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Limo Driver Leads With Roses

Place in funeral was 'luck of the draw'

By Anthony M. DeStefano | STAFF WRITER

June 16, 2002

After driving for Harrington Limousine of Iselin, N.J., for several years, Herb Weiss knows that the call for a funeral job can come at any time.

Weiss, 77, was tapped as a driver for John Gotti's funeral at 10 p.m. Friday, as Papavero Funeral Home in Maspeth sought limousine drivers in anticipation of yesterday's funeral.

The retired salesman was there early yesterday morning, well ahead of the 10 a.m. prayer service, wearing a gray suit. As it turned out, he was chosen to drive the "escort flower car," the vehicle directly in front of the Cadillac hearse carrying Gotti's ornate coffin.

"It was the luck of the draw," Weiss said. "The guy said, 'You take the silver [car].' When I got here, I never knew I would be the one right by the hearse."

Nineteen flower cars, modified luxury cars used to carry the massive floral tributes to Gotti, and 35 limousines were hired at an average cost of between $200 to $250 a day each.

Weiss' car carried baskets of red roses for Gotti's family to place on his ornate coffin at St. John Cemetery in Middle Village.

Weiss said his company has been doing funeral work since its founding in the 1920s, and an old horsedrawn hearse still is kept in working condition.

Driving is a nice part-time occupation for retired police officers and firefighters, Weiss said. He and the other drivers seemed amazed by the size of the Gotti procession and the media blitz.

"Unbelievable," said Weiss, as four helicopters hovered overhead.