Daniel Davis Molinoff

Daniel Davis Molinoff passed away peacefully at home in New Rochelle, NY on April 3, 2026 after a long, difficult battle with Lewy Body Dementia. He was eighty-six years old and is survived by his wife Leslie, sister Ada, children Michael, Joel (Jennifer) and Morgan and grandchildren Charlotte, Theo and Annabelle.

Dan was born on January 1st, 1940, and was raised in Smithtown, NY. From a young age he was an avid outdoorsman, growing up hunting, fishing and camping along the shores of the Nissequogue River on the property of his family home but also possessed an outsized intellect with a love of literature, arts and antique collection. His early career included stints in journalism, advertising copywriting and government service but he found his true calling as an attorney where he could combine an instinctual passion for helping others with his love of a good argument. Beyond his legal practice, he never hesitated to help countless friends, family members and others to solve legal and other problems, always willing to take up the fight to defend or advocate for someone in need.

Early in his legal career he made his mark as a champion of father's rights, essentially inventing the concept of joint-custody. He wrote articles in the New York Times, The New York Law Journal and other publications, was a guest on radio and TV shows such as The Phil Donahue Show and was featured in People Magazine as a pioneering advocate for fathers wanting post-divorce equal time with their children. But most importantly, he fought successfully for those fathers in court, many times taking cases pro bono, ensuring numerous fathers could be more than just weekend dads.

While pursuing his legal career, he always created the time to write fiction in the form of short stories, poetry and screenplays, winning many awards and being published extensively in literary journals and other periodicals.

But anything related to his career was secondary to his dedication to and love for his family. He coached his kids' little league and soccer teams and attended every possible sporting event in which his grandchildren played. He was a quirky, loving and brilliant force of nature and the world is a different, less interesting place without him.

The family asks that people make a donation to the American Brain Foundation or the Lewy Body Dementia Association in his memory.