Senate Resolution No. 1635

BY: Senator COONEY

MOURNING the death of The Honorable Arnold
Ciaccio, former Monroe County Surrogate Court Judge,
dedicated public servant and devoted member of his
community

WHEREAS, There are certain outstanding members of our community who,
through their selfless commitment and dedication, served to better the
quality of life in their community and had a measurable positive impact
on the lives of its residents; Arnold Ciaccio was one such individual;
and

WHEREAS, The Honorable Arnold Ciaccio of Rochester, New York, died
on Monday, November 1, 2021, at the age of 91; and

WHEREAS, Older Italians would approach Surrogate Judge Arnold
"Arnie" Ciaccio, and call him avvocato; the Italian word for lawyer and
advocate also was imbued with respect, a recognition that Judge Ciaccio
was ready to help individuals in need, whether in a courtroom or outside
the courthouse walls; and

WHEREAS, A Surrogate judge from 1983 to his retirement in 1999,
Judge Arnold Ciaccio was widely respected by all; and

WHEREAS, Judge Arnold Ciaccio's parents were both Italian
immigrants; his father Salvatore "Sam" Ciaccio was a union organizer and
one of the founders of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union and later
president of the union and member of the AFL-CIO Council; and

WHEREAS, Arnold Ciaccio attended Benjamin Franklin High School, the
University of Rochester, where he was a standout basketball player, and
Harvard Law School where he was one of the first Italian-Americans to
attend; and

WHEREAS, Fair, even tempered and kind to everyone, Judge Arnold
Ciaccio was among the most respected members of the entire Rochester
community; and

WHEREAS, In Irondequoit and Rochester, Judge Arnold Ciaccio was
active in Democratic politics, serving as the party's town leader in
Irondequoit; he worked on the campaigns of prominent Democrats,
including Robert Kennedy's Senate campaign, Mario Cuomo's gubernatorial
campaign, and the campaign of Hubert Humphrey for president; and

WHEREAS, A lawyer, Judge Arnold Ciaccio first ran for Surrogate's
Court in 1982; the court helps resolve estate issues and determines
guardianships for people no longer competent; its jurisdiction can range
from decisions about the small estates of the indigent to familial or
other fights over multi-million-dollar inheritances; and

WHEREAS, While on the bench, Judge Arnold Ciaccio made a significant
decision that continued to be cited as precedent in later years; and

WHEREAS, After he left the bench because of mandatory retirement at
the age of 70, Judge Arnold Ciaccio joined his son in his legal practice
until he was 84 years-old; and

WHEREAS, Judge Arnold Ciaccio and his late wife, Victoria, were
life-long members of St. Salome Parish in Irondequoit; and

WHEREAS, Through his years of service as a judge, his political
activism, extensive volunteer work, and most importantly his infallible
humor and kindness, Judge Arnold Ciaccio dedicated his life to making
Rochester a better place and was a role model for all who knew him; and

WHEREAS, Predeceased by his wife, Victoria who died in 2008, Judge
Arnold Ciaccio is survived by his two sons, Christopher and James; and
his four daughters, Mary, Andrea, Elizabeth and Margaret; as well as 19
grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Judge Arnold Ciaccio 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; he will be deeply missed and truly merits the
grateful tribute of this Legislative Body; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of The Honorable Arnold Ciaccio, former Monroe County
Surrogate Court Judge, and to express its deepest condolences to his
family; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of The Honorable Arnold Ciaccio.