TNBA names honorary grand marshals for 2020 parade
BY KYLE VUILLE
For the 22nd Throggs
Neck St. Patrick’s Day Parade
celebration, not only
are those walking the parade
celebrated, but the
event will honor a slew of
Honorary Grand Marshals,
those that supported the parade
but are no longer with
On Sunday, March 15, the
parade will kick off on East
Tremont and Lafayette avenues
after a morning Mass
at St. Benedicts Church at
2969 Otis Avenue.
The celebration is one
that relies heavily on family,
tradition and the Irish
The Throggs Neck Benevolent
Association finds it
not only important, but necessary
to honor those posthumously
in the parade.
Twenty nine individuals
will be remembered as Honorary
Grand Marshals in
the parade.
The honorary grand marshals
for the parade are: Gerald
‘Jerry’ Archambault,
Stephanie Brumley, Denis
‘DJ’ Byrne, Patricia Carter,
Thomas Patrick Delaney,
Catherine ‘Eileen’ Devoy,
Daniel Devoy, Eileen Duffy,
Kevin Flynn, Liz Garvey,
Hugh ‘Hughie’ Finnegan,
John ‘Jack’ Forbes, Patrick
J. Frawley, Mary Hickey, Edward
‘Eddie’ Huber, Robert
‘Bob’ Johnson, Helen Junta,
Robert ‘Bob’ Keaveny, Agnes
LaMacchia, Howard
‘Mickey’ Lent, Eileen Murphy,
Jim ‘Fav’ Murray, Joan
Ninivaggi, John O’Grady,
Barbara Scott-Mongiello,
Morgan Sweeney, Cuban
’Irish’ Al - Alfredo Vazquez,
Jimmy ‘Waldo’ Waldron,
and Margie Walsh.
The Bronx Times spoke
with family members of the
three honorary marshals.
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BRONX TIMES REPORTER,6 FEBRUARY 7-13, 2020 BTR
Matt Sweeney, son of
Morgan Sweeney, said his
father was a first generation
Irish immigrant and
a bartender in the Throggs
Neck/Pelham Bay area for
more than 50 years. Up until
his loss with his battle with
leukemia, Sweeney bartended
at the Locust Point
Yacht Club.
“He most definitely
worked or participated in
every St. Patrick’s Day parade,”
Sweeney said.
Sweeney is remembered
by his three siblings, four
children and six grandchildren.
The entire family
plans to be at this year’s parade.
Another longtime resident
and true Irishman,
Robert ‘Bob’ Johnson, born
and raised along the Grand
Concourse, relocated to
Throggs Neck after leaving
the Navy at a young age.
The natural born athlete
was picked up by a sports
scout and played minor
league baseball before he
joined the Navy.
Upon his arrival to
Throggs Neck, Johnson
worked for Central Oil Com-
Honoree Liz Garvey
Photo courtesy of Katie Kimmel
Honoree Robert Johnson
Photo courtesy of Tracey Lynch
Honoree Morgan Sweeney
Photo - Schuyler Hill Funeral Home
pany with his father and
was a union organizer for
his fellow workers.
A major milestone during
his labor career was
successfully negotiating a
5-cent an hour raise.
His love of dancing led
him to the fateful day when
he met his wife Miriam
‘Mimi’ Greiss at the German
Stadium. The couple
have three children and sixgrand
children.
Another honorary grand
marshal of Irish descent, Liz
Garvey, lived in the Throggs
Neck area since 1970s.
Garvey attended St.
Frances de Chantel School
and Preston High School.
Garvey was a staple in
the community being an
ELA teacher at St. Frances
de Chantel School for 18
years.
“She probably taught
English to a lot of members
of this community,”
her daughter Katie Kimmel
said.
Garvey left behind two
daughters, Katie Kimmel
and Sheila Garvey-Badalati
and five grandchildren who
all live in Silver Beach.
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