Colonel John B. Cartafalsa, age 91, passed away at home surrounded by his family on September 26. Born in Campobello di Mazara, Sicily, on August 30, 1929, he was only a few months old when his mother brought him to the United States. He attended City College where he joined the Army ROTC, to which he remained grateful for the rest of his life for lessons learned. He served as an infantry soldier in Japan during the Korean War. After returning home he attended New York University Law School. While practicing as a trial attorney in civilian life, he served over thirty years in the Army Reserve in the Judge Advocate General Corps. All who knew John will remember his vibrant, positive personality and how much he enjoyed connecting with people and encouraging them. He inspired love and respect because of his knowledge and the generosity with which he shared his interests. Books were his passion, as well as the opera and Sicily. He adored his grandsons and took great joy in watching them grow. As the Italians would say, “una bella figura d’uomo.” John was preceded in death by his first wife, Tina. He is survived by his wife, Lydia, his son John B. Cartafalsa Jr. (Anne), his daughter Mary Jean Hunt (John), grandsons Jeffrey Hunt and Jack Cartafalsa, his brother Joseph Cartafalsa, and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s memory (CCNY ROTC 1952) to The Alumni Association of the City College of New York, P.O. Box 177, New York, NY 10027.
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