Retired long time former UFA President Michael "Mickey" Maye, who was in his early 80s, passed away in Florida yesterday after battling several serious illnesses. His service to FDNY firefighters, along with his colorful personality will long be remembered. His son, FDNY Fire Marshal Dan Maye, runs the Mand Library at the Fire Academy. His older son. Michael, who was the Captain of Ladder 38, has recently retired from FDNY. He is also survived by three daughters and many grandchildren. Rest in Peace, Mickey.
Passing of Michael "Mickey" Maye
- Thread starter HCO
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Rest In Peace
I believe Michael Maye was president of the firefighters union during the very tough late 70s. My guess is that it was probadly the toughest time to be FDNYs Union President. It was a time of closing numerous companies while fires and deaths were skyrocketing.
My condolences to his family and friends, and to the members of the FDNY.
May he Rest in Peace.
My condolences to his family and friends, and to the members of the FDNY.
May he Rest in Peace.
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Michael Maye
Michael ?Mickey? Maye, a Daily News Golden Gloves champion and controversial FDNY union head, died of a heart attack in Boynton Beach, Fla., on Friday. He was 83.
Born and raised on E. 138th St. in the South Bronx, the imposing 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound scrapper liked a good tussle, whether in the boxing ring or at City Hall fighting to improve firefighter safety and benefits, family members said.
Maye had 119 wins as both an amateur and pro boxer ? a career that spiked in 1950, when he won the first of two consecutive Golden Glove Championships against Dominick DeFendis and Anthony Zampelli.
A short time later, he lent his pugilistic spirit to Uncle Sam and signed up to fight in the Korean War, his son Michael remembered.
?He was the kind of guy John Wayne played in the movies, but he played it in real life,? his son said. ?He was the biggest, strongest man I ever met and he had the biggest heart I?d ever seen.?
Maye worked as a sand hog ? a construction worker who dug tunnels under New York City ? until 1957, when he joined the New York Fire Department.
Ten years and four bravery citations later, he was elected president of the Uniform Firefighters Association, where he spent his days brawling with cash-strapped city heads over wage freezes and firefighter layoffs in a time when fires were rampant.
?He will be remembered as an extraordinary leader in very challenging times," United Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy said.
Yet sometimes it was hard for Maye to control his inner brawler: In 1971, after gay rights activists stormed the stage at a dinner put on by a group of New York city political reporters, the union leader was accused of shoving and kicking 21-year-old activist Morty Manford. Maye was charged with harassment and ultimately acquitted, but was pegged as a homophobe for the rest of his career ? even though he claimed he moonlighted as a bouncer at a gay bar in Greenwich Village when he was younger.
?The fact that they were gay never bothered me,? Maye told The New York Times in 1996. ?I just didn't like them insulting the guests. Our wives were up in the balcony watching this.?
The trial cost Maye his re-election in 1973, but he was soon back as head of the Uniform Firefighters Association in 1975. He retired in 1978 and worked as a union head for the Teamsters until the late 1980s, when he and his wife Catherine, who died in 2012, move to Florida.
Maye is survived by two sons ? both New York firefighters; three daughters; and nine grandchildren.
His funeral will take place next week in Boynton Beach.
A memorial service is being planned in New York City for March, family members said.
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Again ...one of the greatest FDNY Union Leader's we may ever see...as far as the news story above....he was NOT a controversial Union Leader ...he WAS a Union Leader w/the Membership behind him... he WAS & still IS a real life hero ....his trial over his stand on the manford incident as reported in the article DID NOT cost him his reelection but more so politics by those afraid of his stand on several issues including his stance on FDNY Brothers good & welfare....if he was the President (not of the UFA but rather) of this great Country today we would be in so much better shape than we are in.......let's have a good turnout in March for his NYC Memorial Service..... A Korean War Vet...as well as a War Years FF ...... SAY NO MORE ....RESPECT DUE.
Michael ?Mickey? Maye, a Daily News Golden Gloves champion and controversial FDNY union head, died of a heart attack in Boynton Beach, Fla., on Friday. He was 83.
Born and raised on E. 138th St. in the South Bronx, the imposing 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound scrapper liked a good tussle, whether in the boxing ring or at City Hall fighting to improve firefighter safety and benefits, family members said.
Maye had 119 wins as both an amateur and pro boxer ? a career that spiked in 1950, when he won the first of two consecutive Golden Glove Championships against Dominick DeFendis and Anthony Zampelli.
A short time later, he lent his pugilistic spirit to Uncle Sam and signed up to fight in the Korean War, his son Michael remembered.
?He was the kind of guy John Wayne played in the movies, but he played it in real life,? his son said. ?He was the biggest, strongest man I ever met and he had the biggest heart I?d ever seen.?
Maye worked as a sand hog ? a construction worker who dug tunnels under New York City ? until 1957, when he joined the New York Fire Department.
Ten years and four bravery citations later, he was elected president of the Uniform Firefighters Association, where he spent his days brawling with cash-strapped city heads over wage freezes and firefighter layoffs in a time when fires were rampant.
?He will be remembered as an extraordinary leader in very challenging times," United Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy said.
Yet sometimes it was hard for Maye to control his inner brawler: In 1971, after gay rights activists stormed the stage at a dinner put on by a group of New York city political reporters, the union leader was accused of shoving and kicking 21-year-old activist Morty Manford. Maye was charged with harassment and ultimately acquitted, but was pegged as a homophobe for the rest of his career ? even though he claimed he moonlighted as a bouncer at a gay bar in Greenwich Village when he was younger.
?The fact that they were gay never bothered me,? Maye told The New York Times in 1996. ?I just didn't like them insulting the guests. Our wives were up in the balcony watching this.?
The trial cost Maye his re-election in 1973, but he was soon back as head of the Uniform Firefighters Association in 1975. He retired in 1978 and worked as a union head for the Teamsters until the late 1980s, when he and his wife Catherine, who died in 2012, move to Florida.
Maye is survived by two sons ? both New York firefighters; three daughters; and nine grandchildren.
His funeral will take place next week in Boynton Beach.
A memorial service is being planned in New York City for March, family members said.
...
Again ...one of the greatest FDNY Union Leader's we may ever see...as far as the news story above....he was NOT a controversial Union Leader ...he WAS a Union Leader w/the Membership behind him... he WAS & still IS a real life hero ....his trial over his stand on the manford incident as reported in the article DID NOT cost him his reelection but more so politics by those afraid of his stand on several issues including his stance on FDNY Brothers good & welfare....if he was the President (not of the UFA but rather) of this great Country today we would be in so much better shape than we are in.......let's have a good turnout in March for his NYC Memorial Service..... A Korean War Vet...as well as a War Years FF ...... SAY NO MORE ....RESPECT DUE.
WAKE & VIEWING
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19th 2 - 4 & 7 - 9 P.M.
LORNE & SONS FUNERAL HOME
745 NE 6thAVE
DELRAY BEACH, FL 33483
561 276-4161
FUNERAL MASS
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20th AT 10:30 A.M.
ST. MARKS CATHOLIC CHURCH
643 NE 4th AVE
BOYNTON BEACH, FL 33435
561 735-3530
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19th 2 - 4 & 7 - 9 P.M.
LORNE & SONS FUNERAL HOME
745 NE 6thAVE
DELRAY BEACH, FL 33483
561 276-4161
FUNERAL MASS
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20th AT 10:30 A.M.
ST. MARKS CATHOLIC CHURCH
643 NE 4th AVE
BOYNTON BEACH, FL 33435
561 735-3530
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Mickey Maye once gave my father a UFA badge for me along with his business card with the following message on the back: "Gary - I don't know what the future holds for you, but if you chose to follow in your father's footsteps, you couldn't share your life with finer men." And Mr. Maye, his sons - my friends - Danny and Mike, are among the finest men I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. RIP
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Another war years warrior has passed. Rest in Peace Mr. Maye, you have earned that. Prayers and thoughts for you, your family and the extended family throughout the job.