A street in Whitestone will soon bear the name Robert C. Lohnes in honor of the late resident who dedicated himself to serving his neighborhood.
Community Board 7 unanimously voted to make 145th Street between 15th and 17th avenues Robert C. Lohnes Way. Family members and Boy Scout troop 235 attended the meeting Monday night to talk about Lohnes, who served as the troop’s scout master for over three decades.
“He served because he was needed by his community,” Lohnes’ wife Maggaly said.
She said that her husband helped the community in any way he could, and others who came to speak about Lohnes echoed that sentiment. He worked for the Whitestone Community Volunteer Ambulance Service and was also involved in the Girl Scouts.
A representative from Assemblyman Edward Braunstein’s office said, “He was an individual who fully dedicated himself to his country and community.”
Lohnes’ son, whose name is also Robert, traced his father’s desire to help people all the way back to the beginning of his career when he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. Lohnes held a master’s degree in criminal justice and social relations from John Jay. He went on to join the NYPD, where he worked from 1962 to 1996.
The street renaming, Lohnes’ wife said, is appropriate for someone who dedicated so much time to the Whitestone community.
“He was loved by everybody,” she said. “He deserves that and more.”
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