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Dec. 11-Dec. 17, 2020
‘HE WAS SUCH A NICE MAN’
Community mourns loss of Bayside restaurant owner Michael Molinari
Vol. 29 No. 50 36 total pages
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
The Bayside community is
remembering the late Michael
Molinari for his warm generosity
and kindness to others.
Molinari, the owner of
Trattoria 35 on 213-15 35th
Ave., died unexpectedly on
Nov. 16 at the age of 50. He was
laid to rest on Nov. 20, following
a ceremony at Our Lady at
the Blessed Sacrament, located
at 34-24 203 St. in Bayside.
In lieu of flowers, Molinari’s
family had asked for donations
made in his name to Our
Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
Catholic Academy.
Molinari is survived by
his wife, Donna Molinari and
son, Michael Jr.
Customers who dined at
Trattoria 35 expressed their
condolences to the family
and restaurant staff. They recalled
meeting Molinari at
the restaurant, located at 213-
15 35th Ave.
“He would always say hello
upon arrival and then make
sure he pops over to your table
to ask how you are doing and
if everything is okay,” Evan
Cohen said.
Melissa Cabrera-Brojan
said he was a great owner and
host at the restaurant.
“He always made myself
and my family feel so welcomed
anytime we walked
through the door,” Cabrera-
Brojan said. “He would greet
everyone with a smile and a
big hug. May he RIP.”
Thomas Costanzo said,
“My wife and I went there a
few times. We even had our
engagement party upstairs.
He was such a nice man and
treated us like we went back
for years. Sorry to see someone
so genuine go away too
soon.”
Jeremy Golub said, “He
sure was the best guy! To everyone!
Not one person I spoke
to said something bad about
him! Rest easy my man!”
Those sentiments were
echoed during the service
held at Our Lady at the Blessed
Sacrament, as a monsignor
said Molinari was a man that
was generous to a fault.
“Michael knew that god
blessed him with time, talent
and treasure. And he knew
that those things were not to
be hoarded for himself but to
share with others, and indeed
he did so,” the monsignor
said. “He gave his time to his
beloved staff at Trattoria, to
every single person no matter
who they were that walked
into that restaurant.”
Molinari was known to
never turn down a request
for a donation to the parish or
schools, according to the monsignor.
Michael Molinari, owner of Trattoria 35, passed away at the age of 50 on Nov. 16.
“He was generous to the
community events and organizations,
especially at St.
Mary’s Children’s Hospital,”
monsignor said.
The Trattoria 35 family
had issued a statement on
social media on the sudden
passing of Molinari, whom
they referred as a “very
dear friend.”
“Through everything
we’ve been through this year,
as a business, as a community,
as a family — this hurts
the most,” Trattoria 35 said
in a statement on Facebook.
“Michael was an outstanding
member of the community, a
father to Little Michael, and
the leader of the Trattoria 35
Family. Please keep him and
his family in your thoughts
and prayers during this difficult
time.”
Reach Carlotta Mohamed
by e-mail at cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–4526.
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