Warren Tackenberg, family man and former New Hyde Park village trustee, dies at 91

According to those who knew him, Warren Tackenberg was known for two things: prioritizing the needs of his family above all else, and his town second.

"He was a real family guy, very family first. He was very supportive, selfless, fun and funny; there was always a light-hearted mood at home and a lot of joking around," said Tackenberg's son, Richard Tackenberg of Los Angeles.. "He was someone to give advice and was a good ear to talk things out with."

The Hauppauge man and former longtime resident of New Hyde Park died of natural causes on Sept. 18 at the age of 91.

Warren Tackenberg was born on March 5, 1934, in Brooklyn. After graduating from high school, Tackenberg served in the Air Force from 1951-55 before joining the Air Force Reserve. In 1957, he attended traffic management school through the Air Force and worked as a traffic manager for several company warehouses, including Case Paper, from where he retired in 1999.

Tackenberg met his wife, Edith, in 1966, when they worked together at the same magazine company. They married in April 1967 and moved to New Hyde Park in 1970, where they raised three children: son Richard and daughters Patricia and Joanne.

"He was in the warehouse, and I was a secretary, and I remember he was just so outgoing, warm and caring," Tackenberg's wife said of her first impression of her husband. "We loved to travel together — Morocco, Iceland, the national parks. He was such a devoted husband and true family man."

According to his son, Tackenberg never wanted to be a career politician, but it was his desire to serve others and get things done that got him involved in his community. He served as a New Hyde Park trustee from 1977 to 1993, and became the mayor of New Hyde Park from 1993 to 2001. The couple moved to Hauppauge in 2008.

"He was a real straight shooter and people liked him a lot," Tackenberg's son said. "He always said that it was interesting to him what was going on in his town, and he wanted to see change in the village. He really loved it more than he thought he would."

Tackenberg also served as president of the Nassau County Village Officials Association (NCVOA) from 1999 to 2000. In 2001, he became the executive director of the NCVOA and remained in that position until 2020.

Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy, a former president of the NCVOA, met Tackenberg in 2013 and remembered him as "a very supportive and energetic individual."

"He really had the interest of the residents in Nassau County in his heart. His dedication to public service was unmatched," Kennedy said. "He was a personal friend and a dedicated, loyal mayor and president of the NCVOA. We miss him sorely."

According to his son, Tackenberg was very proud of his social commitment to the villages and the county.

"He liked being in a small community and loved the interaction with people and trying to help them with legislation in the town," he said. "Dad helped write letters of recommendation to get people into the Air Force or academy and assisted with fundraising for the local Boy Scouts."

Tackenberg enjoyed gardening, fishing and spending time on the water as often as he could. As a grandfather, Tackenberg was very close to his three granddaughters and was "very hands-on and showed up to everything," according to his son.

"They loved to babysit. They were very active grandparents," he said.

When asked how Tackenberg would want his legacy to be remembered, his son said, "as someone who put his family first."

"He just wanted to help people, whether it was as a father, a mayor or at the NCVOA," Tackenberg's son said. "He was a mentor, an ear to listen to and a dedicated public servant. And he never wanted anything in return."

In addition to his wife and son, Tackenberg is survived by daughters Patricia McKechnie, of Hauppauge; Joanne Burke, of Smithtown; and three granddaughters: Kayla, Samantha and Keira McKechnie. A funeral Mass was celebrated on Sept. 24 at St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church in Hauppauge followed by a private cremation. Donations were made to the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.