Donald said that his father was very community-minded. Goldie’s has been home to several service groups, including the Valley Stream and Five Towns Lions clubs and the Five Towns and Peninsula Kiwanis.

Guy Barbaro, past president of the Valley Stream Lions Club, said members liked going there because there was a private meeting room, and Occhiuzzo and his staff were always very hospitable. “He was very good to us,” Barbaro said. “He was always very nice.”

Fellow Lion Jim Zabatta also has fond memories of Occhiuzzo, whom he knew for about 40 years. “I used to go early just to talk to him and hang out with him before the meetings,” Zabatta said, adding that Occhiuzzo’s biggest joy was talking about his grandchildren.

Zabatta added that Occhiuzzo remembered everyone he met. “He was a people person,” Zabatta said. “He remembered everybody, and little details about people. He had a great memory for that kind of stuff.”

Occhiuzzo was a Kiwanian of the Year in 1975, and was the first honoree of the Stecher and Horowitz School of the Arts Gala in 1980. He belonged to the Inwood VFW, and was a member of the Sun and Surf Beach Club board of directors, the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Republican Club and the Velames Society, an Italian-American organization.

In addition to his wife and son, he is survived by daughters Patricia Giggans of Los Angeles, Kelly Zack of Woodmere and Tara Incantalupo of Atlantic Beach, seven grandchildren and several nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces.

Daughters Kelly and Tara work at Goldie’s. Donald Occhiuzzo said that the family is uncertain about the future of the restaurant.

Jeff Bessen contributed to this story.