Dozens of family and friends gathered to mourn the first African-American elected as mayor in the state of New York.

A funeral was held today at Calvary Baptist Church in Haverstraw for Thomas Watson, who died last week at age 82 of natural causes.

Watson served as mayor of Haverstraw from 1989 until 1995. Flags across the county were lowered in his honor.

Watson, who won the Rockland County Buffalo Soldier Award in 2002, was also an administrator at the county's fire training center and served on numerous non-profit and humanitarian boards in the area. "He was very accomplished in the county. But just someone who was extraordinaire. The whole family," says April Cobb, of Haverstraw.

Watson was also an active volunteer, including at the church where his funeral took place today.