Obituaries

John DiNoto

John DiNoto

John DiNoto, former New York State Supreme Court Justice, dies at 83.

After a battle with renal cancer and its complications, John DiNoto died May 9 at his home in Southold, N.Y., surrounded by his family.

A former justice of the New York State Supreme Court and Nassau County District Court, Judge DiNoto characterized his role as a jurist as a sacred trust. He was known for his integrity and rigor, and was frequently endorsed across party lines. His thorough and thoughtful decisions never eschewed human concerns.

Prior to his 14 years in the New York State Supreme Court, Judge DiNoto served as chief clerk of the Nassau County Court, chief clerk of the Surrogate Court and as a District Court judge. He was a graduate of Dartmouth College and New York Law School.

Judge DiNoto — known as “Jack” by friends and family — had a great love for the sea, and enjoyed countless excursions on his boat across the Sound and up and down the East Coast with his wife, Jeanmarie, as well as with friends and family. He had a deep love of nature, and expressed that had he not gone into law, he might have been a conservationist. He treasured hunting trips with his sons and time on his Harley. He was irrepressible as a motorcyclist and rode rebelliously into his 70s.

Jack was widely known for his sharp sense of humor, his wise and ready counsel, and his willingness to subordinate the dignity of the bench in deference to making his grandchildren laugh. Jack follows his parents, Dr. John and Ann DiNoto of Raffadali, Italy, and Brooklyn, respectively; his first wife, Patricia, who died in 1968; and his beloved grandchild Nicholas, who died in 2012.

Jack is survived by his wife of 49 years, Jeanmarie, and his children, Robert DiNoto, Eugene DiNoto, Anthony DiFalco, Cristina Bertrand, Ellen Colozzi, Gregory DiNoto, and by his sister, Andrea DiNoto. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, and a single great-grandchild, Lorelai, who was born within hours of his passing. Judge DiNoto’s proudest legacy was this family, borne of two marriages, but now grown indivisible.

A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold.

Memorial donations may be made to The Nature Conservancy.

This is a paid notice.