By NANCY HILER
Bove died on Dec. 20 of a rare form of thyroid cancer. He was 71.
"Actively involved" may describe him best. "My father always put 200 percent into anything he did," said Doris Bove Aresta. Bove retired as a photographer for the Town of Hempstead in 2004. Before that he was the staff photographer for Fire News, a photographer for the New York Post and the Long Island Press, a textbook photographer, a photography instructor at Lynbrook and Lawrence high schools and, in his spare time, a freelance photographer.
He was honored with photojournalism awards from the National Press Photographers Association and the Nassau County, Suffolk County and Metropolitan Police Benevolent Associations.
Bove was a life member the Malverne Fire Department. During his 53 years of service he was a mechanic, chairman of several committees, public relations officer, department photographer, chief fire inspector and fire police captain. He served as president and in other capacities for the Nassau County Firemen's Association, the South Shore Volunteer Fire Department Association of Long Island - for which he was once chairman of the Board of Directors - and the Executive Council of Firematic Associations of Nassau County.
Bove was an active member of the Nassau County Firemen's Drill Team Captain's Association, the Nassau County Volunteer Fire Police Association, the Southern New York Volunteer Firemen's Association, the Firemen's Association of the State of New York, the Nassau County Firemen's Holy Name Society, and the Friends of the Nassau County Fire Fighters' Museum and Education Center.
Bove received a letter of commendation from the Malverne Fire Department for assisting in the pursuit of a burglary suspect in the early 1960s; was named Fireman of the Year by the Lynbrook Elks Lodge #1515 in 1981; and received the Malverne Fire Department's Award for 50 Years of Service in 2004.
He began a tradition of fire service that continues with his son Peter and grandson Alex, both members of the South Hempstead F.D.; his son, Guy, his son-in-law, John Aresta, and his grandson, James, of the Malverne F.D.; and daughter-in-law, Debbie, of the
Valley Stream F.D.
Church trustee
A member of Grace Lutheran Church since 1941, when he first came to Malverne as a child, Bove later chronicled the history of the church in his photographs, including decades of images of children's confirmation classes. He served as treasurer on the church's Board of Directors, and most recently as its property trustee.
"He had amazing energy, and was tremendously dedicated to the church and school," said the Rev. James Klockau of Grace Lutheran. "The loss is already felt around here. The little things are not getting done that nobody realized Jim made sure were taken care of. He was a fixture around here."
Klockau explained that over the past six years, Bove had taken the lead in working to repair and maintain the church and school buildings and grounds "when nobody wanted to deal with it" and "almost to the point of a full-time job once he retired." Klockau said the buildings had undergone dramatic improvements in recent years, and few realize how much Bove was responsible for that. "Also, because of his fire department experience, safety changes were made, including exit doors and emergency lighting," Klockau said. "He didn't ever want any recognition for all he did. He was behind the scenes. He was such a great guy."
A past president of the Malverne Republican Club, Bove was also a Nassau County Republican committeeman. He served the village as Cable Channel 18 Broadcasting chairman, co-chairman of "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" and "Easter Bunny," and was a member of the Traffic Committee for a decade. He was also a former chairman of the board and a past president of the Westwood Civic Association.
A wonderful life
"He was so involved in so many things, I couldn't put his resume on one page," his daughter said, adding that it was only then that she realized just how much her father had done for the community. "There was a moment of silence for him at the village board meeting."
Aresta said that her father's his life revolved around his family and his community. Since he died during the holiday season, she said, "It kind of reminded me of Jimmy Stewart in 'It's a Wonderful Life.' He was always there for everybody. There was a huge turnout for his funeral. He was not rich, but he was rich in family and friends."
A graduate of the Malverne High School class of 1955, Bove is survived by four children, Peter J. Bove of South Hempstead and wife Katy; Aresta, of Malverne, and husband John; Guy W. Bove of Malverne and wife Deborah; and Paul S. Bove of Jacksonville, Fla., and wife Jennifer; and 10 grandchildren, Bryan, Alex, Caitlin, Joshua, Matthew and Nicholas Bove; and James, Christopher, Robert and Nicole Aresta.
Services were held at Flinch and Bruns of Lynbrook and Grace Lutheran Church in Malverne. Donations can be made in Bove's memory to Grace Lutheran Church.
