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5 tree(s) planted in memory of Martin Richard "Lefty" Herzog
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Richard Schaeffer planted 5 trees in memory of Martin Richard "Lefty" Herzog
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
5 trees were planted in memory of
Martin Richard "Lefty" Herzog
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May God Bless Lefty And The Entire Herzog Family. Join in honoring their life - plant a memorial tree
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Jerry A Goldfarb posted a condolence
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Lefty was my hero softball player and I used to be his batboy on occasion.
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Jacqueline Shapiro Fairbanks posted a condolence
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Lefty was a prince of a man. He was a true friend to my late father, Eli Shapiro, and was thoughtful enough to telephone him a week before he passed away. I will always remember Lefty fondly. Rest in Peace.
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DAVID BOGNER posted a condolence
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Dear Ida, Geoff, Andrew and Carla,
My thoughts and prayers are with you all. The Herzog's and Bogner's go back together for decades.
There will never be another Lefty. Just a wonderful man with an unmatched smile.
David Bogner
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Patti Greco Sunshine and Jonathan Sunshine posted a condolence
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Jonathan and I are saddened to hear of Lefty's passing. The memories of his always cheerful and welcoming greeting anytime we saw him will forever be in our memories and hearts. We send love and our deepest sympathy to his beautiful Ida and his family. Lefty will forever be name, that when said, brings a smile and a wonderful memory.
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Joseph Greenfield posted a condolence
Saturday, March 25, 2017
it was a very sad day to hear about the passing of Lefty Herzog, an icon in the Catskills. First and foremost; sending warm and healing wishes to Ida, Jeff, Andrew, Carla and their extended families. I wish you all peace and great memories with your beloved Lefty. I feel compelled to share my experience with the restaurant and the Herzog family. I have such vivid memories of the restaurant and the Herzogs. Before I even started working there, my parents would bring my sister and I there when we were little kids. We shared a hamburger and French fries most of the time. One thing I noticed is Lefty would always come by to see how things were doing and he would usually bring my folks a bite of one of his culinary creations..and boy, was he a great cook. Lefty’s was more than food…it was an experience. Even if the food wasn’t awesome, people would still come to see Lefty. Luckily, though, he had great food and a one-of-a kind personality..a win-win experience. The ordering ritual at the counter, getting a ticket which displayed a color and a number, that they would announce when your food was ready….the shouts of “one onion” will be forever etched in many of our memories. The self-serve onions and pickles need a mention too!
I started working at Lefty’s in the summer of 1983, with several other cronies. The Herzogs had very close ties and a history with the Sharoff and Rubin families, both on my father’s side. Some of my cousins worked there too many moons before me. That made me feel comfortable, but it was by no means a free ride. I was eager to work, like so many of us back then, and boy did we work! I started as a bus boy that summer and worked as a soda jerk the next. I learned a lot about people and business, thanks to Lefty and Ida. The thing I remember most is that they took such pride in their restaurant. They had no greater pleasure than to see people happy and satisfied after a meal there. They were right there in the trenches with me and the other staff..clearing tables, making sure the chairs were straight and that the table was cleaned with the grain of the wood (Andrew taught me that). Lefty always made sure we used clean towels (my hands smelled of bleach all summer!) and that we should never call them rags. He wanted the best of both worlds…a very presentable place and great food! They would pitch in wherever they could to make sure the diners had a stellar experience. The bus boys had many tasks besides cleaning off the tables: filling the ketchup and mustard bottles, filling napkin holders, sweeping the restaurant floor. These tasks were all done in mid-afternoon..the calm before the storm (dinner rush). And believe me, did they draw crowds..epic ones! Again, Lefty always made sure things were done according to his specifications, which I soon learned were really the “correct” ways of doing things. From what I understand, this restaurant wasn’t his first rodeo, so he had experience with what worked and what didn’t. Ida and Lefty were also so kind to ALL of their employees, another thing I noticed back then. He made you feel happy to come to work. The rules were, you could eat anything really, except desserts, chicken wings and shrimp.. very, very fair and generous of them. But boy, was there so much more of his eclectic menu. Those two summers were filled with busting my hump and eating and eating and eating..oh, and did I say eating?. I think they may have changed the eating rules after I stopped working there :-). One busy night, I was running around and Lefty asked me to come in the kitchen. I thought I was in trouble. He was making his famous peanut butter pie. He told me taste the freshly made whip cream to make sure it was “o.k.” And boy, was it…that was a relief. I was so small back then and Lefty was a rather imposing figure..he towered over me. But he had such a great heart and was a pussy cat. He always made sure we ate before we went home too..as if I needed too..i probably consumed 5,000 calories before dinner!. A typical dinner was an open-faced turkey or roast beef platter with French fries or onion rings. He never had to coax me to eat. And, on special nights, Andrew would throw us a chipwich. I can’t stress how generous and welcoming this family was…I felt like part of their extended family. And, there was always music pumping out of the juke box..that summer..Def Leppard’s “photograph” was a hot single and it motivated me while I was working. Also, there were many celebrities that were customers; I thought that was really cool.
I feel obligated to mention, there was a whole lot more than onion soup on the menu. He had manhattan clam chowder, mushroom barley, pea soup, etc. Mountain chili, reubens, roast pork on a garlic roll, mini corned beef sandwiches. I could go on and on. Something for everyone and then some…oh…foot long hot dogs that snapped! And, when day was done, I hitched many a ride with Andrew, Ida or Lefty. They lived right around the corner from us. That mustard-colored Pontiac that Lefty drove was like a boat, and boy was it fun to ride in. I will always remember the Herzogs and I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to work in their establishment and for the whole Lefty experience. Those important times in life..like your first job will always be remembered. But this, I can tell you, was so much more than work. That place was where memories were made for so, so many people. With restaurant chains taking over, I fondly recall my good old days at a family-owned restaurant that was so much more..and a testament to the way things “used to be.” I am touched and honored to have been a part of the operation. In closing, just want to say that many, many great memories, and there are plenty, will sustain all of his friends and customers, but his family first and foremost. We all will remember everything “Lefty” for many years to come.
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jim nickerson posted a condolence
Friday, March 24, 2017
Our condolences to the Herzog family...Our thoughts and prayers are with you all...from all of us @ Rohr Racing
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moishe sternhill posted a condolence
Friday, March 24, 2017
lefty was the consummate manche ,we were always on phone looking for a bungalow colony or just kibitzing ,he was a delight to talk to he will surly be missed
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moishe sternhill lit a candle
Friday, March 24, 2017
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James & Brenda Farquhar posted a condolence
Friday, March 24, 2017
Dear Alice & Andy, and family,
We are all so sorry for your loss. We have known Lefty for most of our lives, and he was such a great & caring man. We will miss running in to him in the local stores.
Please express our sympathy to Ida & your boys.
With love from, Brenda, Jimmy, Jody, Monica, and Chelsea & Hayley
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steve gastwirth posted a condolence
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Dear Ida Carla and the Herzog family,
The obituary as posted is spot on as to who Lefty was and the impression he made on people. My parents always spoke of his terrific personality, his business acumen, the love he had for his family and his stature in the community. I had the pleasure of working for him during my junior and senior years at MHS and he taught me a great deal about business,fairness, and how to treat customers. He was sincere , genuine, and a simply wonderful man. May his long and virtiuous life and wonderful memories be a comfort to you all.
Fondly,
Steve Gastwirth
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Helene Supon Blumenfeld posted a condolence
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
What a fabulous Monticello landmark Lefty made...Great onion soup....the entire SUPON family were regulars...
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Mark Lewis Schulman posted a condolence
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Dear Ida, Jeffrey and Miriam. Our hearts go out to you with Lefty's passing. He was an Icon, but he was Sullivan County's Icon. There will never be any restaurant in the world, 5 stars or more, that will ever equal Lefty's. He stood larger than life and will always be remembered. God bless you lefty. Its as if you never left us.
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Dr Peter A Chester posted a condolence
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
An indelible, eternal legacy --
Thanks for the memories!
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Richard Rubin, MD posted a condolence
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
"Lefty" was such a presence in our lives. High school classmate of my Mothers, army buddy of my Father who got him through some tough times. My Dad was Lefty's oldest son's Godfather. Most memorable was being a part of the great Catskills landmark that his restaurant became. I started working there when I was 14, and did a bunch of summers, weekends, etc. for years.
He was a beautiful man, with an amazing sense of humor and incredible business sense. He truly made a difference in my life, and I was honored to know him.
RIP, and I hope there is your onion soup in Heaven.
Sympathy to Ida, Jeff, Andrew, Carla and families.
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Joyce Salimeno-Gitlin posted a condolence
Monday, March 20, 2017
We send deepest sympathy to Ida, Jeff & Miriam, Andrew & Alice & the entire Herzog family in the loss of your beloved Lefty. He certainly left his heartprint on all of Sullivan County & those who were priviledged to call him friend. Sending prayers and love to all, Joyce & Mel Gitlin
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Location
Joseph N. Garlick Funeral Home
388 Broadway
Monticello, NY 12701
Phone: (845) 794-7474
Toll-Free: (866) 621-2777
Fax: (845)794-7475
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