Albert Charles Tricomi

Albert Charles Tricomi of Surfside, Florida, entered into rest peacefully on January 4 at 96 years of age, surrounded by loved ones at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Miami.

Beloved and devoted husband to equally beloved and devoted wife of 16 years, his soul mate, Delphine Mayock-Tricomi (previously from Wilkes-Barre and Scranton), who survives him. Devoted son to the late Ignazio and Mary Tricomi; devoted brother to the late Joseph Tricomi; loving father to Albert H. Tricomi and his wife, Elizabeth (of Binghamton, N.Y.), Carolyn M. Tricomi and her husband, Albert Higgins (of Sarasota, Fla.); and adoring stepfather to Carlos Lopez (of Miami, Fla.); loving uncle to Joseph C. Tricomi and his wife, Ann Marie Tricomi (of Boynton Beach, Fla.), the late Carol Ann Tricomi LaSala, and Sean T. O'Donnell and Alissa Spielberg (of Boston, Mass.). He was predeceased by his cherished first wife, Lillian (Hoehn) Tricomi, and his adored second wife, Lillian (Siberio Lopez) Tricomi. Albert was especially proud of the family's next generations, leaving three grandchildren, two stepgrandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind numerous other family members and many long-standing friends whom he considered family.

Al's remarkable life spanned nearly a century, during which he was nurtured in the Italian tradition by his immigrant parents and Nonna, who settled in Astoria, Queens, N.Y., growing into the deeply caring, wise, morally and spiritually grounded man that so many would seek for his advice and counsel in later years.

Albert was a patriotic veteran of World War II, proudly serving his country. A graduate of St. John's and Fordham universities, he held Master's degrees in sociology and social work. In 1943, he joined the New York City Police Department, working in its Juvenile Aid Bureau. There he became a certified psychiatric social worker and Supervisor of Research and Training in the Youth Division. In 1964, he was appointed an Assistant Professor of Fordham's School of Social Service and became Assistant Dean. After "retiring" to Miami Beach, he was pressed into service by the Archdiocese of Miami, in the late-1980s into the 1990s, for Catholic Charities, where he worked on social services and direct counseling, and was ultimately promoted to its Executive Board as Chief Compliance Officer. Further, he also served terms as president of his first Florida condominium's board and, later, as Vice President of his second condominium's board. He was also a founding member and early President of the South Florida Chapter of the Fordham Alumni Association. A gentle, talented man and a natural peacemaker, he lived a life of compassionate service.

From the small Sicilian town of his ancestors, Roccalumera, to the summers spent during the 1950s and '60s with family on the cliffs and beaches of Rocky Point, N.Y., to his life overlooking the Atlantic in Miami Beach, to the cruises he so loved, the calming power of the sea provided a constant backdrop. He will be remembered for his warmth, his calm, gentle nature, his love of life, and his enormous, full-bodied smile that filled so many hearts with his unending love.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to fund the South Florida Chapter of the Fordham Alumni Association Scholarship, which bears Albert Tricomi's name as a founding member. Checks can be sent directly to:

Fordham University Alumni Association, South Florida Chapter Scholarship Fund, in memory of Albert C. Tricomi, Fordham University Office of Alumni Relations, Attention: Robert Smith, 888 7th Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10019.

For further questions about this scholarship and making a donation, please contact: RememberingAlbertTricomi@gmail.com

You can also use this e-mail address for general questions and to share personal stories and remembrances.

Viewing and funeral Mass to be held on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at the Cor Jesu Chapel at Barry University. Viewing from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Catholic Mass will begin at 4:00 p.m. Interment will take place privately at a later date.