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George Dargo Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for George Dargo
William Sabino
May 29, 2025
To Darg or not to Darg.
William Sabino
April 4, 2025
Soft Darg
January 30, 2012
I was saddened to hear of the passing of Professor Dargo. I remember with fondness our Constitutional Law class (Evening Division). His classes were lively; discussions were energetic, and he "stretched the if" so many times for us to understand and interpret The Constitution. He made us think; and he nurtured in us passion and conviction for the law, and for great lawyering.
On a personal note, I remember that he was serious yet funny, tough but fair, and mostly, that he loved teaching. My sincere condolences to his family and to his colleagues at NESL.
Clare Jabour Sidman,Esquire NESL '87
January 26, 2012
I did badly my first year at NESL. Going into my second year I was sure I would flunk out. Then I met George Dargo. Two semesters of Professor Dargo's love of the law, respect for his students and wonderful sense of humor and yada, yada, yada the next thing I know I'm walking across the stage at The Wang Center. Thank you Professor.
Rich Philben Class of 2002
Jenny Carrion
January 19, 2012
The world has lost a good, good man. I fondly recall my time spend with Professor Dargo. I had the priviledge of not only being a studfent in his Admin. Law class but also serving as his research assisant during my time at NESL. We will miss you dearly.
Kelly Friscia O'Brien
January 18, 2012
Rarely a day goes by that I don't think about Professor Dargo and our conversations about Kafka and the law. Professor Dargo fostered creatve thinking with his students and brought life to the law. His wisdom will stay with all of us who knew him. He is indeed greatly missed.
Dennis Scott
January 18, 2012
Fondly remembered. My sincere condolences to the Dargo family.
NESL '95
Kitzie Lee Oliveira Zeidan
January 18, 2012
You were a wonderful professor and friend. You had an ability to make us want to learn more and laugh through it all. I will miss you dearly.
Alicia Thoms
January 17, 2012
Much like the "penumbras" of the Constitution you so passionately taught, your legacy and lives you've touched will be as long lasting and profound.
You will be sadly missed and fondly remembered.
January 17, 2012
I first met George when he was a graduate student, and one of my great professional pleasures was editing his wonderful book on JEFFERSON'S LOUISIANA. George was a scholar's scholar, a haimish intellectual, and a simply terrific human being. My condolences to his family, whom I have never met, for this great loss. I'll miss you, George!
Stan Katz, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University
Euribiades Cerrud
January 17, 2012
I love you Dargo! Because of you - seek and I shall find - not in the words but in their history. You will be missed.
January 17, 2012
Professor Dargo was a wonderful teacher. I will never forget his Admin Law class - and numerous Seinfeld references! My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
- Amy Goodridge (NESL 2010)
John Wesley
January 11, 2012
I had the great fortune of being enrolled in two classes taught by Professor Dargo this past semester (Law and Literature and Administrative Law). The warmth of Professor Dargo was immediately felt by all of his students. He remembered me by name after the first day of the semester last fall and did not hesitate in asking me to help him carry some scholarly tomes from his office to the classroom. I had the pleasure of helping him transport his materials from his office to the class several times and each time provided the opportunity for some of the most delightful and thought-provoking conversations I have ever had with anyone. Professor Dargo had pure wisdom to offer to all of his lucky students. Although I only knew him for a few months, he made it instantly clear that he was a loyal and dedicated mentor to all of his students. It is clear that he will be dearly missed by so many loved ones and former students. His warmth and humor will never be forgotten. His love of Kafka, Melville, and the intricacies of Administrative Law and legal history inspired his students to receive this knowledge with equal enthusiasm and joy. In the words of his beloved Seinfeld series, Professor Dargo was a true "delicate genius" who shared his wisdom with all around him.
January 11, 2012
My deepest condolences to all members Professor Dargo's family. Professor Dargo was a great teacher, tutor, and above all, a great person. I was fortunate to be one of his students and am profoundly saddened by his leaving us. The pleasant memory of him will forever be with me.
Michael Zhang, NESL'09, New York, NY
Brenda Caplan
January 11, 2012
Lois, Jessica, Stephen, Jody, Sarah and Ethan
My sincere condolences on the recent passing of your husband, father and grandfather..
My heart goes out to all of your at this time.
January 10, 2012
Professor Dargo will be greatly missed for his inimitable teaching style, the levity he brought to the law, and the historical context he was able to provide. My deepest condolences to his family.
Per C. Vaage (NESL '05) (Providence, RI)
adam abrams (NESL 2005)
January 10, 2012
A great person and awesome law school professor. He could couple a Seinfeld reference with anything. I once saw him at a office supply store and he said he was looking for a "pocket wizard"! (Seinfeld reference) I had him for Con. Law and he insisted on calling me "Midland" after he found out that I was from Texas. I tried telling him I was from Houston, but he never let up. Just a really funny guy and a great person to be around. He will be missed at NESL!
Victoria Fernandez
January 10, 2012
I had the privilege of taking 2 classes and a clinic led by Prof. Dargo. He made law school enjoyable, proving you can learn something substantive and be entertaining at the same time. I will miss our "coffee talk" chats. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.
Nancy & Dan Brambilla
January 10, 2012
Dearest Jessica,
We send our deepest condolences to you and your family. You're in our thoughts and prayers.
Kevin Ochalla
January 10, 2012
He was one of the best professors that I had in law school. He made the learning admin law enjoyable believe it or not. I will miss him.
Syed Haque
January 10, 2012
Professor Dargo was one of the finest instructors I've ever had the honor of learning under. His passion and enthusiasm for the subject made his classes a pleasure to attend. He was indeed "Master of his Domain".
Jeffrey Craig
January 10, 2012
Life is adventure, life is growth, life is pain, life is pleasure, George Dargo was music,...wonderful, funny, warm, inspirational music. I never forgot him, never will.
Stephen Dargo
January 9, 2012
John W. Cairns, Chair of Legal History, University of Edinburgh, created this tribute to my father on his legal history blog. I thought I would share it here:
George Dargo: Prominent Historian of Louisiana Law dies
(Blog Post: 09 January 2012 17:00)
"I first met George Dargo only in November 2008. It was in New Orleans at a conference at Tulane organised by Vernon Palmer to mark the Bicentenary of the enactment of the Digest of the Civil Laws now in Force in the Territory of Orleans. In a sense, however, I had known Professor Dargo since I was a graduate student. This was because, a couple of years before I started work on my PhD in Edinburgh, he had published a major monograph, Jefferson's Louisiana: Politics and the Clash of Legal Traditions (Cambridge Ma, 1975), based on his own Columbia PhD thesis. It is undoubtedly one of the most important studies ever of the Louisiana Purchase and its impact on the politics and legal culture of Louisiana. It was a major influence on my own work.
The importance of this book led to a revised edition by the Lawbook Exchange (2010), updated with a new introduction. To mark its publication, along with Georgia Chadwick, Director of the Law Library of Louisiana, who had encouraged the enterprise, the Lawbook Exchange organised a lunch at Antoine's in New Orleans during the American Association of Law School's Conference in January 2010.
In the intervening years, Professor Dargo had studied law and moved from being a Professor of History to one of Law. He was to have a distinguished career at the New England Law School, where he maintained a notable interest in legal history, while also teaching Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Freedom of Expression, and Law and Literature. It is worth noting that his collected essays, Colony to Empire: Episodes in American Legal History, will be published in the Spring, again by the Lawbook Exchange.
At the Tulane Conference Professor Dargo gave a lively historical paper on the context of the Digest. I spoke on the same panel. On the evening of that day, at a reception in the house of a benefactor of the Tulane Law School, I had my first long chat with him. He was interesting and witty with a wry attitude (he waskeen on Seinfeld), and entirely charming. I took to him immediately.
In May, 2010 I organised in Edinburgh a Workshop on the history of the law of Louisiana. As one of the most noted scholars of the early territorial period in Lousiana, George was of course invited. He planned to come with his wife. Unfortunately, this ultimately proved impossible.
Despite illness, Professor Dargo taught through the last semester (a mark of the man), dying at home on the evening of 5 January. He will be much missed and our thoughts go to his wife, children and grandchildren. "
Angela Cheung
January 9, 2012
Professor Dargo was a wonderful professor. Very caring and attentive to his students and always doing what he can to help them succeed. He was also a great friend, always there to lend an ear when needed. He will be missed tremendously. My thoughts and prayers to his family.
January 9, 2012
I will always remember his Constitutional Law classes and how he always told us that we were "vanderers through the jungle" as he slashed his air machete through legal obscurities. I also thoroughly enjoyed his Law and Literature course. I am grateful to have had Professor Dargo as one of my professors. My condolences to his family. Melissa Sim (NESL 2003)
Janice Wilson
January 9, 2012
Professor Dargo's words will always be with me, "make sure your arguments are intellectually honest and pass the laugh test." His wisdom and kindness will be greatly missed at NESL. My condolences to his family.
Chris Ligatti
January 9, 2012
A great teacher, historian and mentor. He had a great knowledge of the law and history, but he never took himself too seriously and always made class fun. He'll definitely be missed and my thoughts go out to his family.
Jacqueline Zatland
January 9, 2012
Dearest George - we were privileged to have known him for over fifty years. Forever missed. Jackie and Ben Zatland, U.K.
Marian McGrath
January 8, 2012
Professor Dargo was a wonderful teacher. He taught me Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Law and Literature. I thoroughtly enjoyed his classes. He will be missed greatly. Marian McGrath (NESL '02).
Trish Tremblay
January 8, 2012
After I graduated I would often go back to the school and Dargo and I would hang out in his office (he would always have to clear a chair for me to sit, of course) or we would take walks and talk about life, politics, whatever. He was a mentor and a very dear friend and I will always carry the memory of his friendship with me.
My heart goes out to his family.
Sean Bernard
January 8, 2012
I will forever remember his enthusiasm and passion for teaching. His deep concern for his students and his unwavering desire to impart knowledge to us, but also his challenge to us to broaden our understanding of, and our role in furthering the ideals of the constitution. And how can I forget his infectious humor. You could not be in any of his classes with absorbing his humor. Rest in peace. Sean Bernard, 2005
January 8, 2012
Rest in peace Professor Dargo...Today's service was a great tribute.
Ben Dresner (NESL 2013)
Marc Meisler, NESL '93
January 7, 2012
I was a student of Professor Dargo's many years ago, but also remember sitting near him in shul. It made him more of a person to me than just a professor. That was important to a law student.
May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Edward Armitage
January 7, 2012
Rest in peace Professor Dargo.
Janet Chavez. NESL
January 7, 2012
GD, He was so loved. We are all so lucky that we met him and could be in his presence. He was full of kindness, love, generosity and enormous intelligence. And not to mention his big sense of humor, that I will keep in my memories of him. I remember the time he told me I wasn't the only islander in the faculty office, because he was too (he was from Long Island). And I'll never forget our conversations in spanish about Seinfeld and the classical music that you loved. He had a big heart for his family, especially his grandkids Sarah & Ethan. I remember all the pictures and videos he shared with me of them. He will be missed. The Law School will not be the same without you. I was very blessed to have worked for him and have been around him for 13 years. I will miss you dearly Dargo Meister.
January 7, 2012
May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.
Jeremy Robin
January 7, 2012
"Prof Dargo's lighthearted approach to the law was a refreshing change for many of us uptight first year law students. Beneath the levity was a man of serious purpose and intelligence and a lover of history and teaching."
Jeremy Robin (NESL '95)
Robert Buchholz
January 7, 2012
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more." RIP Professor Dargo.
Liz Surette. NESL 2010
January 7, 2012
We did not always agree--particularly about Seinfeld--but he was a great teacher and I still remember my Admin law. It gives me profound pause to realize that someone I used to see everyday is gone.
January 7, 2012
'We will always have Malta'...You were the best professor and a dear friend. There will always be Brooklyn as well. I will miss you dearly and will continue to "think legal thoughts"
Thank you so much and be in peace always.
My prayers to the Dargo family. He was a treasure.
Elayne N. Alanis NESL '04
Heather Yoselow NESL "08
January 7, 2012
Professor Dargo's wisdom, knowledge, humor (particularily Seinfeld witticism's)made law school bearable. "The Professor" was such a mensch. My sincerest condolences to the Dargo family.
Kathleen White '11
January 6, 2012
I will always remember the fabulous "discussions" we had in Freedom of Expression. We were constantly annoying the students in the class after ours because we would all remain until the last possible moment. No-one wanted the class to end. Professor Dargo inspired us to think deeper and analyze everything from all viewpoints. I know he knew how much we admired and adored him and for that I am thankful. My thoughts and support go out to his family and all his students. How wonderful to have touched and formed so many lives!
Kelli Boyer
January 6, 2012
Professor Dargo was an inspiration to all of us who were lucky enough to learn from him. My deepest condolences to his family.
NESL '04
Sameer Shukla NESL '11
January 6, 2012
Professor Dargo was an incredible man and professor. He taught law with passion, incredible insight, and profound clarity. I cannot express in words the positive impact he had on my time at New England School of Law. I am so sorry for your loss. He will be greatly missed.
jennifer stonage
January 6, 2012
Professor Dargo was one of the greatest professors I have ever known. He had the ability to take an interesting subject and make it even more fun to study. He kept people intrigued with his wit and always came in with a great Seinfeld reference. He will truly be missed. Jennifer Stonage - NESL 2010
Sarah Salter
January 6, 2012
The world has lost a fine citizen - his compassion, intellect and humor made him a role model for not only his students but also his colleagues and members of the wider community.
Sarah Ziomek
January 6, 2012
Rest in peace, Professor Dargo. I will never forget your message to us in law school: "Find a good legal assistant or paralegal when you become lawyers so that you can sit on the beach and think legal thought." I hope you are sitting on your beach, Mr. Dargo, and thinking legal thoughts and all other kids of joyful thoughts. You have touched so many students in your career and I, as one, am thankful to have known you. Love and prayers to your family, Sarah Ziomek, NESL, Class of 2002.
John LaRivee (NESL '90)
January 6, 2012
Prof. Dargo made going to class a pleasure. My deepest condolences to his family.
Kolbi Cumbo NESL '07
January 6, 2012
Professor Dargo was an amazing professor and a good man. He made all of us better students and better lawyers.
Emily Perini NESL '11
January 6, 2012
To the family of Prof. Dargo -
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. I had the pleasure of getting to know Prof. Dargo as a student in his Admin Law class and thought he was a wonderful and kind soul. I am sorry for your loss. He will be missed at NESL.
Lisa Paciello, NESL '06
January 6, 2012
Professor Dargo was a wonderful and kind teacher. He truly loved what he did, and it showed in each and every class that he taught. I definitely appreciated his sense of humor and love of Seinfeld that he wove into almost all of his lessons. Rest in peace Professor Dargo.
Stanley Spiegel
January 6, 2012
George was one of the finest men I have ever known -- a man of consummate intelligence, profound humanity, total decency and unyielding high principle. He was my treasured friend, and I grieve for his passing. My most sincere sympathy to Lois, Stephen and Jessica. May his memory be for a blessing.
Allison Marshall NESL'06
January 6, 2012
We had a lot of laughs and good times at NESL. It was quite an experience taking your Ad Law class with all the Seinfeld references. You will be missed. Rest in peace, Professor Dargo.
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