Obituary: John C. Hayes

John C. (Jack) Hayes, age 73, formerly of Garden City and Glen Cove, passed away on Oct. 13, 2011 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Jack began a career in the New York Army National Guard soon after he graduated from high school. Assigned to the Special Forces battalion as a Green Beret, he was the only New York State Army National Guardsman assigned both a helicopter pilot and airborne jump status simultaneously during this time. After retiring from the military Jack was one of the first employees to be hired to work for Federal Express in Binghamton, NY.

Obituary: Louise J. Hayes

Louise Hayes, of Garden City, passed away peacefully at home, Aug. 28, 2011. She was 91 years old. Wife of the late James Hayes. Mother of Susan, Nancy and Janice Davis. Grandmother of Jacquelyn and Alison Davis. Sister of Leonard and John Leaman. Louse was active in the many bridge groups in Garden City. She was an excellent bridge player. Also, Louise enjoyed travel, skiing and golf. She frequented many of the local restaurants. Arrangements were made by Fairchild Chapel, Garden City. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Anne’s RC Church. Interment at Holy Rood Cemetery.

Obituary: Herbert J. Blauert, P.C.C.

Herbert J. Blauert, P.C.C., a longtime resident of Garden City, died peacefully on Aug. 14, 2011. Herb was married to Elizabeth , who predeceased him, and was currently married to Marilyn Schmachtenberg of Merrick. Herb is survived by his daughter Michelle and grandson Michael.

Herb served in combat in Europe during WWII with a 155 N.M. artillery unit. He joined the American Legion and served as a Nassau County commander and a post commander of American Legion William Bradford Turner Post #365 of Garden City over a 36-year membership. As an executive member he undertook the administration of Post #265 Sutcliff Memorial Scholarship Fund which provides a four-year scholarship to a selected Garden City High School senior to Hofstra University. Herb also administrated the review and selection of one or more Garden City juniors to attend Boy’s State, a fully post-funded week’s participation in government study. (Note: Former President Clinton was a Boy’s Stater.)

Obituary: Sr. Patricia McNamara, S.N.D.

Sr. Patricia McNamara, S.N.D., died on Dec. 31, 2010. Loving sister of Vincent McNamara. Also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Interment Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Development Program, 1531 Greenspring Valley Rd., Stevenson, MD 21153. Funeral home: www.ruckfuneralhomes.com.

Obituary: Paul Muscarella

Elmont native and Garden City resident, Paul J. Muscarella, a respected local attorney, died Oct. 11, 2010 of a malignant brain tumor. He was 47.

Best defined by his love of family, community and tradition, Paul is survived by his wife, Lori, and their four children, Jenna 15, Natalie 14, Matthew 12 and Diana 8.

Paul grew up surrounded by family and all the traditions of his Italian heritage. He was the second youngest of seven children by former Hempstead Town Councilman Joseph P. Muscarella and former Hempstead Commissioner for Senior Enrichment Cecelia Nizza. Following the death of his dad when Paul was still young and the remarriage of his mom years later to Matthew G. Nizza the family grew to include his three stepsisters, Claudia, Lisa, and Jeanine.

Shortly after graduating Sewanhaka High School, Paul appeared on Family Feud with four of his brothers, Vincent, Ignatius, Thomas and Michael (the fifth brother, Joseph, and his only sister, Beatrice, had to settle for cheering from the studio audience and decades of good-natured teasing since the five appearing brothers lost).

In 1988 Paul graduated St. John’s University School of Law but was uncertain of his future in the law. Any self-doubt ended, however, after a brief internship in the chambers of NY Supreme Court Judge, Hon. James Brucia convinced him that he could try cases as well as the attorneys he was able to observe each day in court. Paul promptly found a job as a trial attorney for Aetna Casualty Insurance and was defending all aspects of negligence litigation by December of that same year.

Obituary: Robert A. Martin

Robert A. Martin, 89, who grew up in Garden City and Amityville, died of cancer in Bend, OR, at an assisted living facility.

In the 1960’s one of Robert Martin’s jobs as head of employment at Hughes Aircraft Company was compiling a team to build the first U.S. spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon, Surveyor I.

Martin’s brother-in-law, Reginald Bellantyne, 87, of Westbury, said, “At the time, it was very difficult to find engineers to do that kind of work. I know he always was very proud of what the thing accomplished.” Many experts believe that Surveyor’s landing in June 1966 is credited for having set the groundwork for the Apollo mission.

Martin graduated from Garden City High School and attended Colgate University before joining the Navy. “He was on the USS Killen when the destroyer was damaged by a kamikaze pilot in 1944,” Ballantyne said.

After being discharged in 1947, he left Long Island. He attended Northwestern University and the University of Southern California earning a master of business administration degree. He worked for Hughes from 1951 retiring in the mid-1970s. He moved to Bend from California about 10 years ago.

Martin is survived by his sister Constance Ballantyne, 86, of Westbury and several nieces and nephews.

A service was held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Bend. Burial Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, OR.

Obituary: George Kovary

George Kovary lived his life much like he sailed – looking for a challenge and finding spirited adventure, always counting on God to be his lighthouse in stormy seas.

Funeral services were held for Doctor Anton George Kovary Jr., 90, who peacefully passed on July 7, 2010 after a lengthy illness at home with his loved ones. Devoted husband, father, and grandfather, survived by his beloved wife Rose (Weihl), his five children: Anton, Damien, Katherine, Christopher and John, their wives and husband and 14 grandchildren.

Son of Anton and Theresa, brother of John, like many first generation Americans he was the first to attend college and graduated with a doctoral degree. A veteran of the United States Navy, Dr. Kovary served as a medical officer stationed in Guam and Okinawa. Married and stateside he acted as attending surgeon at Queens General Hospital and Mary Immaculate, near his childhood home in Jamaica, later establishing a private practice in Queens.

Needing more space for his growing family, he moved to Long Island, a resident for 53 years, establishing roots in Garden City, becoming a vital member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Upon retiring from his duties as a medical officer for the U.S. Postal Service and The Bureau of Disabilities and Social Services of New York, he spent time traveling with his bride of 63 years, enjoying the sunset and waters of their Florida home, a sail on the Long Island Sound or ocean-side at Jones Beach with his family.

Final resting place is Queen of All Saints Cemetary in Central Islip.

Obituary: Margaret Clare Price

Margaret Clare Price, 59, of Garden City and Overland Park, KS, passed away peacefully on May 6, 2010 at Shawnee Mission Medical Center surrounded by her family after a recurrent fight with breast cancer.

Margaret was born on May 10, 1950 in New York City to James T. Molloy and Margaret “Peg” Talty. Margaret was a nurse for the FBI in New York City where she met and married her husband Thomas A. Price on Sept. 10, 1983. She is survived by her husband Tom; daughter Emily; her parents, James and Margaret Molloy of Garden City; three sisters, Helene Mastro of New Jersey, Dianne Sheehan of New York, Maureen Colitre of Ohio; one brother Chris Molloy of New Jersey. Margaret was preceded in death by her brother Jim Molloy. She is also survived by seven nieces and eight nephews.

Obituary: Alex Eliassof

Alex Eliassof

On Jan. 28 2010, Alex Eliassof, an original founding member of A & D Offset Printers, Ltd., which opened in the early ‘80s, passed away. Coincidentally, it was on his 89th birthday.

Alex was a very well-known, liked and respected man. He will be missed very dearly by family and friends and will forever remain in their hearts and minds. Alex was also a member of many clubs and organizations.

Alex was a WWII veteran in the United States Navy.

Alex is survived by his wife Nina (Sarah) Eliassof; his son Mark Eliassof; grandson Adam Eliassof; and granddaughter Tara Eliassoff.

Obituary: Richard Hamber

Richard “Dick” Hamber, 78, of Port Charlotte, FL, and Sagaponack, NY, passed away April 30, 2010 after his courageous battle with PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy). He was born in Jamaica, Queens, on Oct. 13, 1931. He graduated from Bishop Loughlin High School in 1950. He served in the US Marine Corps from 1951 to 1953. He married Dionne in 1951. She passed away after 50 years of marriage.

At one time, Dick was known as “Mr. Garden City.” Even though he lived in East Meadow, he supported numerous Garden City civic organizations and worked hard for Garden City. Dick began his career in banking at First National City Bank (now Citicorp) and retired as senior vice president of Long Island Trust Company and North Fork Bank, both in Garden City. He held many civic positions during his business career such as president of the Garden City Chamber of Commerce and president of Garden City Kiwanis. He was a member of the board of directors for AAA of New York and the Nassau County Chapter of the Girl Scouts where he was honored for his fund raising abilities. He was also honored for his role in organizing the Special Olympics of Nassau County and the Mercy Ball benefiting Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre.