Senate Resolution No. 3588

BY: Senator KENNEDY

MOURNING the death of The Honorable Joseph J.
Sedita, State Supreme Court Justice, meritorious
veteran and devoted member of his community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to mourn publicly
the death of prominent citizens of the State of New York whose lifework
and civic endeavor served to enhance the reputation of the State; and

WHEREAS, It is with feelings of deepest regret that this Legislative
Body records the passing of The Honorable Joseph J. Sedita, State
Supreme Court Justice, noting the significance of the loss of a man
whose altruistic spirit will be greatly missed; and

WHEREAS, Judge Joseph J. Sedita of Buffalo, New York, died on
Saturday, January 13, 2018, at the age of 99; and

WHEREAS, A Buffalo native, Joseph J. Sedita came of age in the
1930s, during the Great Depression; he graduated from Grover Cleveland
High School and took postgraduate courses in typing and shorthand, which
served him well his entire life; and

WHEREAS, In 1942, Joseph J. Sedita married the love of his life, the
former Antoinette Faso, beginning a union that would last 75 years until
her death in May of 2017; and

WHEREAS, Joseph J. Sedita served his country with honor and
distinction as a member of the United States Army during World War II;
from 1942 until 1945, he was assigned to a repair and supply depot in
Honolulu as a technical sergeant; and

WHEREAS, Upon the completion of his military service, Joseph J.
Sedita graduated from the University of Buffalo Law School in 1950; and

WHEREAS, Judge Joseph J. Sedita went on to establish a private
general law practice before his appointment as a City Court judge in the
late 1950s by his brother, the late Mayor Frank A. Sedita; and

WHEREAS, As a City Court judge, Joseph J. Sedita gained a reputation
as a compassionate administrator of justice, supervising Sunrise Court
arraignments and bail hearings on weekends, and stopping in to
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to offer words of encouragement; he was
subsequently awarded the title of Mental Health Worker of the Year; and

WHEREAS, Judge Joseph J. Sedita was elected a State Supreme Court
justice and served from 1976 through the early 1990s; his expertise in
matrimonial law, and his swift and empathetic handling of divorce cases,
led him to receive two awards from the Matrimonial Law Committee of the
Erie County Bar Association for his excellence in service to community;
and

WHEREAS, After retiring from the bench, Judge Joseph J. Sedita
continued to work part time as a state judicial hearing officer,

settling divorce cases and supervising jury selection in civil cases; he
continued in that role until he was 89 years old; and

WHEREAS, Active in his community, Judge Joseph J. Sedita was former
president of the Judges and Police Executives Conference and a member of
several churches, including St. Gregory the Great Church; he was also a
longtime member of the Transit Valley Country Club and enjoyed golfing;
and

WHEREAS, More than a respected city and State Supreme Court judge,
Joseph J. Sedita was a compassionate man whose outreach to those with
mental health and addiction issues was as admired as was his expertise
in matrimonial law; and

WHEREAS, Judge Joseph J. Sedita is survived by his son, Joseph V.
Sedita; and

WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Judge Joseph J. Sedita leaves behind a legacy which will
long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory
to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of The Honorable Joseph J. Sedita, State Supreme Court
Justice, meritorious veteran and devoted member of his community; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of The Honorable Joseph J. Sedita.