Colonel Robert J. Stolarik, USMCR (Retired), passed away on September 26, 2018 at the age of 89. Judge Stolarik was born in Williston Park, New York on August 8, 1929. In 1944, he moved to Suffern, New York, where he had the incredible good fortune of moving in almost next door to the great love of his life, Marilyn Miele. Their marriage of 60 years exemplified devotion: to each other, their six daughters, and their thirteen grandchildren.
Judge Stolarik was proud of the institutions that shaped his life. He graduated from Xavier High School in Manhattan, St. Peter’s College, and Fordham University School of Law. He was named to the Xavier High School Hall of Fame and remained active in the Fordham Law School Alumni Association. Upon graduation from college, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps: one of the defining moments of his life. He retired from the Marine Corps Reserves as a Colonel in 1983.
Judge Stolarik spent his career as a public servant. After law school, he served as an assistant county attorney for Rockland County, an assistant district attorney, a Family Court judge, and a County Court judge. In 1979, he was elected to the New York State Supreme Court, where he served until retiring in 1993. He retired to Ft. Myers, Florida, where he remained actively involved in his community.
Judge Stolarik looked for, and found, the best in people. He was known for his integrity, faith, compassion, and strength of character. He believed in justice, honesty, and kindness. He loved his family, his country, his church, the New York Yankees, and the United States Marine Corps.
Judge Stolarik was predeceased by his wife Marilyn, his brother John Stolarik, and son-in-law Larry Barner. He is survived by his brother Richard Stolarik, his daughters, Sally and her husband Michael Goodhart, Donna and her husband John Walsh, Lisa Stolarik, Nancy Barner, Barbara Stolarik, and Amy and her husband James Trippodi, thirteen grandchildren, Daniel Walsh, Justin Goodhart, Chelsea Beser, Eric Barner, Courtney Fish, Aidalyn Walsh, Steven Barner, Nathan Gray, Katie Brunetto, Mary Walsh, Christopher Brunetto, Toby Gray, and Ruby Trippodi, and seven great grandchildren, James, Lucy, Jacob, John, Oliver, Gwendolyn, and Rosemary.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 3 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at Wanamaker & Carlough Funeral Home, in Suffern, New York. A funeral mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church in Suffern, New York on Thursday, October 4 at 10:00 am. Memorial contributions may be made to the Xavier High School Scholarship Fund. Semper Fi.
