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Obituary

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Photo courtesy Nell Birk

Donna Goldberg was born in Walnut Creek, California, to Jean and Murrey Goldberg on July 22, 1960. The youngest of four siblings, she moved with her family to Port Jefferson in 1961.

Donna grew up in Port Jeff, attending the local schools until her senior year when her parents moved to Golden, Colorado. She graduated from Golden High School in 1978. Donna completed her undergraduate degree at Memorial University in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, where she had family on her mother’s side. She remained in Canada for almost 20 years, attending graduate school at the University of Toronto and working for Stats Canada, their census bureau, for a number of years.

Donna moved back to Golden, Colorado, in 2004 and then moved to Mexico in 2007. She spent the last 10 years of her life with her partner, Armando Lozano, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where she died of natural causes on Sept. 21.

Donna had a quick wit and a way with words. She loved books and music, watching hockey and taking care of gardens and cats. 

She was preceded in death by her parents. Donna is survived by her partner, Armando Lozano; her cat, Mercedes; two brothers, Mark (Sheri) Goldberg of Florence, Oregon, and Glenn (Sue) Goldberg of Los Altos, California; sister, Nell (Bill) Birk of Carbondale, Colorado; nieces Layla Goldberg, Emily Missildine (Dominic), Anna Goldberg and Erin Goldberg; nephew, Colter Birk; and grandniece, Cora Missildine.

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Photo from Nolan Funeral Home

John Craig Jr., of Milford, Connecticut — formerly of Port Jefferson and Rocky Point — died on Oct. 6 at 86 years of age.

He was the beloved husband of Joann for 40 years; the dear brother of Joan Wilkins; the loving father of Kevin, Michael (Kerry), Kathleen (Andy), John III (Stacey), Jaclyn (Anthony) and Peter (Brittany); the cherished grandfather of Ryan, Danielle, Sean, Brendan, Christina, Caitlin, Kyle, Taylor, Corinne, Kristin, Elizabeth, Justin, Jarrett, Mason, A.J., Copeland and Callen Jo; and the beloved great-grandfather of Colton.

John was an Air Force veteran. He was an aerospace controls warning systems operator and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal.

John worked at Gyrodyne and Telephonics Corporation for over 40 years, where he traveled the world and acquired many wonderful experiences.

His love of the great outdoors was evident in his passion for playing golf, sailing, walking on the beach and birdwatching as a member of the Audubon Society. He loved spending time with his family, especially for holiday brunches and long days at the beach.

Visitation was held at Nolan Funeral Home in Northport. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Church, East Northport. Private cremation followed.

Donations in his memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or Boys Town charities (www.boystown.org).

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Photo courtesy Elizabeth Reuter Bongiorno
Prepared by Elizabeth Reuter Bongiorno

Phyllis Reuter Ironside, beloved mother, died peacefully Monday, Oct. 2, surrounded by her family, after a sudden and brief illness. She was 82.

Phyllis retired from Stony Brook University in 2000. However, she went back there later that year and was still working part time as a senior staff assistant in the billing office. She began employment at the university in 1974 and could never fully walk away from her job and her work family, who she loved dearly.

In addition to her work at Stony Brook University, Phyllis became an electrologist in 1983 and opened her own small practice where she practiced part time until 2020. She loved working with her clients and seeing the delight on their faces when she was able to help them. She was passionate about the industry and was a member, board member and officer of various electrologist associations, where she received several awards.

Phyllis lived in Stony Brook for over 60 years and graduated from Port Jefferson High School in 1959. She loved her community and enjoyed taking photos in the Three Village area. She also loved playing with her various dogs throughout the years.

Phyllis will be missed by her brother Robert P. Orr, daughter Elizabeth Reuter Bongiorno, son-in-law Carl T. Bongiorno, her loving step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, co-workers, numerous friends and beloved dachshund Otto.

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Photo courtesy Amy Christianson

Prepared by Amy Christianson

Kevin P. McMullen, age 76, died on Oct. 4. A memorial service will be held at the American Legion, 7 Woodside Avenue, Northport, New York, on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 4 p.m., with a reception following.

Kevin McMullen was born to Vincent L. McMullen and Eileen (Ryan) McMullen in 1947.

He lived most of his life in Northport. He attended Chaminade High School, then St. John’s University, where he excelled academically and was a very successful member of the debate team. He earned a J.D. from St. John’s Law School, Brooklyn, an L.L.M. from New York University Law School, an M.A. in comparative government and a certificate in international law and diplomacy from St. John’s, Jamaica. After admission to the Bar, he worked for a firm specializing in trusts and estates. He was house counsel for a small corporation before joining the Marino Bar Review Course and then Marino-Josephson BRC.

He was later a ghostwriter specializing in law and military affairs. A long-serving reservist, he retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel (infantry) after serving in Germany, Panama and Korea. He was an honor graduate of the resident course at the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He was an alumnus of the Air Staff College, the Naval War College, the Air War College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

A member of the New York County Lawyers’ Association, he served on the association’s library committee and was co-chair of the committee on foreign and international law. He was a member of the American Foreign Law Association, the American Society of International Law, the American Branch of the International Law Association, the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, the American Forensic Association, the Association of the U.S. Army, the Air Force Association and the Naval War College Foundation.

Kevin had a 15-year loving relationship with Amy Christianson. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Kevin’s memory may be made to the Chaminade High School Development Fund.

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Mary Boyle. Photo courtesy the Boyle Family

Prepared by the Boyle Family

Mary Lou “Peachy” Kelly Boyle, beloved wife, mother and a former director of the Bureau of Public Health Nursing for the Suffolk County Department of Health Services died Saturday, Oct. 7, after a sudden illness. She was 81.

An avid photographer, poet, boater, gardener and dog mom of Zoey and bird mom of Tootie, Mary Lou resided in Setauket for nearly 40 years.

Mary Lou was the oldest girl of seven siblings, born and raised in Freeport. She attended St. Agnes Cathedral School in Rockville Centre and graduated from Georgetown University School of Nursing. She spent her career as a nurse, working in New York City and Suffolk County hospitals before joining the Suffolk County Department of Health Services as a public health nurse in 1973. While working her way up the ranks of the Bureau of Public Health Nursing, she obtained a master of science in nursing from Adelphi University in 1983. By 1990, she was named the director of that bureau, implementing home care-based public health nursing programs for more than a decade before retiring in 2001.

Mary Lou served on many professional advisory boards and committees related to nursing, hospice care, child protection and AIDS patients. She chaired the Suffolk County Legislature’s Comparable Worth Commission, which sought to increase pay for nurses in the late 1980s.

She received numerous professional awards and recognitions, including the New York State Public Health Association’s 1993 award for outstanding leadership in public health.

A private service is planned. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice online or by check sent to Good Shepherd Hospice, 110 Bi-County Blvd, Suite 114, Farmingdale, NY 11735. It is also possible to call 631-465-6350 and pay by credit card or request a donation envelope.

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David Mills

David Mills, of Setauket, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, Sept. 22, at the age of 75. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Mary Lu; his five children, Jared (Jancie), Ethan (Maura), Johanna (Ronan), Emily (Laura) and Liza (Brett); and his eight grandchildren, Scarlett, Beckett, Helena, Adelyn, Cormac, Seamus, Piper and Calum. He leaves behind his siblings, Stephen (Christine), Carl (Barbara), Barbara (Michael) and Ellen (Nancy) and a large extended family. He was predeceased by his parents, Dr. R. Sherman Mills and Marie Magner Mills.

David was the fifth generation of the Mills family to reside in Setauket. He spent his childhood and adolescence riding horses and exploring the open waters of the Long Island Sound. He graduated from Earl L. Vandermeulen High School in 1966 and attended the University of Miami before graduating from Hofstra University in 1973.

Early in his professional career, David worked for RIF International Corporation, which allowed him the opportunity to travel extensively in Europe and the Middle East. He later started his own construction business and sustained a long career managing residential and commercial building projects throughout the Northeast. 

David was a recognizable presence in the community, known for his no-nonsense demeanor, warm heart and willingness to help anyone. He was an integral contributor to the Three Village lacrosse program as a coach, president and then a loyal supporter, where you could hear his booming voice on the sidelines of countless lacrosse games throughout the years. 

David will be remembered for his dry sense of humor, love of history and literature, passion for working with his hands and steadfast dedication to his family. 

There will be a celebration of his life on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Harbor View Farm, 87 Shore Road, East Setauket, from 2 to 5 p.m., with words of remembrance at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Kidney Foundation in his memory either online at www.kidney.org or to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 East 33rd St., New York, NY 10016.

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Dom Famularo

By Michael Tessler

In the face of great loss, we often grapple with the inexplicable question of how someone so full of life could ever truly be gone. These past few days, I have wrestled with this question, trying to reconcile the vibrant spirit of Dom Famularo with the solemn reality of his passing on Sept. 27 at the age of 70.

Undoubtedly, there will be countless tributes to the legacy of this marvel of a man. I’m sharing with you just one experience on how he changed the trajectory of my life.

I first had the privilege of meeting Mr. Famularo when I was just a fourth-grader. His son and I became fast friends. His eldest son proudly declared his dad was famous. Turns out, he was telling the truth! 

Mr. Famularo was one of the greatest drummers of our time, described as the “global ambassador of drumming” who traveled the world teaching his craft. His students and admirers included famous names from nearly every genre of music and hailed from every habitable continent.

He was more than a musician. He was a motivational speaker, an entrepreneur, and a public servant. His generosity knew no bounds, touching the lives of countless individuals. 

He was a world-traveler, a man who often knew more about a place than the locals who called it home. He was a student of history, who somehow found time to be well-read on subjects that spanned all eras of history.

For years, I’ve had the good fortune to consider myself an honorary Famularo. Their cousins felt like my cousins, and we shared countless family gatherings and experiences that bound us together. 

There was a time when I moved back to New York, feeling lost in life. I had no place to live, no job, no college degree, and no clear direction. It was Dom and his incredible wife Charmaine who took me in, offering me a bed and ensuring I had something to eat.

It was Mr. Famularo who inadvertently kickstarted my film career. One morning while I was moping in their kitchen, ready to throw in the towel on a fruitless job hunt, he gave me a pep talk and suggested I peruse the Classifieds in the Port Times Record. It was there that I found my job selling advertisements that would eventually lead to my work on TBR News Media’s first feature film. 

Those were tough days, filled with long hours and a juggling act of night classes at a community college, full-time work, and a part-time job at a pawn shop on the weekends. Yet, every morning as I quietly had breakfast and sipped on coffee, Dom would come downstairs, as if ready for battle, energized and full of life, exclaiming, “MIKEY BOY! IT IS A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!”

Living with Dom answered the question, “Is he really like this ALL the time?” The answer was an unequivocal yes. Dom’s magic lay in his ability to light up a room with his presence, to make everyone feel like they were the most important person in the world. Quick-witted, smart, and full of innuendo, he had the remarkable ability to make even those who were upset with him burst into laughter and be in awe of his charm.

Despite being a famous musician with a massive international fanbase, Dom Famularo gave himself wholeheartedly to this community. He somehow found time to serve on committees, becoming an expert on matters as mundane as metered parking. Even in his final months, he found the strength to go to Village Hall and confront a bully. He was a public servant, a true advocate for his community, a relentless voice for reason, kindness, and doing what is right. 

But Dom’s secret power was not his public speaking ability, his magnificent drumming, nor his uncanny ability to make you feel like the most important person in the world. Of all the things to admire about Dom Famularo, it was his family that shone the brightest. 

Dom’s parents were remarkable, a testament to the greatest generation. He and his siblings carried forward their legacy. I’d never seen such a close-knit and special family before. His pride and joy were his three boys. Each unique, kind, brilliant, generous, and, like their father, hysterical. 

Of all his great achievements, none rivals marrying Charmaine. He would be the first to admit that she was his better half. In addition to raising three incredible boys, she managed to build Dom’s drumming empire, and has always been his secret weapon. Her strength, her heart, and her remarkable resilience never stops leaving me in awe.  

Our last conversation was at the beginning of summer. Somehow, despite a ferocious battle with cancer, he found the energy to greet me with that same familiar “MIKEY BOY!” that I had heard countless times before. I will treasure that conversation forever.

Mr. Famularo, you gave me a home when I had none. You gave me a purpose when I was lost. You believed in me before I believed in myself. You spent your life hoping to leave a mark, to make a difference, to live relentlessly — you did more than that. You’ve inspired countless others to do the same. You are magnificent, the embodiment of magic, and more than anything you are loved now and forever.

So I’ve found the answer to my question. Dom’s mantle is not one that any single individual will ever be able to carry, but between all of us who knew him and have loved him — we will ensure his light will never diminish. As we find a way to move onward, Dom moves upward. Serving now as a great North Star, reminding us just how bright we can shine…if only we’re willing to share our light.

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Peter X. Carolyn

Peter Xavier Carolan of Mendham, New Jersey, formerly of New York City and Northport, passed on Thursday, Sept. 14. He had recently celebrated his 75th birthday and 39th wedding anniversary.

Born on Aug. 23, 1948, in Brooklyn to Peter and Margaret (Pace) Carolan, the young Peter grew up in Northport and attended Northport High School, graduating in 1966. He then graduated from Niagara University in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in travel, trade and transportation. In 1975, Peter completed his master’s in business administration from the NYU Stern School of Business.

Prior to and while completing his master’s, Peter worked for American Express in the Park Avenue, New York City office. He later moved to Citibank until 1979, when he left to commit full time to his growing import-export business, Real Torino. A workaholic by nature, for 40-plus years, Peter successfully managed multiple companies importing breadsticks (grissini), pasta and other Italian food products nationwide.

In addition to his many personal accomplishments, his greatest joy was celebrating the successes of his children. In recent years, his five grandchildren always put a smile on his face. His generosity and loyalty were omnipresent, and he would do anything to help someone he considered family or a close friend.

Loving husband of 39 years to Elena (Bibini) Carolan, he was the devoted father of Peter G. (Katelyn), Monica (Brett), Sofia and Ellie and beloved grandfather and “Pop Pop” to Mia, Carter, Kirsa, Luce and Aurelia. He is survived by siblings Leonard (Christine) Carolan, Margaret (Len) Modelewski and Frances (John) Marino.

He reposed at Nolan Funeral Home, in Northport, on Sunday, Sept. 17. 

A Catholic funeral Mass was celebrated on Sept. 18, at Saint Philip Neri Church in Northport. Interment followed in the parish cemetery in East Northport.

Donations in lieu of flowers in Peter’s memory may be made to The Peck School, 247 South St., Morristown, NJ 07960.

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John Smith. Photo courtesy Larry Campbell

It’s with great sadness that the family and friends of John Smith announce his passing on Sept. 1 at the age of 79 years.

John is remembered by his son Sean Smith, niece Anne-Marie Rodriguez de Killeen, and grandnephews Fox Hudson Killeen, Brody and Theo Rodriguez, as well as a collection of the best friends ever.

He is predeceased by his nephew Matthew Rodriguez, sisters Bernadette and Isabel Smith, and parents Harry Smith from East Setauket and Kathleen (Duffy) Smith from County Mayo, Ireland.

John was an intelligent, characterful, loyal and generous man who was passionate about the great loves of his life: politics and service, East Setauket and the Three Village community in which he was born and raised, beloved dog Montana, and dearest friend (and predeceased) George Rehn, the Poncho to his Cisco.

Following retirement in 2010 from the Suffolk County Department of Labor, John joined the county Department of Health Services as an inventory manager for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness program. He was instrumental in their Point of Dispensing activities, making sure staff had the proper equipment and supplies for vaccination clinics and exercises, playing a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A funeral service is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Oct. 7 at the Infant Jesus R.C. Church, 110 Myrtle Ave., Port Jefferson. This will be followed by a small memorial celebration at the VFW Hall in East Setauket. 

In lieu of flowers, please donate on John’s behalf to the RSVP Animal Welfare & Rescue Group: rsvpinc.org/donations/donate-now.

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Harvey Weiss. Photo courtesy Ilona Weiss-Pepe
Prepared by Ilona Weiss-Pepe

Harvey Weiss, a longtime Port Jefferson resident, died Saturday, Sept. 9. He was 89.

Born on May 28, 1934, Weiss moved to Port Jefferson in 1968, where he resided for the remainder of his life.

Weiss was a member of the U.S. armed forces stationed in Japan during the Korean War. After completing his military service, he attended the University of Houston, where he majored in engineering.

Weiss was a man of many talents. He worked as a flight test engineer at Grumman Aerospace for 34 years, assisting with the aircraft testing and lunar construction for the first landing on the moon. 

He retired in 1992 and became a science educator at Bayside High School until his retirement in 1994. He served on the Village of Port Jefferson Planning Board for 15 years, where his knowledge of village code and ordinances was put toward meaningful public ends. He also worked as a village code inspector for years and for the board of elections for decades.

Weiss was an accomplished jazz guitarist. He could pick up any instrument by ear and play, though his passion for jazz guitar was unrivaled. He played at LANs End and other venues throughout the 1960s and ’70s. Harvey was also a member of the Port Jefferson Country Club, where he played both golf and tennis. He was a passionate patriot with an elaborate knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. His love for the police and his country was strong, and he believed passionately in the principle of justice for all. Throughout his life, Weiss personified the ideals of integrity, always doing the right thing even when no one was looking. 

Family members remember Weiss as an open, compassionate and amazing human being.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; daughters Jessica and Ilona; brother Robert; stepchildren Mark and Eric; and grandchildren Marlo, Sam, Toni and Sal.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation at givemichaeljfox.org.

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