Obituary: ​Nicholas P. Constandy, of Farmingdale, Dies at 96

Died:

Visitation: Friday, January 6 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the McCourt & Trudden Funeral Home on 385 Main Street in Farmingdale.

Service: Saturday, January 7 starting at 11 a.m. at the The Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Resurrection on 1400 Cedar Swamp Road in Brookville.

Obituary: Nicholas P. Constandy, of Farmingdale, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 4. He was 96.

Nicholas, a Greek Immigrant, came to the United States at age 14 in 1934 from the village of Soustani.

He grew up and graduated from Cortland NY High School in June 1942. He enlisted in the Marine Corps the summer after graduation.

While in the 4th Marine Division, he survived 3 Marshall Island Beach Landings, Saipan, Tinian in 1944 and Iwo Jima in Feb 1945.

Known as “Nick the Greek” by fellow Marines, he was wounded in the line of duty in the assault of Mt. Suribachi in the battle for the Island of Iwo Jima, earning the Purple Heart.

At the end of WWII with the help of the G.I.Bill, Nicholas graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Rider College, Lawrenceville, NJ.

After working at several restaurants in New Jersey, he opened his first restaurant in the Poconos shortly after college graduation and then finally came to Long Island in 1958 where his would spend his career and raise his family.

He was the original owner of the Embassy Diner on Hempstead Turnpike in Bethpage from 1960 to 1968.

Then in 1972 he opened the Crows Nest Restaurant in East Farmingdale presently the location of the current Hooters Restaurant.

Besides his family, his food and playing golf were Nick’s passions. A member of the Huntington Crescent Club from 1977 for over 35 years, Nick played competitive golf and had achieved 5 hole-in-ones in his lifetime; 3 in Boca Raton, Florida where he became a snow bird during winter months and a prideful ace on the 3rd hole at Bethpage Black in 1969.

He loved the Bethpage golf courses and would frequently walk there to practice and watch golfers as he was a constant student for the game reading and trying different swings until in his 90’s.

A resident of Farmingdale Village for over 50 years, where he raised his family and was married for 56 years to his wife Urania, 3 children- Peter, Lynn (Frank Albers) and David, 4 grandchildren Peter’s (Joseph and Nicholas II,) Lynn’s (Jaclyn and Hailey) and one great-grandson Joseph’s (Emery).

He was active member of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Paul in Hempstead as he sang in the choir and loved to chant the Greek Hymns at church and at home. He also supported the following Greek churches with his generosity - Holy Trinity in Hicksville and St. Paraskevi in Greenlawn.

Besides his parents, he is predeceased by brother George of Syracuse and sister Helen Giatras, of Union City New Jersey.

Photo and info via McCourt & Trudden Funeral Home