Street to be named after Malverne firefighter

Lifelong Malvernite George Scheer, who died last year at the age of 47, was remembered by many for his years of service to the community. The village will honor Scheer as a street will be named after him on Saturday, at 10 a.m. Part of Hempstead Avenue will be named, “FF George Scheer Way.”

“It’s just a nice remembrance that will keep his memory alive,” said his wife, Fara. “We’re really looking to forward to the celebration of his life. It’s really heartwarming and comforting for our family. If anybody should have that kind of honor, it should be him.”

Scheer was a firefighter with the Malverne Fire Department for nearly 30 years, and he was a member of FDNY Engine Co. 249 in Brooklyn since 2003. Before joining the FDNY, Scheer worked with Malverne’s Department of Public Works from 1991 to 2003. In addition, he volunteered for the Malverne Volunteer Ambulance Corps. His mother, Carole Scheer, was a co-founder of the MVAC.

“The family has been involved in the village for a long time, and if my mother-in-law was still alive, she would’ve been over the moon about this,” Fara said.

A few months after Scheer died, his mother-in-law, Joann Galati, reached out to Malverne Mayor Keith Corbett, who was then the deputy mayor. She asked for Corbett for help in recognizing Scheer, so he proposed the idea to the village board and they unanimously approved to honor him as a first responder in the community.

“Anytime you have an emergency services volunteer who gives his time to assist other residents, I believe it’s worthy of a recognition,” Corbett said. “I’m happy to honor anyone who provides those services to our residents in their time of need. He was an absolutely great man, and he was always one of the good guys who was willing to lend a helping hand.”

Corbett added that former Mayor Patti Ann McDonald played a huge role in making sure that Scheer would properly be acknowledged for all of his contributions to the village over the years.

“When he died, it wasn’t just a loss for his family,” McDonald said. “It was a loss for the village. He was just one of those guys who always had a smile on his face, and he truly loved his family and the community. He touched a lot of people.”

Scheer said that when people see his name on the street sign, they should reflect on how much he helped others, and how he gave up his time to give back to the community. She also said that the village’s continued support to she and her two daughters have helped them get through tough times over the past year.

“Sometimes, when someone passes away, the support lasts for a couple of days or weeks, but no one has forgotten,” Fara said. “The outpouring of love, care and support has been phenomenal. I’m just really proud that this is happening for him, and I’m grateful for all of the love and support we’ve received in the last 10 months.”

The ceremony will take place at the intersection of Norwood Avenue and Hempstead Avenue. Light refreshments will be served at the Malverne firehouse shortly after the ceremony.