A community in Rockland County is in mourning over the death of a beloved restaurant owner.

Friends and family are remembering the life of Jerry Accomando.

Accomando owned the Haverstraw restaurant Babes Bar and Grill for two decades up until his death from colon cancer at age 65 last week. "He just had this unbelievable knack for knowing when something was needed," says Accomando’s son, Anthony,

News 12 spoke with Jerry on Veterans Day in 2019 when he organized a tribute to one of his customers who became a friend. That was just one of the many things that made Jerry special. He helped with the Stony Point Seals and assisted countless others throughout his life. "That was my dad. He always wanted to pay homage to what came before, and he really cared about the community and the legacy of the people in the community," says Anthony.

Anthony says they're planning to honor his father’s legacy with "Jerry's Jar on the Bar." Each month, one charity will get all the money from a jar that sits out, as well as a portion of every check for one night. "This month is the Stony Point Seals since the upcoming plunge is on Super Bowl Sunday."

Jerry Accomando also owned J&B Luncheonette in Haverstraw for three decades before the pandemic forced it to close.

He leaves behind a wife, two children and a grandson.