Victor Joseph Zupa

Victor Joseph Zupa of Southold died Dec. 16, 2022, at the age of 80.

He was born March 7, 1942, in New York City to Ann (Dolce) and Vito Zupa. He was a 10-year student at Saint Anne’s Academy in Manhattan and a member of the second graduating class of Archbishop Molloy High School. After high school, he attended Fordham University, where he attained bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a Juris Doctor cum laude. 

He married the love of his life, Mary Sullivan, on Dec. 30, 1964, in Forest Hills, N.Y., and together they had three children. 

Victor had been a summertime visitor to Southold since 1963 and became a full-time resident in 1998. He had a true love of the North Fork and his property there, and was always involved with the preservation of the wetlands. He was one of the first to grow oysters as part of the Cedar Beach and Cornell restoration projects. He never could eat any of the thousands of oysters, and instead reseeded the Bay with all of them.

He worked as an attorney and was assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He was a member of St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Southold. In his free time he enjoyed running, being a lifelong runner. He also enjoyed fishing and boating. Between 1964 and 1969, Victor served in the U.S. Army, where he attained the rank of 1st lieutenant and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and Basic Missileman Badge. While in the military, he served as a teacher and supervisor of teachers for the Missile Electronics Program at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Much of his legal career was spent under that influence.

Victor is survived by his wife, Mary; his children, Evelyn Shyposh (Paul) of Westfield, N.J., Ann Russo (Anthony) of Los Angeles, Calif., and Mary Beth Albright of Washington, D.C.; and grandchildren Whitney, Courtney and Paul Shyposh, Grace and Julian Russo and Truman Albright.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated Dec. 20 at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Southold, officiated by Father Peter Garry. Interment with U.S. Army honors followed at the church cemetery.

DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home assisted the family.

Memorial donations may be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065 or Archbishop Molloy High School, 83-53 Manton St., Briarwood, NY 11435. Please reference that donations are in memory of Victor Zupa.

The family will host a celebration of his life in the near future.

This is a paid notice.