By Shanna Fuld
A Whitestone street was renamed last Friday to honor the late Robert C. Lohnes, who was an NYPD detective and had a long history of making contributions to his community.
Neighbors, family and friends gathered as the new street sign, bearing the name “Robert C. Lohnes Way,” was unveiled at 145th Place and 17th Avenue. City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside), whose office arranged the unveiling ceremony, spoke about how comforting it is to live in such a large city and still have the kind of small-community feeling found in Whitestone.
Lohnes’ wife, Magaly, delivered most of the remarks. She told the assembled crowd that the petition sent around the neighborhood in support of the street renaming was met by almost no opposition.
In addition to serving his country during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 and his city in the NYPD, Lohnes was also a volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Additionally, after retirement he volunteered to help identify victims of 9/11 down at the site of the World Trade Center attacks.
It was his service to the community that everyone remembers him by.
Magaly Lohnes said he was actively involved with the Scouts until the very last day. He wanted to attend every event and trip with them and only stopped when his doctor ordered him not to.
Vallone removed the paper covering the sign post as a crowd of neighbors, community leaders and Eagle Scouts looked on.
“The Eagle Scouts wanted something permanent,” Magaly Lohnes said.
Lohnes died from myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disorder that prevents blood from making healthy cells, on March 15, 2014 He was 76, which to his wife seemed too early.
“All of his cousins died at 95, 96, 97,” she said. “When he was being treated at Montefiore Hospital, it showed up as the same cancer that many fireman had who participated in 9/11. Because he did something good, he had to pay the ultimate price.”
Margaly Lohnes is continuing to volunteer, participating in walks and events to help spread awareness about bone marrow diseases and recruiting donors to give marrow to those in need. Lohnes said that now it is easy and more painless to donate than before. She plans to continue volunteering for the Icla da Silva Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping those with bone marrow diseases.
