Maureen Jon Katz and Where did the two of you go to school? MK: I went to Commack North HS and then went on to the University of Miami. I earned my degree from Florida International University. JK: I grew up on the South Shore and went to Hewlett HS and then the University of Miami, where I met Maureen. What kind of work do you do? MK: Maureen started out in the insurance business and then worked for several airlines based at JFK airport. JK: Jon sold leather-working machinery out of Long Island City. Virtually all footballs sold were made on one of his machines. He is now in airport customer service for Delta at JFK Terminal 4. Many NST customers greet him there. MK: Maureen was an aircraft dispatcher before she retired. She determined the amount of fuel needed for each flight. Frequently referred to as a “pilot on the ground,” because she told the pilot if he had enough fuel to change his flight path. She started out with the Trump Shuttle. Donald Trump bought this airline with the idea he would refit the planes into a luxurious travel option for high rollers and other affluent passengers. He added marble to the bathrooms and gave each flight attendant cultured pearl necklaces to wear with their uniforms. In 1999, Maureen moved on to JetBlue and stayed with them until her retirement this year. How did you hear about North Shore Towers? JK: Jon recalls how much his two aunts and uncle loved living there. They were the first tenants in their apartment in Building One. The other buildings were not yet constructed. MK: Maureen and I fell in love with North Shore Towers and rented a studio apartment in 1979. We married in 1982 and took a onebedroom apartment in Building One: 14Y. JK: It was like living in a hotel. Also in those days it was attracting many young people. The Burgundy Room, now Towers on the Green, was a meeting place for singles and divorced people. There was disco dancing, and elsewhere in the buildings, illegal gambling took place in a vacant two-bedroom apartment. Howard Stern was a fun-loving neighbor… Have you recommended North Shore Towers to others? JK: Yes, lots of airline people lived here at one time or another. Jon actually convinced his mother-in-law to move into 14W. She, Beatrice Block, (center, photo below left) lived here for twenty years. She, too, compared it to hotel living. The airline couple are frequently flying all over the globe and it’s a comfort to just lock your door and leave. No worries about a leaky roof or snow removal while you’re gone. As airline personnel, what are some of your opportunities? JK: We are standby on flights from most major airlines, but the majority of our flights are on Delta and JetBlue. We take advantage of this status—globetrotting at a moment’s notice. We’ve gone on Delta to Europe for one-day trips for almost thirty weeks a year. Do you have a favorite destination? MK: We’ve been to Maui in Hawaii 55 times. It has perfect weather and great beaches. Lately we have been going to Ibiza, off the coast of Spain, also for its exquisite beaches. Ibiza is much less known than Maui and much less commercial. Our favorite mainland destination is Paris, France. The Relais and Chateau hotel chains are our favorites. There, we have enjoyed a six - course meal utilizing the ten pieces of silverware surrounding the dinner plate. Any other travel interests? JK: For 12 years, we spent time on our 25-foot Sea Ray boat we kept in East Rockaway. We used to take the boat to restaurants on the water virtually every night of the summer. Sadly, Superstorm Sandy, four years ago, turned it upside down, capsizing it. It was never replaced. As long time cat lovers, as well as for our last name, we named her, “Sea Kat.” What are your favorite amenities at NST? JK: We are both avid swimmers and utilize the pools virtually every day of the year. Maureen attends the Zumba classes regularly. We also love the holiday parties and enjoy meals in the VIP Room. What are the chances that two sets of parents will attend Visiting Day on the University of Miami campus, walking nearly identical Weimaraner dogs? Their casual conversation developed into a sustained friendship. When they realized they had children attending the school, a blind date was arranged. This blossomed into a marriage, which is now in its 34th year. Maureen and Jon are just a few of the recent residents who have been here since the early days when NST was a rental complex. 4 North Shore Towers Courier n December 2016
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