Grace Belkin, one of the longest serving district managers in the City, has passed away.
Belkin was the district manger of Community Board 8 from its inception in 1977 until her retirement in 2006. She also served on CB 8’s precursor, Community Board 14.
She passed away on Tuesday, June 18.
“Grace was a tireless community activist, who gave so much of herself to better the Northwest Bronx neighborhoods,” said Congressman Eliot Engel. “She will be sorely missed.” June Eisland, former City Councilwoman, remembered Belkin as a tireless advocate for the communities in her district.
“There were no building complex, individual homeowners association, merchants, schools, or not-for-profits, or the entire fabric of board eight, that she did not know and work with,” said Eisland. “She was beloved by them all.”
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said he was saddened to learn of Belkin’s passing.
“Grace was always a strong advocate for her community,” said Diaz. “Her decades of hard work and tireless advocacy at the community board helped make the Northwest Bronx a better place to live, and her loss will undoubtedly have a deep effect on the thousands of people whose lives she directly touched during her years of service. On behalf of the people of the Bronx, our prayers go out to her family in their time of mourning.”
Belkin lived in Riverdale for over 50 years, said Eisland, and she said Belkin’s two children attended local public schools with her children.
“We met as members of the League of Women Voters in the 1960s,” she said. “The young moms used to hire a baby-sitter at whomsoever’s home the meeting was at, and we all participated in City government through the league,”
She called Belkin a fine human being who was part of the “interwoven fabric of the entire northwest Bronx.”
Councilman G. Oliver Koppell called Belkin a wonderful public servant who was involved in issues as varied as traffic, sanitation, and crime.
“I remember that she was always there,” said Koppell. “She was someone who was deeply involved in all the issues affecting the community. She was a very dedicated person whose whole life revolved around what is now Community Board 8.”
Patrick Rocchio can be reach via e-mail at procchio@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3393
