Remembering Lee E. Koppelman, 94, A Titan of LI's Planning and Environmental Protection

Remembering Lee E. Koppelman BY RICHARD MURDOCCO Published by The Foggiest Idea on March 22nd, 2022. From the preservation of the sweeping scenic farmland vistas that would eventually be seen by millions of visitors on the East End to ensuring that there would be clean drinking water each time parents turned on the tap faucet for their children, the planner’s lengthy and distinguished career touched every community across the Long Island region. He died at the age of 94. Read About Koppelman’s Legacy HERE.

Obituary Donald Scott III

Donald Scott III of St. James, NY

Don was born in New York City on January 1, 1936 to Dr. Donald Scott Jr and Nanette (Wise) Scott, spent most of his youth in Gladwyne PA, and summered at the family home on Lloyd Neck. He attended Germantown Friends School and Reed College in Portland OR, as well as served in the Air Force Reserve. He subsequently lived and worked in Manhattan until the mid 1970’s. He then lived in the family home on River Road in St. James with his wife Lisa (Wurm) and son Charles Channing until his death on September 3, 2021.

It was during his service in the Air Force Reserve that he developed a love for engineering and mechanical tinkering. He was a motorcycle enthusiast and avid racing fan, having ridden a Triumph Tiger Cub across much of England, Holland and France in 1960. He was also fond of regular trips to venues such as Lime Rock Park and the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, NY.

Don was a passionate outdoorsman and environmentalist. He led many Sierra Club canoe trips in the NY Metro area as the longtime chair of the Atlantic Chapter River Touring Committee and personally paddled his canoes and kayaks in his literal backyard, the Nissequogue River. It was during one of his trips down the Nissequogue that he met his wife, Lisa. He also ventured further afield, canoeing in Algonquin Park and four largely “unexplored” Northern Canadian rivers: the Kazan, the Coppermine, the Horton, and the Ellice in the 1970’s. He sailed his catamaran for lengthy outings through the Northeast with favorite ports of call in Mystic CT, Block Island, and Nantucket. Later in life he enjoyed sailing in many parts of the Caribbean as well as boating along rivers in France and England.

He was a life member of the Clan Scott Society, the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy. He was a loving owner of a succession of Newfoundland dogs from the early 1960’s through his current rescue Newf Sammie and took special pride in providing pet therapy at nursing homes and elementary schools, receiving Volunteer Of The Year recognition for his service at Smithtown Nursing Home.

Don will be profoundly missed by his wife Lisa, son Chuck, daughter in law Felicia, and the little loves of his life: granddaughters Jocelyn Alice and Juliet Flora of Stony Brook.

Donations in Don’s memory are appreciated to either Earthjustice “Because the earth needs a good lawyer” https://earthjustice.org/ or That Newfoundland Place “Rescue with a Heart” https://thatnewfoundlandplace.org .

Obituary Paul R. Greening

Paul R. Greening of Smithtown, New York, passed away on September 12, 2021, just days shy of his 60th birthday. He was the loving husband of Samantha Xiaochun, and the devoted and proud father of Katie Mei. Paul was the youngest child of Robert and Doris (both deceased), dear brother of Carol (John), Barbara (Paige), Jim (predeceased), and Peg, and beloved uncle of Lauren, John, and Michelle.

Paul was a proud veteran, having served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1980 to 1984. He was an outdoor adventurist and enjoyed many activities with family and friends, including hiking, camping, kayaking, and years of double black diamond skiing until he broke his collar bone and six ribs on a bunny hill. Paul had a passion for woodworking and created in his home shop many beautiful, finely detailed and exquisite wood projects. He enjoyed entertaining family and friends, and his famous smoked ribs, deep fried turkeys, and organic garden vegetables will be truly missed by many.

In addition to his many hobbies, Paul enjoyed immensely his full-time job as a stay-home dad. He introduced Katie to hiking at just two months old (in a backpack), camping at ten months old, skiing at the age of two, and kayaking at the age of five. Even though he had sworn he would never be a “soccer mom”, he ended up being an assistant coach on Katie’s soccer team. His best Father’s Day was a recent trip to Pennsylvania – driving back and forth for NINE HOURS – for a THREE MINUTE figure skating competition routine. As he PROUDLY watched Katie grow and achieve many accomplishments, he never forgot to remind her to pursue what makes her happy in life.

Paul met Samantha in a ski club, and their shared passion for skiing and outdoor exploration took them (and Katie) on many wonderful trips together: Vail (Colorado), Park City (Utah), Aleyeska (Alaska), Whistler Blackcomb (British Columbia), Zion National Park (Utah), Banff National Park (Canada), Paris, and just two weeks ago, Iceland. The beautiful memories created from these trips will be cherished forever.

“Say not in grief ‘he is no more’ but in thankfulness that he was.” Paul will be missed dearly and will be forever in our hearts.

Private Cremation: Arrangements entrusted to the professional care of Branch Funeral Home of Smithtown and Vigliante family.Online guest book at www.branchfh.com

Obituary Ted Naughton

Ted Naughton, 87, of Head of the Harbor died peacefully at home with his family, having lived a full life, on July 25, 2021. 

Born January 2, 1934 in Hempstead New York, Ted was the son of John and Lilian (Hrenciar) Naughton.  He and his two sisters, Eve and Janet, lived in various towns in the metropolitan New York area, as his mother, who had come to the US from Czechoslovakia alone at the age of 12, liked to move regularly.

After high school Ted joined the Army and went off to the Korean War, where he learned on the job to become an expert on radar while on a spy boat behind enemy lines, played on the Army Basketball Team and ran an import/export business, importing American cars into Japan.

After the army, Ted went to Alfred University, where he met his future wife Rosemary Bracker.  Ted and Rosemary were married in 1961 and remained together for the rest of his life.  

Following college, Ted became an electrician, like his father.  Soon he shifted his focus to construction management, and held a number of positions in Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Key West, Boca Raton and Lake Tahoe, before settling into working for various Long Island school districts as Clerk of the Works.   He also participated in the management of affairs in his home town of Head of the Harbor as Commissioner of Highways from 1998-2013, and as a Village Trustee from 2006-2013. 

Ted was a pilot and would fly himself regularly from his office in Boca Raton to a branch office in Key West.  Ted’s passion was racing sailboats.  He particularly enjoyed modifying sailboat designs to make boats faster.  He won countless races over the years, including the very first Around Long Island Regatta in 1977, along with his son Ted.  Together they also won the 25^th Around Long Island race in 2001.   He and his many friends went on sailing adventures throughout the Bahamas and the Florida Keys, and from Long Island to Maine, visiting with friends along the way.  

Ted had a gracious ease about him – he was comfortable with himself, and made those around him feel the same.  He was non-judgmental, completely accepting of others, and felt like an old friend from the moment you met him.  He had an easy laugh, and a glimmer in his eye that spoke of mischief past, or yet to come.  His gentle humor was contagious.  To know him was to feel the world was a better place.

As his lifelong friend Roy Koelbel wrote:

My longest, closest and best friend Ted Naughton passed on Sunday.  My friend, MY FRIEND!   What is a friend anyway?  We all have them, some more or less in different ways.  We care and often share with them in different ways, and value them as critical to our life experience.  

And then sometimes there is a friend that seems to know you better than you know yourself.  A selfless friend who never puts his own needs as friend above your own.  The friend you trust your most prized possessions with.  The friend you share your deepest thoughts and feelings with.  A friend who judges your actions but never judges you.  The friend who can tell you as he sees it, not what you want to hear.  The friend who can criticize you, laugh at your errors, but always has your back when things get serious.  The friend who is not like you but you are very much the same.  The friend you may be separated from for long periods but you pick it up where you left off as if it were yesterday.  The friend you never have to do anything for to maintain that friendship.  Ted was that friend for me.  

In elementary school he moved onto our little street and we met after one of his pigeons got loose and I captured it.  We played some ball together, did boys’ stuff together, dreamed boys’ dreams together, and though his family kept moving, we always kept up - through high school, college, the Army, best man at each other’s weddings, sailed together, grew old together, reminisced and laughed together.  Neither time nor distance seemed to affect our friendship.  

Now Ted is gone.  As he would say, “Well, that’s it.”  I think not.  I think Ted is transitioning to a new experience, and I can’t wait to hear about it, and we can laugh again at the old times.  God bless you Ted and all your family, and thanks for being my friend.”

Members of Ted’s family include his wife Rosemary Bracker Naughton, his son Ted, his wife Morgan Dudley, and granddaughter Lauren of Exeter, NH, and his daughter Kerry and her husband Pete Molnar of Albuquerque, NM.  He was predeceased by his sisters Eve Naughton and Janet Heins.  Ted’s family would like to express their deepest gratitude to his caregiver and friend, Yvette Distafano.

A celebration of Ted’s life will be held at a later date. 

SCPD Announces The Passing of Former Police Commissioner John Gallagher

SCPD Mourns Loss of Former Police Commissioner John Gallagher

The Suffolk County Police Department mourns the loss of former Police Commissioner John Gallagher who died last night at the age of 84.

Gallagher served as Police Commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department from 1997 to 2004, a career his family said he was most proud of. He was a graduate of the FBI Academy’s prestigious National Executive Institute and was a guest lecturer at the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA. When Gallagher retired from the police department, then Suffolk County Executive Robert Gaffney awarded him the Suffolk County Medal of Honor, the county’s highest honor. Additionally, the Suffolk County Community College Board of Trustees renamed the police academy at the Grant Campus—The John C. Gallagher Suffolk County Police Academy.

Prior to becoming Suffolk’s Police Commissioner, Gallagher served as Deputy County Executive from 1992 to 1997 under Suffolk Executive Gaffney, during which he advised on public safety issues. Gallagher also served as executive dean of Suffolk County Community College’s Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood between 1974 and 1980.

“Former Police Commissioner John Gallagher spent a lifetime of dedicated service to the people of Suffolk County,” Acting Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron said,  “He was a true gentleman and an outstanding leader, who oversaw our department’s response to the tragic September 11^th attacks.  I extend my thoughts and prayers to his family and for those of us in the department who worked under his leadership, we mourn the loss of this incredible man.”

Gallagher’s wife Patricia predeceased him in 2017. He is survived by three children, seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Visitation will be at OB Davis Funeral Home, 1001 Route 25A, Miller Place on Monday, June 21 between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Tuesday, June 22, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  A funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, June 23 at St. Louis de Montfort in Sound Beach, time to be determined. Interment will be private.