Raising a glass to Pete Sobol, Inwood’s big brother

Shots, stories and songs highlighted a day of celebration and remembrance for family and friends of longtime Inwood resident, businessman and civic organizer Pete Sobol, who died on Feb. 3. He was 64.

Sobol, the unofficial mayor of Inwood, left behind a legacy of doing good in his home community and across the Five Towns that was commemorated with a backyard party at the Inwood home of close friend Byron Alvarado Valiente.

Last Saturday’s event under a tent and a few canopies, was just not a memorial for Sobol but a party in his memory. The program was emceed by longtime friend Joe Marchese-Schmitt, who met Sobol through Joe’s mother, Karen, a friend of Sobol’s for 44 years.

“He extended his hand to whoever needed him, regardless of race or religion,” words written by Valiente and read by Marchese-Schmitt. “He helped everyone with the same care and never with expecting anything in return. He created a sense of community and family and that is why we are all here today.”

The fiesta full of food and music had its somber moments as the box that contained Sobol’s ashes was carried to a table and cheerier ones as friend Sasha Young said if Sobol was here, “he would be dancing silly and whimsically.” Young noted that Sobol was behind the revitalization of the Five Towns Community Center’s Police Athletic League program and making the Community Center a Long Island Cares site. “Pete did so much for everyone, but he also did so much for me, he was really just a great friend,” Young said.

Many called Pete their best friend, including Karen, who knew Sobol from their time working together at the Pathmark supermarket in Bellmore. “He loved people, he loved helping anyone that he could,” she said. “If he saw someone in need, he would help them. Anything I needed, he was there for me, along with I think, the rest of the world.”

Politicians, family and friends shared stories. Town of Hempstead Councilman Bruce Blakeman recalled meeting Sobol more than a quarter of a century ago, noting that he always advocated for Inwood and people who needed help. Roughly 23 years ago, Blakeman said Sobol got him to help acquire the lot next door to the Community Center for a recreation field, now the Sadie E. Scott Recreation Field.

“Pete was the eyes and ears of Inwood,” Blakeman said. “His legacy lives on and you know what, I think I’m a better person, I think I’m a better leader because of him. Because it made me think about people who needed help and it made me think about making the community better.”

In 2015, on what he called “one very hot summer day,” State Sen. Todd Kaminsky recounted seeing Sobol lugging a huge water can and watering the plants in the median on the side of the Nassau Expressway. “My wife said, ‘whoever that is, is crazy and a very good person,’” Kaminsky said, adding, “He felt it was his responsibility and that to be summed up Pete very succinctly. To Pete the whole community was his responsibility. That is the essence of citizenship. Pete was just a vigorous advocate for his community, and he wanted to make sure everyone was included.”

Calling the party the “Pete Sobol Memorial Fest,” Marchese-Schmitt said: “Peter always played by his own rules. His top priority was always helping people, but his second priority was having fun while doing it.”

Marchese-Schmitt recalled the two stories he thinks illustrated Sobol’s fun side and his dedication to people. Cheating on a test in high school, Sobol tied for the highest grade with the classmate he copied the answers from. “The teacher told Peter he wasn’t getting the honor of highest grade as he wrote for one answer, ‘I didn’t know the answer, either.’”

Working at Pathmark, a person robbing the supermarket went to stab co-worker Phil Schiliro with a sheetrock knife. “Pete threw his body in front of [Phil] and was stabbed in his place, and thank goodness he survived,” Marchese-Schmitt said. “That was emblematic of Peter. He would literally give his life if it meant saving someone else.”