Memorial Celebration Set for Former Town Supervisor May Newburger

North Hempstead will honor the late May W. Newburger in a memorial, "The Many Sides of May—A Celebration of the Life of May Newburger," paying tribute to  the years of the former Town Supervisor.

The commemoration will take place Sunday at Harbor Links Golf Course Clubhouse, at One Fairway Drive, in Port Washington, with a reception from 12-1 p.m., followed by the memorial celebration until 3 p.m.

“We will come together as one Town to pay tribute to a great public servant,” said Supervisor Jon Kaiman. “May was a mentor, a leader and a trailblazer. We hope residents join us in this celebration of her life.”

Art Gianelli, now the president and CEO of East Meadow-based NuHealth System, spoke of Newburger, his former boss for whom he worked as Director of Operations as “a woman of strength, dignity and integrity.  We are pulling together this celebration to highlight the facets of May’s life,” Gianelli said. “Those who knew her will have a chance to pay their respects, and share a few laughs and a few tears in her remembrance.”

Newburger served in the State Assembly seat for nearly a decade, from 1978-1986. She served as North Hempstead Supervisor for five terms, from 1994-2004. According to the town, her accomplishments include transforming the $7 million budget deficit she inherited to a $7.7 million surplus.

Newburger made a name for herself as an advocate for the preservation of open space and local waterways. She closed landfills and initiated the reclamation of a long-time sand mine that ultimately became Harbor Links Golf Course, according to the town.  Her commitment to protecting the environment led to create the Environmental Legacy fund, a mechanism l to preserve open space and create additional park land throughout the Town.

Members of the public are asked to RSVP by calling 311. In addition, Town officials encourage the public to leave their kind words and thoughts on Newburger on a website dedicated to her memory.