Peter Haller, of New Hyde Park, died about a year ago and left a huge void in one of his favorite organizations the Mineola Choral Society, where he and his wife have been members since 1955.

Because his memory is still so vivid at the choral society they will be dedicating their first principle concert of the year, the Mozart Requiem, to be held on Jan. 14 at 2:30 p.m. at Notre Dame Church, in New Hyde Park, to Pete Haller. Further, they have established a Peter J. Haller Vocal Music Excellence Award to be awarded to a graduating student at Mineola High School who has demonstrated talent in vocal performance and is planning to continue to pursue a vocal musical career. The Mineola Choral Society is planning to present an initial award of $1,000. In order to support the yearly award, the choral society has put together a foundation called the Mineola Choral Society Peter J. Haller Award Foundation and the choral society is accepting donations to the foundation by way of an ongoing fund drive.

Mineola Choral Society Director Martha Regelmann said, "The thing that's wonderful for us is to be able to keep the memory of this wonderful man alive and to do something to be able to focus on something that speaks so much to the type of person he was."

For his wife Diane it has been an emotional time. She lost her husband but is working very hard to keep his memory alive through this annual award. Diane Haller said, "From the time Pete sang at his mother's piano bench as a little boy vocal music has been a major part of his life. It was the love of his life so I can't think of anything better than this award."

Just before Haller moved to New Hyde Park he was singing with a local barbershop quartet in Ridgewood Queens. Shortly after he moved to New Hyde Park, he joined the choir at Notre Dame and was featured in at least half a dozen Broadway musicals performed at Notre Dame. His rich voice made him a favorite both on stage and as a soloist at weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations. Peter and Diane sang together in various groups for 30 of their 40 years together, but the Mineola Choral Society was their home.

In the 37 years he was a parishioner at Notre Dame, he served on the Liturgy and Finance committees and became a Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Peter's business life was also unique. Rising through the ranks he was elected to the Board of Directors of AIU in 1993 and promoted to Senior Vice President of Marketing for their Energy Division in 1992. His position in the international insurance industry took him all over the world and the clients and business associates with whom he dealt in all parts of the world considered him not only a distinguished businessman, but a valued friend.

At his New Hyde Park home he was a wonderful husband, a great dad and the proudest of grandfathers. His "little people" idolized the "big" grandpa who would hug them harder than anyone else, tickle them to make them giggle, attend their ballet recitals, sing at their First Communions and love them all more than words could describe.

After two heart valve replacements he became part of the St. Francis Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Center. The group affectionately called "The Bagel Club" gave him the opportunity to know and love a whole new group of friends.

As his retirement approached he became a member of the Wheatley Hills Golf Club and began to enjoy the fruits of his 40 years with AIG. In December of 1999, although very ill, he performed his last vocal engagement singing Christmas carols with his friends of the Mineola Choral Society at Wheatley Hills.

Peter Haller passed away in March of 2000 and now, as his grandchildren say, "he sings with the angels."