Friends, family, officials, and members of Hudson Valley Honor Flight gathered at 455 State Route 17K in Rock Tavern last Saturday, November 23 at 11 a.m. for a special occasion: a highway sign dedicated to Steve Nicoli, a late Walden resident and veteran who passed away from COVID in 2021.

Nicoli was a co-founder of Hudson Valley Honor Flight, a non-profit organization that flies veterans to memorials in Washington D.C. dedicated to them and the wars they fought in. Despite being cold and cloudy out, everyone was excited to see the dedication and remember the ways Nicoli impacted them, Orange County, and all of Hudson Valley.

The ceremony opened with Valley Central JROTC’s presentation of the flag colors, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance from Richie Lay, board chairman of the National Purple Heart Mission Honor Mission. Brian Maher, New York State Assemblyman of District 101, led the opening prayer and welcomed everyone to the memorial.

“We appreciate you braving the conditions to honor our friend, our loved one, and our founder of the Hudson Valley Honor Flight, Steve Nicoli, as we dedicate the Steve Nicoli Memorial Highway here today,” Maher said.

Chris Eachus, New York State Assemblyman of District 99, thanked Brian Maher for orchestrating this dedication and recounted the time he met Nicoli on an Honor Flight.

“There are a number of elected officials that stand in front of you and say ‘I’m bipartisan.’ Let me tell you something: Brian Maher came up with this bill and he has true bipartisan support on this bill, and that is tough to do. He did exactly what he said,” Eachus said. “I didn’t know Steve for long, but I was able to take an Honor Flight as a Guardian, and I did get to meet him and know his legacy. This (dedication) is the least we can do in his memory.”

“Uncle” Mike Hansen, radio personality of Country 107.3 WRWD and a member of HV Honor Flight, emphasized Nicoli’s impact on the region’s veterans. For over a decade, Honor Flight has brought thousands of veterans together, forging unbreakable bonds that would have never happened without Nicoli pushing for the program.

“He knew what he was doing for the veterans, but I don’t think he knew what he was doing for us. I look around this crowd and I see the relationships that have been made because of Honor Flight,” Hansen said. “Jen (DeFrancesco) the executive director is here, Lou (Ingrassia) the chairman is here, and I see my buddy Will Sestrom. We’ve known each other for years, but it was more than friendships, it’s a family now.”

Greg Furlong, chairman of Leatherstocking Honor Flight and “Godfather” of HV Honor Flight, recounted the program’s creation and Nicoli’s hand in the process. Having experience in Leatherstocking’s organization, Furlong wanted to bring Honor Flight to Hudson Valley, but he had a difficult time finding people to help him with it. The pieces fell into place once he met Nicoli, and after bringing Brian and Trish Maher on board, the program came to fruition.

“I had this idea that we needed to have an Honor Flight in the Hudson Valley, and I spent a few days in the Hudson Valley talking to a lot of people. Everybody who I spoke to loved the program, but nobody had the chutzpah to get it going,” Furlong said. “Then I got a call; some guy named Steve called to ask me about Honor Flight. About a minute into the call, I felt that in my search, I found who I was looking for.”

“His charisma and enthusiasm were immediately palpable, and we decided to meet the next night at a rib joint down by the river. The conversation was easy, and I soon realized that I had found the man who would bring Honor Flight to the Hudson Valley. Steve quickly called Trish (Maher) and Brian, who both joined in the excitement, and so the Hudson Valley was born,” he continued. “Because of Steve and his crew, Hudson Valley is a better place. The man whose life was far too short truly made his mark like very few people ever could.”

Louis Ingrassia, chairman of HV Honor Flight and member of the Middletown Elks Lodge, continued where Furlong left off and described his first encounter with Nicoli and company at the lodge. The Middletown Elks Lodge was one of many groups to fundraise for HV Honor Flight, helping the organization afford planes to fly veterans. Ingrassia commended Nicoli for touching the lives of so many people in the region, making special note of his unforgettable smile.

“Steve’s legacy is right here, take a look around. Look at the size of this crowd on a chilly November morning to come out and unveil this sign. We could be anywhere right now but we’re right here with our family, the Nicoli family, the Hudson Valley Honor Flight family. He will live in our hearts forever,” Ingrassia said. “Every time you think of Steve Nicoli, think of his smile. That smile is going to make you laugh, that smile is going to make you cry, and that smile is going to be with each and every one of us for the rest of our lives.”

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus and Senator Rob Rolison further discussed Nicoli’s merits, including his unwavering dedication to serving veterans and the legacy he imprinted into Hudson Valley.

“Our job as elected officials is to hear people’s complaints, people are always having problems. But Steve never complained, he always talked about the next mission that he was on. Just a wonderful, good man,” Neuhaus said. “When I think of Steve Nicoli, I think of the one picture of him in that fighting stance, wearing his military uniform, two fists up, and always fighting.”

“Thank you, Steve, Hudson Valley Honor Flight is a life-changing experience without a doubt. I’ve seen the same people at two Honor Flights I attended; it is something that once you go, you’re always going to go,” Rolison said. “It makes you proud to be an American and proud to know that veterans have done so much for us to be here today as a community. And Steve was part of that.”

Dave Nicoli, Steve’s older brother, reminisced about his brother and all the ways that the community memorialized him. Dave and his family also presented Maher with a frame of Steve’s game jersey and thanked him for Saturday’s dedication and his continued work with HV Hudson Valley.

“Steve meant so much to so many people; when I look back on his funeral, I’m just still in awe. It was the most beautiful funeral I’ve ever been to, it was the saddest but proudest moment of my life,” Dave said. “I’ve always looked up to my little brother, and it’s going to be nice to look up and see his name on his sign. He earned it, and I’m super proud of him.”

As the clouds parted and sunlight poured down onto the crowd, Route 747’s new “Steve Nicoli Memorial Highway” sign was fully unveiled. Attendees clustered around the sign to get a better look and take pictures, thrilled that Nicoli’s legacy was further cemented into the county and region.