Morris Park Community Association Honors Chris Di Costanzo

There was dinner, dancing, and laughter this past Saturday at The Morris Park Community Association’s 41st annual dinner dance at the Marina del Rey.

Over 300 people attended to include leaders from many other communities as well as city-wide and veterans groups.

This year the Morris Park Community Association proudly honored Crescenzo (Chris) Di Costanzo. Chris is a native born Bronxite having been born in the South Bronx. Although his first career choice was surveying, blueprints, and construction he soon decided that was not the career he wanted.

Chris Di Costanzo and Sal Conforto

He left school and was drafted into the United States Army where he served with distinction and valor in Vietnam. After serving in Vietnam he started to work for a Jewish Funeral. At that time many of the clients were victims of the Holocaust. The owners asked if he would consider being an undertaker, to which he agreed to do, and went on to become a NYS licensed undertaker. He went on to purchase the funeral home and then to sell it to one of the largest funeral companies in existence. He is now the manager of John Dormi & Sons Funeral Home. The funeral home includes a veterans museum.

He is an activist in advocating for proper services for veterans at Veteran’s Hospitals. As a motorcycle enthusiast, he rides with other Vietnam veteran groups, Rolling Thunder and The Nam Knights, in providing assistance to veterans. He is also very involved in attempts to bury all veterans in a dignified and proper manner.

Congressman Eliot Engel and Al D’Angelo escorting Blanch Rifkin to the podium

The dinner included a tribute to those who have served and those who are serving our nation. Another highlight of the evening was the presentation to Blanche Rifkin, who just celebrated her 99th birthday with statements made by Congressmen Eliot Engel and Joe Crowley commemorating this milestone.

Other elected officials who attended were United States Senator Charles Schumer, NYS Senator Jeff Klein, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, New York City Councilman James Vacca, NYS Democratic State Committeeman Joe McManus and Bill Weitz and Democratic District Leaders Marco Sierra, Andrea Siegel and John Collazzi.