Herbert G. Hemendinger

Herbert G. Hemendinger was a Long Island educator, coach and public servant who spent more than 33 years as director of the Town of Babylon's Parks and Recreation Department and served as chairman of the Town of Babylon Republican Committee. Known to friends and colleagues as Herbie, he was a longtime resident of Babylon Village. He died on 5 November 2026 at Kanas Hospice Center in Westhampton Beach, New York, aged 93.

Raised in Lindenhurst, Hemendinger kept a lifelong connection to that community and was active in its Methodist church. He began his working life in uniform as a military policeman, the start of what his family and colleagues described as a lifetime of service.

He went on to become athletic director and a physical education teacher at West Babylon High School, where he also coached basketball and football. Former students and athletes remembered him for stressing teamwork, personal growth and the importance of recognising their own potential.

His public role reached well beyond the school district. For more than three decades he led Babylon's Parks and Recreation Department, overseeing the parks, beaches and pools that became gathering places for generations of local families. He also worked for Off-Track Betting for more than 19 years, and he chaired the town Republican Committee, becoming what Babylon Town Councilman Anthony Manetta called "a fixture in Babylon politics and a respected presence in the community." Manetta said Hemendinger had encouraged him to pursue public office from the time he was 19.

Family was at the centre of his life. He was married to Barbara, who died in 2001, and he loved summers at his home on Oak Beach. His granddaughter Stevie Luongo recalled that he was there for every milestone, from village swimming races to walking her down the aisle.

Hemendinger is survived by his daughter, Karen Allar of Mattituck, and by grandchildren and great grandchildren. Family and friends were to gather on 11 November 2026 at the Mangano Family Funeral Home in Deer Park, followed by burial at Pinelawn Memorial Park. Town Republican leader Joe Barone summed up his outlook with the advice Hemendinger always gave: "Work hard and be loyal."