.A. and Ph.D in education. In 1951, Seuffert was named director of the Fordham University Band. He also served on the advisory board of the Lighthouse Music School, the New York Association for the Blind, and taught music in Bushwick and Grover Cleveland High Schools, serving as the chair of the music department. In 1966, Mayor John V. Lindsay (1921-2000) appointed Seuffert the City’s music consultant. Seuffert reportedly knew all the world’s national anthems, and was responsible for performing them at diplomatic functions for the city. He is best remembered in this community for the free concerts the Seuffert Band gave every summer at this bandshell. By the time Seuffert died on May 9, 1995 in Narragansett, Rhode Island, the Seuffert Band was one of the last concert bands in the city. After Seuffert’s death, the Queens Symphony Orchestra began performing in the bandshell, continuing the tradition of free concerts.

Alexander C. Grey (1866-1933) was a veteran Queens newspaperman and a respected community member from Whitestone. Grey died in Queens Flushing Hospital on March 21, 1933, after suffering from a fractured skull. Single and 66 years old at the time of his death, he is buried in Flushing Cemetery. Located in Whitestone, Alexander Grey Triangle was originally named Francis Lewis Square in honor of the merchant, patriot, and co-signer of the Declaration of Independence, Francis Lewis (1713-1802). In 1940, the park was renamed by local law to honor Grey.

Father Matthew J. Crosson (1908-1968) was born in Greenwich Village, N.Y. He was ordained in 1934 and served as an Army chaplain in the South Pacific in World War II. In his youth he played baseball and basketball with independent and semi-pro teams on Long Island, and was later known as "The Baseball Priest" because of his long-standing association with youth athletic leagues. He held several pastorates throughout the New York City area. His final assignment was at St. Patrick's Church, Highland Mills, N.Y., from 1964 until his death in 1968. Within this small "sitting park" is a bronze tablet memorializing Father Crosson.

Jefferson Diggs (d. 2010) was a Civil Rights activist who lived in Jamaica, Queens with his wife Sonia Geder for more than 40 years. Born in West Virginia, Diggs moved to Ohio, where he attended high school and wrote for a local Black newspaper, the Ohio State Sentinel. He enrolled at Winston Salem State Teachers College, where he was moved by the injustices of racism and segregation, joined the Civil Rights movement and participated in the first wave of sit-ins at Woolworth and Kress lunch counters. After graduating, Diggs was hired as one of the first African-American reporters by The New York Daily News. In 1983, he started working for former Councilmember Archie Spigner as a part-time legislative aide and subsequently for his successor, current Councilmember Leroy Comrie. Diggs was active in his community and was a founding member of the Elmer Blackburne Regular Democratic Club and a member of the Guy Brewer Democratic Club, Jamaica NAACP, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., the Black Heritage Board and Community Board 12. He was also an active member of Immaculate Conception R.C. Church.

Charles A. Pringle Jr., Esq. (1973 – 2006) graduated from Jamaica High School’s Gateway Program and was recognized by National Westminster Bank as an outstanding Young Achiever. Charles graduated from St. John’s University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Chairman of the Political Action Committee of the NAACP, a manager for the St. John’s Redman Basketball team and a member of Haraya – a Black Student’s Coalition. He graduated from Queens College Law School in 1999 and served as chairman of the Board for the Northeast Black Law Students Association Job Fair from 1999 to 2003. He also helped found the Young Democrats of Queens. He was hired as an Assistant District Attorney for Bronx County, and in 2001 at age 28, he ran for political office of Assemblyman for the 31st Assembly District with the slogan, “Pringle for the People…New Leadership Fighting for You” and was elected to the position of Democratic District Leader for the 31st Assembly District, Part B

Dorothy Neary (1920 – 2014), was a community advocate in Woodside, Queens which she moved to in 1930. Neary participated in St. Teresa's Rosary Society, Girl Scouts, and much later became one of the directors of the United Forties Civic Association. She was the Vice President and Treasurer of Datamovers, Inc., an air mail expediting and messenger company started by her husband in 1954. She was continually active in her community and was passionate about the United Forties' efforts to maintain a high quality of life in the area of the number 40 streets in Woodside through some difficult times; she was also the United Forties newsletter editor for about fifteen years.

Kenneth Gridley Judson (d. 1970) was a Navy veteran and commodity broker whose family was one of the founders of Forest Hills Gardens. Judson was born in Stratford, CT and graduated from the United States Naval Academy just before World War I. In 1918 he received his commission as Ensign in the War, at which point his home was listed as Slocum Crescent in Forest Hills. Following the war, he returned to Queens and joined his uncle William H. Judson's cotton brokerage firm, Judson & Co., through which he also later served the New York Cotton Exchange. Judson called Forest Hills home for 65 years. He was president of the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation for several years, and was a member of the West Side Tennis Club, the Sons of the Colonial Wars, and the Sons of the American Revolution. On May 27, 1970, Judson passed away at the age of 75 at his home at 61 Olive Place (now Fleet Street). He was survived by his wife, Carolyn, and two sons and three grandchildren.

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Private First Class Le Ron Adrian Wilson (1988-2007) immigrated to the United States from Trinidad and Tobago at the age of 11 to live with his mother in Springfield Gardens, Queens. He dreamed of a military career and enlisted after graduating from Thomas Edison High School. He was deployed to Iraq and was killed on July 6, 2007, when an IED exploded near his vehicle.

Steven R. Trimboli (1918 - 2003), a Pearl Harbor survivor and WWII veteran, was a construction executive and an influential member of the Elmhurst community. He was a leader of the Elmhurst Lions Club, the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce, and the Elmhurst Development Corporation. As president of the Italian Charities of America, he established one of the first lunch programs for senior citizens in the community. He also organized Corona’s Community Preservation Program and was chairperson of the first Community Board in Corona-Elmhurst.

Luke N. Gasparre (1924-2020) entered military service in 1944 and was deployed to France, where he served in the 87th Infantry Division. During that time he participated in securing the city of Metz, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. For his service, he received seven medals, including the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was later awarded the French Legion of Honor. After the war, Gasparre returned to Astoria, where he started a family and took a job with the U.S. Postal Service. In 1964, he took a second job with the New York Mets at the recently opened Shea Stadium. During his 55 years as an usher, he witnessed two World Series victories, the legendary concert by the Beatles, and a visit from the Pope. Although he grew up a Yankees fan (and was once even quizzed on baseball and the Yankees to prove he was an American soldier), he became one of the most familiar, beloved faces at Shea Stadium and Citi Field. Gasparre was also a ticket taker and usher at the U.S. Open for more than 40 years. He became the longtime leader of the Tamiment Democratic Club and various other civic groups. He was married to his late wife, Madeline, for 66 years and they had a family of three children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

This sitting area is named for Ilse M. Metzger (1923-1981), a member of the Forest Hills community for many years, who escaped from the Nazis in World War II and continued on to assist Allied Forces in several capacities. From war-torn Europe, she brought with her the compassion and public commitment that blossomed in her transplanted community. Born on July 28, 1923 in Vienna, Austria, Metzger fled to Scotland, as did many other Jewish children, after Hitler invaded Austria in 1938. Her parents were captured by the Nazis, but Metzger found safe haven with a Christian family in Aberdeen. She worked in a defense factory in London, England during the war, later traveling to Germany to assist the Allies as a reader-translator of important German military and government documents. During this time, she met her husband, David, while he was stationed in the Air Force. Remarkably, her parents survived the brutal persecutions of the Holocaust, and the family was reunited after the war. Metzger immigrated to the United States in 1946. The Metzgers settled in Forest Hills, where they raised two children, Stephan and Lois. Metzger became involved in the Democratic Party, joining the JFK Club. In 1971, she became a district leader for Forest Hills and Kew Gardens, along with Council Member Morton Povman, and worked to encourage voter registration and improve public services. Metzger also worked with the Boy Scouts, Hadassah, and the local civilian crime patrol. She was also employed as an official in the New York City Department of Transportation. Metzger died of cancer in January of 1981.

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Hernando Ríos (October 22, 1975 – August 7, 2005) was a true American Hero. He bravely answered the call of duty and joined the New York National Guard after the war in Iraq began. He also served as a maintenance supervisor in the World Trade Center during the attacks of September 11, 2001. While on patrol in Iraq, his Humvee was attacked by insurgents using a roadside bomb that resulted in his death. As of 2006, his family had lived on the street where he is being honored for over 33 years. Ríos' loved ones remember him for his joy and kindness, especially in his efforts to protect and defend the little guy.

Fred J. Mazzarello (1922 – 2006) was a longtime community activist and founder of the College Point Board of Trade in 1969, where he served as President for many years. He was also Chairman of the College Point Memorial Day parade for over a decade.

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Alvin Benjamin (1920-2012) was a real estate developer originally from Brooklyn, NY, who is remembered for his commitment to building affordable multifamily and senior housing projects. Benjamin's vision of community transformation through smart-growth and environmentally-conscious development translated into the Arverne by The Sea project in Rockaway, Queens, one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in the country at the time of its opening in 2004. Born in Brooklyn, NY, Benjamin graduated from Erasmus Hall High School and Brooklyn College before voluntarily enlisting in the United States Navy during World War II. He rose to the rank of captain and was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions aboard a landing vessel during the battle of Iwo Jima. After his military service, Benjamin enrolled in law school and took a position as a mortgage broker with the LeFrak Organization, resulting in the foundation of Benjamin Development in the early 1960s (now called The Benjamin Companies, located in Garden City, NY). Benjamin's imprint was initially centralized in New York with a focus on affordable senior housing – a niche he saw as not being adequately served - and his company eventually spread throughout the East Coast. His development portfolio similarly expanded to include both affordable and luxury multifamily units, as well as smart-growth communities incorporating residential, commercial and retail properties. Benjamin was proud that the hallmark of his projects, and now, his legacy as a developer, was building in harmony with the environment while fulfilling the needs of the local community. To this point, he has been quoted saying, “A developer must respect nature’s gifts and build to complement what she has given.”

Genevieve 'Jean' Albetta (d. 2004) was a long-time school crossing guard who helped the schoolchildren of St. Adalbert Catholic School cross the intersection at Calamus Avenue at Grand Avenue for 11 years. A vibrant and active participant in community affairs, she loved her neighborhood and could be found at her post in most every kind of weather, even while she was in poor health. Albetta, who was born in Hempstead, L.I., lived in several orphanages as a child. Following a 22-year career with TWA, she became a crossing guard only blocks from her Elmhurst home and was also shop steward for District Council 37. She worked up until the day of her passing on May 29, 2004, at age 74.

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Dr. Deborah Hoyle (1960 – 2921) was an educator and environmentalist, and a staunch advocate for bettering the lives of those who live in the Rockaways. She served as the Director of the Ocean Bay Cornerstone Community Center where she created a host of programs that provided approximately two hundred children with academic support, enrichment activities–such as the hydroponics garden that she and the children nurtured–and a food bank that ensured people in Rockaway never went hungry. She worked through the pandemic, despite her illness (cancer), distributing free food each week to a thousand people who would line the outside of the center for two or three blocks. She even hired a DJ to entertain them while they waited. She was the first person to start a tenants’ association at the Ocean Village property in Arverne and was well known for writing and receiving grants that funded neighborhood needs. Her reputation for grass-roots activism prompted a rare visit to Rockaway in 2019 by Mayor Bill de Blasio, who wanted to personally thank her for the work she was doing. Hoyle was also honored by Senator James Sanders Jr. for her leadership and community service.

Ed Salvinski (1921–1984) was a community activist and member of the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association who organized cleanups and worked to improve lighting and safety in Forest Park. Born in Greenpoint on December 26, 1921, he was a World War II Army veteran who moved to the area just south of Forest Park in Woodhaven in 1949. Following Salvinski's death in 1984, Councilman Arthur Katzman proposed renaming Baby Carriage Lane—one of Salvinski's favorite spots—in his honor. Mayor Ed Koch signed the bill in October 1984, and the street sign was unveiled on February 2, 1985. The sign soon disappeared and, despite multiple efforts, was not reinstalled until 2021.

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Laura “Mother” Carter (1914-1999) was a champion of rights for women and children, a devoted church member, and community activist in Jamaica, Queens. Carter was born in Hawkinsville, Georgia. After marrying Willie Carter in Miami, Florida in 1940, she and her husband relocated to this neighborhood in the late 1940s. Mother Carter joined the nearby Rush Temple AME Zion Church in 1970, where she served as a deaconess, missionary, food pantry and hotline worker, and life member of the Women’s Home and Missionary Society. Mother Carter was active in bettering the park and the surrounding neighborhood. She adopted the area around this garden, encouraging local children to volunteer and planning events throughout the year to bring locals to this sprawling greenspace. She also founded “Adults and Youth for a Better Baisley Park” and planted the first Christmas tree on the property. Diminutive in stature but great in personality and political savvy, she tirelessly advocated to local elected officials on behalf of the park and community.

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Sarah Margaret Washington Whiting (1916 – 2017), was a long-term resident of Flushing, Queens, and a community leader. She founded the Holly Civic Association and was an active member of the Flushing Chapter of the NAACP, and the Flushing Democratic Club. She founded an after-school program at PS 24 – then called the PS24Q Mother’s Club. She volunteered her time with the Concerned African Americans of Flushing, Flushing Hospital, Community Board 7, and the 109th Precinct Community Council. Whiting served on Community Board 7 for 20 years before she stepped down in 2007 due to her health. A deeply religious person, Sarah Whiting was also affiliated with Macedonia AME, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and First Baptist Church of Flushing. She was honored by former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman and former Council Member Julia Harrison with an Unsung Heroine Award.

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Goldie M. Maple (d. 2003) was a longtime resident and activist in Rockaway, particularly in the field of education. Maple moved to Rockaway in 1958 and became a member of the Tenant’s Association at the Arverne-Edgemere Houses in 1961. She began her school activities in 1973, when, as a parent, she became involved with PS 105 and its parent association. She is also a lifetime member of the NAACP and a founding member of the New Democratic Coalition serving as president from 1982 to 2003. Maple was also a member of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church as a member of the choir and as the editor of its newsletter.

Corporal John Ruoff was the first resident of Ozone Park to fall on the battlefields of Europe during World War I (1914-1918). Ruoff was killed in action on August 14, 1918.

William Trist Bailey was a land developer who founded the community of Bayswater in Far Rockaway. He purchased the land 1878 and turned Bayswater into a fashionable residential neighborhood. Two Bayswater streets were named for him: Trist Place and Bailey Court. He built the Bayswater Hotel which led him to bankruptcy in 1905. He was sued by his wife for $50,000 in 1888, claiming she loaned him the money to purchase the hotel. He and his wife were separated for many years. Bailey also had many real estate holdings throughout Long Island.

Pat Williams (1936-1990) was a community activist in Queens Village. Williams was born in Santa Rosa, California in 1936, and was a registered nurse. She traveled around the country with her husband, who was in the Air Force, before finally settling in New York when his service ended in the 1970s. In New York, Mrs. Williams worked as a computer operator and belonged to a number of community organizations, including the 105th Precinct Community Council, voter registration groups, and the Order of the Eastern Star. She used her home as a base for the Concerned Citizens for a Safe Queens Village and collaborated with the Queens District Attorney’s office to combat local drug dealing. Pat Williams’s personal involvement in the community was legendary, as she raised money, purchased equipment, and organized events for the various organizations she was involved in. Her efforts against local drug dealing proved successful, and once again people flocked to playgrounds and parks.

Alison Russo-Elling joined the FDNY in 1998, and rose through the civil service ranks. She was a paramedic and a first responder at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A dedicated public servant, she also volunteered with the Huntington Rescue Squad on Long Island where she lived. She was in uniform when her attacker fatally stabbed her multiple times. She was waiting for roadside assistance to come and repair her FDNY vehicle. While she waited, a civilian told her there was someone having a medical emergency. She responded to investigate when the murderer walked up to her and attacked her. She died while responding to an emergency and performing her duties.

Reverend Walter A. Jones, Sr. (1924-2017) became active in the church at a young age. He started as a Sunday School Teacher and was elevated to the Superintendent of the Sunday School. He was a World War II Veteran with an Honorable Discharge. When he moved his family to Hollis, there were no churches in the neighborhood and he filled this void by organizing Bible study in his home. He was the Senior Pastor and organizer of the Majority Baptist Church in Saint Albans, New York. It was in his home, on October 6, 1960, where the Majority Baptist Church was born with six women and thirteen children. The church was named Majority Baptist Church in recognition of the church in Spartanburg, South Carolina where Walter Jones accepted the Lord as a young boy. He completed his ministerial studies at the New York Theological Seminary of New York City and the Bethel Bible Institute under the late Bishop Roderick Caesar, Sr. He also completed Bible Study Classes at the Bryant Memorial Baptist Church under the late Reverend Dr. Katherine Brazley, and was ordained in 1958.  For over 49 years, Majority has been known to be a place of opportunity and a learning institution. He was the former President of the Baptist Minister’s Conference of Queens and Vicinity; a member of the Baptist Minister’s Conference of Greater New York and Vicinity; the Eastern Baptist Association; the Minister’s Conference of Hampton University; the Empire Convention of New York State and the National Baptist Convention; a member of the American Baptist Churches Metropolitan New York and served as “Area Minister of Queens” under the Reverend Carl E. Flemister, then Regional Executive Minister. After 47 years of Pastoral Ministry, on May 25, 2008, Reverend Walter A. Jones, Sr. retired as Senior Pastor and officially became Pastor Emeritus of the Majority Baptist Church. Doris Jones was a member of Majority Baptist Church for 55 years. She was a member of the Missionary Circle, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia Ministry, Willing Workers, Nurses Unit, Sunday School Dept. and Women’s Fellowship. She was a “Block Watcher” and also served as Den Mother for Troop #279.

Private First-Class Joseph Patrick Strippoli (1946 – 1968) perished while serving in the Vietnam War. Strippoli was born in Manhattan and attended Our Lady of Good Counsel Parochial School in Yorkville until the age of ten, when his family moved to Woodside, where he attended P.S. 151 and William Cullen Bryant High School. An able and talented young man, Strippoli earned an academic scholarship and won several awards for his sculpture. In 1968, at the age of 21, Strippoli was tragically killed by a landmine near the Cambodian border during his service in Vietnam.

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Joe Femenia (d. 2019) revived the College Point Civic and Taxpayers Association and served as its president from 2008. He was also a member of Community Board 7 and the Board’s Transportation Committee Chairperson from 2006 until 2016. He successfully campaigned for building a public middle school in College Point. Before the opening of that school, students had to be bused to Whitestone and Flushing. He also successfully advocated for funding to reconstruct the College Point Fields, and for the NYPD to remove illegally parked trucks in the neighborhood.

Robern N. Davoren (1966-2003) worked for the Department of Corrections for the City of New York from 1971-2006. He retired as Chief of Department.