Memorial bench honors late Flushing civic leader
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Members of the Queens
Community Advisory Council
and various leaders celebrated
the life and legacy of Flushing
civic leader Don Capalbi, who
passed away in December,
on May 7 dedicating a bench
in his honor at Queens
Botanical Garden.
“Don was an integral
member of NewYork-
Presbyterian Queens’
Community Advisory Council
for over 12 years, making him
one of our longest serving
members,” said Jaclyn
Mucaria, president, NewYork-
Presbyterian Queens. “He
was always willing to give
advice and be of assistance.
Our council has truly felt
his loss, but we will also
always continue to feel his
contributions. We want to
publicly share our gratitude,
with this bench, here in the
community that he served
so well.”
Mucaria was joined by
Congresswoman Grace
Meng, NewYork-Presbyterian
Queens COO Bob Blenderman,
Queens Botanical Garden
Executive Director Susan
Lacerte, local elected officials,
and community leaders.
Serving as Meng’s
Community Liaison and
a NewYork-Presbyterian
Queens Community Advisory
Council member, Capalbi
passed away in December
2018 at the age of 73 at a
local hospice facility. He was
hospitalized at Long Island
Jewish Medical Center in
November after sustaining a
head injury from a fall.
“As my community
liaison, Don worked tirelessly
for our constituents and he
fought tremendously for
the community as a civic
leader,” said Meng. “But
more importantly, Don was
a wonderful human being.
Dedicating this bench in his
honor is an outstanding way
to remember his service to
the hospital, his affection
for the botanical garden,
and his dedication to
the community.”
Capalbi grew up in Astoria
as the only child of an Italian
immigrant mother and a
Members of the Queens Community Advisory Council, community leaders, and local elected officials
dedicated a bench in honor of Flushing civic leader Don Capalbi, at Queens Botanical Garden.
father from Indiana. He was
a longtime resident of the
Queensboro Hill section of
Flushing, a quiet residential
neighborhood between
Kissena Boulevard and the
Long Island Expressway.
The Flushing civic leader
was also a member of many
other organizations in the
Queens community including
the Greater Flushing
Chamber of Commerce,
Photo courtesy of NewYork-Presbyterian Queens
109th Precinct Community
Council, Kissena Corridor
Park Conservancy, Lions
Club, Knights of Columbus,
Society for Accessible
Travel and Hospitality and
the NAACP.
“Don was everywhere, and
so many people knew him.
He cared deeply about this
community, its people, places,
businesses, and institutions
and worked tirelessly to have
a better community,” said
Lacerte. “I am delighted that
Don’s name will live on in a
public way in this oasis right
down the street from NYPQ
and Queensboro Hill. Don
told me once that when riding
on the bus he always craned
his neck to look at the tulips
in our garden when they were
in bloom. The tulips are in
bloom now—and Don is surely
looking … and smiling.”
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TIMESLEDGER,QNS.COM MAY 17-23, 2019 13
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