Generally Speaking: Loss of two prominent leaders

Theresa Rosen was truly an outstanding community and civicleader. I have very fond memories of the outstanding work she hasdone on behalf of several organizations. I had the pleasure ofbeing with her at three recent major events, all in June: The 60thanniversary of the Bay Ridge Community Council at the El CaribeCountry Club where I snapped her photo with Assemblywoman NicoleMalliotakis, the 131st anniversary luncheon of the Society of OldBrooklynites, and then in Washington, at the Justice Department forthe 51st annual ceremony in commemoration of Charles J. Bonaparte,founder of the FBI and the nation’s 46th attorney general.

Our good friend John LaCorte is quoted in the NY DailyNews

Ironically, with the announcement of the death of Hugh Carey,Theresa’s son Richard reminded me that his mom was an accomplishedpianist, a song writer and composer. She wrote a campaign jinglefor Carey when he was running for governor, entitled, It’s allabout you, Hugh Carey.

Another key event that Theresa presided over for several yearsas president of the Society of Old Brooklynites was the annualMemorial ceremony for the Prison Ship Martyrs at the 149-foot- tallmonument in Fort Greene Park. In a crypt under the monument areentombed the remains of America’s first POWs. These are thesometimes forgotten 11,500 patriots that were jailed aboard old,decrepit British Navy vessels under horrific conditions during theAmerican Revolution.

Theresa was passionate about continuing the long legacy of thesociety paying tribute and remembering these fallen patriots. Shewill be sorely missed.

However, on Saturday, August 27, this commemoration willcontinue in Fort Greene Park, as part of the 235th anniversary ofthe Battle of Brooklyn and with the guiding spirit of Terry Rosen.She was a dear friend and will long be remembered. Our sincerecondolences to the Rosen family.

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We also have endearing memories about Hugh Carey. My wife Janetand I attended his first inaugural ceremony followed by a receptionin the executive mansion in Albany. We were greeted warmly by himand his family. Earlier, when Janet was having knee surgery atLenox Hill Hospital, we saw the then-congressmember entering thehospital for the birth of daughter Susan’s first child. Wecongratulated him and then chatted a bit about Janet’s surgery.

We also recall Carey attending one of the annual militaryreviews for the Bluejackets Guard USA, held inside the U.S. NavalReserve Center, then located in the New York Naval Militia Armory,at 52nd Street and First Avenue. He presented the first John F.Kennedy PT 109 Scholastic Award which he sponsored to one of theyoung sailors from the cadet corps. As governor, he issued yearlyproclamations designating November 1 to 7 as Bluejackets GuardWeek.

When he was a congressmember, he had a Bay Ridge district officemanned by the late Lucretia Marcigliano, next door to the ClavinFuneral Home, on Fourth Avenue near 77th Street. One of his majorinitiatives as governor was his support and signature on theWillowbrook Consent Decree. This committed the state to care fordevelopmentally disabled people in group homes rather than in stateinstitutional facilities.

Mayor Koch said it best: I think he will and should go down asthe greatest governor in modern history. Our deepest sympathy tothe family of this great statesman and old friend.

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This past Sunday, we had the opportunity to tour America’s tallship the U.S. Coast Guard’s three-masted sailing ship, the BarqueEagle, docked at Pier 7 at the foot of Atlantic Avenue. The Eaglesailed into New York Harbor as part of the 75th anniversary of themajestic vessel as a sail training ship for the cadets at the U.S.Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut.

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There go those gas prices again. We saw a Shell station onAtlantic Avenue charging $4.35 per gallon for regular gas.

To reach Ted General via the Internet, his e-mail addressis:

General@Journalist.com