David Andrew Norkin

David Andrew Norkin, of New York, NY passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer on August 9, 2025, at age 52.

David was born on January 17, 1973, in Northampton, MA, and was raised in neighboring Amherst. He graduated from Amherst Regional High School in 1991, earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1995 from Bates College and a Juris Doctor in 1999 from George Washington University Law School.

Following law school, David joined the United States Navy, where he served with distinction in the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps for nearly 20 years, retiring at the rank of Commander. In that time, he served as a judge advocate, defense counsel, prosecutor, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, and appellate military judge in the following locations: San Diego, CA; Pearl Harbor, HI; Yokosuka, Japan; and Washington, DC. He was a member of the Hawaii, Maryland, and New York state bars.

In 2020, following his retirement from the Navy, David was appointed as an Immigration Judge by then Attorney General William Barr. In his time as a judge at the New York-Varick Immigration Court, he handled many complex cases. In his last several years on the bench, he was assigned as the primary juvenile docket judge given his expertise, patience, and temperament. He was highly respected among his colleagues, court staff, interpreters, and the parties that appeared before him.

David was diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine cancer in 2012 and spend the next 13 years fighting valiantly to survive. While he passed way too soon, he also outlived his prognosis by several years. His survivorship was a testament to his unique set of personal traits-his physical strength, his tolerance for pain, his optimism, his complete lack of self-pity, and his genuine concern for others. More than anything else, David survived because of what he was living for-his family.

In his personal life, David was known not just for his love of a wide range of topics (including food, wine, surfing, travel, politics, and Boston sports), but also for his love of talking about them. He had no shortage of opinions, and no shortage of people who delighted in hearing them. He made lasting friendships wherever he went and has left a lasting impact on people across the country and around the globe.

David is survived by his wife, Mina Kono, and daughter, Maya Norkin, both of whom he adored to no end. Additionally, he is survived by his parents, Leonard and Arline Norkin; his brother, Michael Norkin; sister-in-law, Deborah Neft; nephews, Theo and Luke Norkin; and niece, Josephine Norkin.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 2 p.m. at the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel in New York City.

In lieu of flowers, please give to David's personal donation page at Memorial Sloan Kettering (http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/DavidNorkin). David was so thankful for the care he received at MSK and the people that provided it. MSK was more than a treatment center for Dave. It was a place where he found comfort during some very trying times in his life.