Activist Anderson Goosby of Hempstead dies

Community activist and former Hempstead Village Democratic Party chairman Anderson Jay Goosby Jr. pursued twin goals of good government and community betterment.

Goosby, of Hempstead Village, died Monday at his home after suffering from lung and brain cancer. He was 84.

"He was a gentleman," said his wife, Hempstead Town Councilwoman Dorothy L. Goosby. "He believed everyone should do their due diligence and change the political process. He was nice to everyone no matter what their political affiliations were. They called him the silent giant."

Born on April 4, 1928, Anderson Goosby was raised in Apalachicola, Fla. He was a veteran of the United States Army Medical Corps. He moved to New York after World War II and he retired in 1993 after a 25-year career with the New York City Transit Authority, his wife said.

Goosby met his future wife, who is from the same Florida town, in 1961 at a Manhattan party. They were married a year later and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last October. She credited her husband with being an inspirational force behind her historic fight to establish town councilmanic districts.

"Dorothy and Jay were an incredible team, tireless and tenacious in service to their community," Supervisor Kate Murray said in a statement, adding that flags at all Hempstead Town facilities will be flown at half-staff until Wednesday in his honor.

Goobsy was involved in numerous campaigns, including those of his wife, U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), and state Assemb. Deputy Speaker Earlene Hooper (D-Hempstead). He also made an unsuccessful run of his own for Hempstead Village trustee in 2006.

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Goosby was the former treasurer of the Hempstead High School PTA and a volunteer at various student activities in the Hempstead school district. He also enjoyed watching horse racing, listening to blues music, painting and writing poetry.

"We are going to miss him," his wife said. "He went away like a giant that he was. He was so humble. He was always smiling."

Viewing will be Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 7 p.m. at Union Baptist Church, 24 Clinton C. Boone Place in Hempstead Village. The funeral procession will leave on Wednesday at 10 a.m. from the church to Greenfield Cemetery in Uniondale.

In addition to his wife, Dorothy, he is survived by daughters Alcina and Cassandra Goosby, both of Hempstead.