After 41 years of service and dedication to the Great Neck community, Louis Massaro, known to many as “Louie” or “Lou,” has retired from the Village of Great Neck’s Department of Public Works.

Louie’s family has strong ties to the Great Neck community, dating back a couple of generations when Louie’s great-grandfather, Giovanni (John) Massaro, first arrived in the United States in 1905.

He established Massaro Brothers, a heating and fuel company that served Great Neck and its surrounding communities for decades. Raised in the Village of Great Neck, Lou attended Great Neck public schools and graduated North High in 1982.

He began working for the Village of Great Neck’s Sanitation Department in February 1983.

After a few years, Lou worked for the Village’s Highway Department, first as labor foreman and then rising up the ranks to deputy superintendent of Public Works. In 2002, he became the superintendent of Public Works and remained in that role until his retirement in March 2024.

Lou has been married to his high school sweetheart, Margie Byrnes, for 36 years. They raised three children, have five grandchildren and reside in Levittown. According to Margie, even though they moved out of Great Neck many years ago, Lou loved Great Neck and the members of this community.

“Great Neck has always been Lou’s home, his heart and his soul,” said Margie. “Leaving is like moving away from a home you lived in for over 40 years. He will miss the people in the community, especially the ‘Village guys,’ his co-workers, who are like family to him.”

Lou’s plans for retirement include working with his sons, who have a family business, spending time with his grandchildren, cycling and working on his classic cars.

Sara Rietbroek

Great Neck