Crowds gathered in the down-pouring rain for a special ceremony at Drift 82 on Saturday in Patchogue.
Around 5 p.m., the owners of the waterfront restaurant, John Sarno and Tim Kelly, unveiled a new plaque that pays homage to the late Edward Halverson.
Edward, a Korean War veteran, purchased the property at 82 Brightwood Street with his wife, Mary, back in the 1980s. He later went on to turn the location into a seafood restaurant called On the Waterfront.
The Halversons named the place after the 1954 Marlon Brando film by the same name.
When he wasn’t catching criminals like the up-and-coming mob boss John Gotti as a Suffolk County Police detective, Edward was enjoying his oasis on the Patchogue River.
“My husband was an amazing man,” said Mary. “He loved this place, this was life.”
Edward and Mary ran On the Waterfront for over two decades until Drift 82 took over last summer.
“We wanted to maintain and keep the legacy of Ed and On the Waterfront intact and alive,” said Sarno.
Edward, the father of seven children, died last November at 86.
At the ceremony, which was held on Edward’s birthday, the Halverson family said Edward would have been proud of his how dream property looks today.
“For you guys to put this together today, we are so appreciative,” said his son John. “I know my dad is smiling.”
Top: Edward Halverson’s son John with Drift 82 co-owner John Sarno next to the new Edward Halverson plaque. (Credit: Nicholas Esposito)
