A Time to be Born and A Time to be Celebrated

Like most people living in this world, we have seen happiness as well as the passing of many whose lives we celebrate. As I look back on the past year I remember, not with sorrow, but with happiness the lives of those who worked for the community, the borough, the city and for the tenets of our great nation. These lives worked as community leaders, as advocates for a stronger education system, as advocates for seniors, were veterans, or as housing advocates, and they all led exemplary lives. Lives that we celebrate, lives that we hope others will use as models in their lives.

On Sunday of the new year, I attended the funeral of Blanche Comras Rifkin. A person who has been the soul of Pelham Parkway for many, many years. As we celebrated her life, her legacy lives on in her children, grand children, great grandchildren, throughout Pelham Parkway, and the Bronx. Eulogies were delivered by her son, her grand children, great grand children, by former Bronx Borough President Robert Abrams, Congressman Eliot Engel, and Senator Jeff Klein.

There was much laughter and tears. In her 99 years Blanche served the Pelham Parkway in innumerable ways.

Photo courtesy of Chillloverradio.net

In October another good friend and community leader passed away, Ben Randazzo. Ben committed himself to this great borough and to to the great communities of Throggs Neck, Pelham Bay, Country Club, and Co-Op City. He served as Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Mike Benedetto. Ben and his loving wife Maria were always active members of their community, as well as Ben’s son, Frank, who followed in the footsteps of his dad in being a leader in the community. His granddaughters, Olivia and Mai, made him proud. Ben’s life is being celebrated for all of his good deeds humane spirit.

Many other leaders from The Bronx also left us but they left us with fond memories, lasting achievements, and with a sense of celebrating what they have done for us.

As we all age we pass the torch on to new generations. We know that we will not solve the problems facing the world during our lives and we do accept the fact that life is fleeting. This past year saw the births of many babies with Bronx roots. With all their parents are leaders be it in education, government, engineering law, etc. We celebrate their births and their following in the foot steps of those who came before them.