Forest Hills Civic Association President Chris Collett Dies

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Longtime civic leader and Forest Hills Community and Civic Association President Chris Collett died Friday.

Collett's history of public service in Forest Hills, where his family has lived for generations, spanned decades.

He joined the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce in 1983, when he owned a collectibles business in the neighborhood, and eventually became its chairman.

He was also a member of Queens Community Board 6 for at least two decades, according to district manager Frank Gulluscio, and was the current co-chair of the board's transportation committee. He also served on the board's planning and zoning, education, beautification and economic development committees.

"He was for all the people, all the time," Gulluscio said. "A volunteer's a volunteer. Always there."

In 2017, Collett became president of the Forest Hills Community and Civic Association.

A staple of Collett's tenure as civic association president was the slate of guest speakers he brought in to enliven meetings and boost engagement, with the goal of retaining and growing the association's membership, according to Gulluscio.

Claudia Valentino, a civic association board member and a former Queens Community Board 6 member, praised Collett for revitalizing the civic association and keeping it alive even as the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to its in-person meetings.

"He's the kind of person who was so vital to our community that he became like a right arm," Valentino said in a phone interview. "You don't notice it until you're missing it. He was simply part of what I call the civic fabric here to such a degree that the idea of losing him is impossible to fathom."

State Sen. Joseph Addabbo, Jr., who swore in Collett as president of the civic association, called him a dedicated local leader.

"He will always be remembered for his tireless community advocacy," Addabbo said. "I always admired the sincerity he expressed when helping others or conducting a civic meeting."

We are mourning the sudden passing of CB6 member, Transportation Committee co-chair, Forest Hills Community & Civic Association Chair & Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce board member Chris Collett. What a loss for our community.
— Queens Community Board 6 (@QueensCB6) June 29, 2020

"I was privileged to work with Chris, and cannot understate his contributions as a local business owner, community board member, Forest Hills Civic Association president and as a dedicated resident who was willing to lend a hand," New York Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi said. "Chris cannot be replaced, but his legacy will always live on in our communities."

In addition to his civic involvement, Collett worked as a math teacher at Holy Family Catholic Academy in Fresh Meadows and at a Brooklyn charter school, and he ran a telecommunications business based in Forest Hills.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and their granddaughter, Lucy.