Dominic R. Massaro, born and raised in The Bronx, was one of only a dozen Americans of Italian descent to hold Italy’s highest decoration – Cav. di Gran Croce della Repubblica Italiana. He enjoyed a half century career filled with prominent public service as a member of the bar, jurist, author and lecturer. A “highly qualified” nominee to the judiciary by Governor Mario Cuomo in 1986, he presided as a Justice in the Supreme Court of New York. Justice Massaro was a central personality in the organized Italian American community; he held the highest of accolades in all the national Italian American organizations. Time and again, he was credited for success on issues of importance to the community.
A graduate of NYU, Justice Massaro served seven years as a New York City, then New York State Human Rights Commissioner. He was the holder of four earned and numerous honorary doctoral degrees. Published in legal and scholastic circles, he lectured annually on both sides of the Atlantic. On three separate occasions, the Journal of the American Bar Association credited him with “trends in the law.” He was a trustee of the American University of Rome, holding the rank of “Academic” at the Tiberian Academy. A Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow, he was listed in Who’s Who in American Law and The American Bench. His treatise, “Cesare Beccaria, The Father of Criminal Justice: His Impact on Anglo American Jurisprudence” earned Italy’s International Dorso Prize. He was also credited for the vindication of Antonio Meucci as the true inventor of the telephone.
Accorded respect and esteem while a sitting jurist, his impeccable credentials combined with sterling rectitude saw him annually on every list of influential Americans of Italian descent. “President Emeritus” of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, he was a long-time Historian of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), National Historian of the Order of Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) and also served as Chair of the Order’s Archives at the University of Minnesota. Judge Massaro is the only member of the Order to have held all four of its highest appointive offices including that of National Deputy and has served as counsel to the Sons of Italy Foundation. He was the recipient of over 100 awards, honors and citations presented over the years for professional and civic accomplishment, including the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award. Justice Massaro’s chivalric conferrals were impressive; he was knighted many times including The Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, The Vatican’s Pontifical Knight of the Grand Cross of St. Gregory the Great and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta’s Knight of the Grand Cross of Merit. By wide acclamation he served three terms as president of the prestigious American Society of the Italian Legions of Merit. He served over 15 years as Principal Representative of the American Judges Association (NGO) at the U.N. Judge Massaro also held the rank of Major, Judge Advocate Corps, Army New York Guard. His legacy and dedication to his ideals is demonstrated through his innumerable accomplishments, which are too numerous to elaborate on within the confines of this text.
A longtime resident of Pelham Manor, he is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Frances, three daughters, Denise (Alex), Aimee (Frank), and Dominique (John) and four grandchildren, Gianna, Laila, Nicholas and John Dominic. He is also survived by his sister Maryrose. He is predeceased by his parents, Pasqualina and Emilio Massaro.
A Celebration of Dominic’s life will be held on Friday December 27, 2024 at Pelham Funeral home, located at 64 Lincoln Ave, Pelham NY 10803 between the hours of 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday December 28, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, located at 559 Fowler Avenue, Pelham NY 10803.
Editor’s note: This obituary was provided by the Pelham Funeral Home.
