FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 9, 2018 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 67
A bittersweet week
we will fill this void. We will
never be able to replace you. We
just won’t.”
Mafalda’s wake was at the
Andrew Torregrossa Funeral
Home on 7
79th Street in
Flowers lined
wall of the
Brooklyn.
every
three
room
laid
As
three contiguous
rooms where she
laid in repose.
As I sat there,
I
I felt the love
and respect
for the unique
woman who
gave so much
to her family
and the community
that
af
was her life.
I had
met m
Patricia
DiMango D
when
my my
lifetime
friend frien
— Judge
Judy Judy
Sheindlin,
who who
hosts the
famous famous
“Judge Judy”
and is one o
of the producers
of “Hot Bench” —
M f ld DiM f H
told me she had selected
Patricia to be one of
Mafalda DiMango
the three judges on Hot Bench,
and was from Brooklyn, where
I had newspapers. It was love at
first sight and I’m happy to say I
had the chance to meet Patricia’s
mom and saw, in person, her
humor and love of her daughter.
Mafalda DiMango is an irreplaceable
presence in our world.
Later in the week, I received the
sad news that fellow Metro Boys
And Girls Club board member
and chair George Russo had
lost his young beloved son, Paul
Russo.
The wake was held in lawyer
George’s catering facility, Villa
Russo in Richmond Hill, and
I was overwhelmed at how the
hall felt; it was transformed into
a cathedral of love. The walls
were lined with unique flower
arrangements designed specifically
to reflect Paul’s passions
in life.
One was a Yankees logo,
another a card game, still another
a softball mitt.tt.
A video streamed
about his life, and I
could feel his presence
presund
eod
l
-
all around
me. Lines of people
streamed
into the hall
to bring comfort
and support
to George
I
and his family.
They will need
many hugs.
I’ve always
f o u n d ,
through my
personal losses,
that work is the
best medicine.
George’s work will
sustain him, and he
is needed. Much can
be done in his beautiful
son’s memory.
On Sunday, I had the honor
of being recognized by the
UJA Federation’s chapter
at the North Shore Towers,
where I publish a monthly
ly newspape
Shore Tow
newspaper, The North
Towers Courier.
The Towers are
unique complex
of three
The
a un
plex
coo
ho
coop buildings,
home to 4,500
people, located
off the
p
e
service road
of the Grand
C e n t r a l
P a r k w a y
near Little
N e c k
P a r k w a y.
It’s a unique
community
with its own
zip code, golf
course (now
open to the public
I
c
w
zip
cou
open
lic for a
indoor a
pools, a c
applications),
indoor and outdoor
country club
with many activities and
multiple tennis courts
(the junior U.S. Open
championships are played
there). North Shore Towers
also has a great salon Pouran &
Co. and a spa next door where I
take “staycations.” There are also
two grocery stores, a drug store,
cleaners, a clothing boutique, a
bank, a catering hall, a restaurant
and even a movie theater. It’s all
situated on one of the best manicured
York City.
They made me a star on
Sunday to benefit the world class
UJA Federation, which is celebrating
Israel.
Its mission is to care about
people and support Jewish causes
around the world and in our
backyard. All of my grandchildren
at facilities that they support.
Programs run from the cradle
to death, the underserved and
embattled, the hungry ,the traumatized
much more.
It is my honor to help them
raise needed funds to support
their critical work making a difference
Paul Russo
y
s,he
ne.nd he
ch At the UJA event were (standing, left to right): Publisher Vicki Schneps, Congressman Tom Suozzi, Debra Markell-Kleinert,
NST General Manager Glen Kotowski and (seated, left to right): Marty Miller, former Borough President Claire Schulman,
Fred Chernow and Rita Pasternak
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The past week was
t lled emoarned
g of
eoer
e-
,
truly filled with
mixed emotions,
as I learned
of the passing two beloved people,
but later
enjoyed a celebration
of life,
as I was honored
by UJA
Federation,
an important
organization
that improves
lives everyday,
all around the
e
world.
M a f a l d a
DiMango was
was
91 when she fell
in her home and
subsequently suffered
sufn
bleed.
Aug. 2 with
a brain She died on her loved ones gathered
th d
around her, including
her husband of 68 years,
Anthony, and daughters Patricia
and Joanne. Patricia DiMango,
a former successful, respected
judge in the Brooklyn Supreme
Court, has become a national
star on “Hot Bench,” a legal show
that airs daily on WCBS-TV at
9 a.m.
Mafalda was a dynamo deeply
involved in her community,
particularly in local education.
She served 40 years on
the Community School Board
(later rebranded as Community
Education Council) in her
hometown district of Bay Ridge,
Fort Hamilton, Borough Park
and a section of Bensonhurst,
Brooklyn.
Upon her retirement in 2009,
then-CEC President Laura
Windsor called Mafalda a
woman who inspires others, saying
that “She is a treasure, she is
a role model, she is our matriarch.”
The district superintendent
added, “I don’t know how
properties in all of New
the 70th anniversary of
went to nursery school
by war and nature and
daily in people’s lives.
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