Former County Executive Tom Gulotta laid to rest in North Merrick

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Former Nassau County Executive Tom Gulotta was laid to rest in his hometown of North Merrick on Aug. 9.

More than 100 family members and friends filled the Sacred Heart Church and reflected on Gulotta’s years of public service on Long Island. The Republican Oceanside native, who died on Aug. 4 at 75, was a leader of the area, serving as a state assemblyman, a Hempstead town supervisor and the county executive from 1987 to 2001.

Several New York politicians from both parties paid their respects.

Merokean David Denenberg, who was a Democratic county legislator during Gulotta’s final two years as executive, remembered him as someone who “liked to get things done.” He recalled Gulotta’s oversight of a $7 million project for Newbridge Road and the downtown revitalization projects in several communities. “He was a gentleman and good to work with,” he added.

Joseph Saladino, the Republican supervisor for the Town of Oyster Bay, said that he and Gulotta had been friends for decades. “He was a leader, a great humanitarian and the hardest-working man to ever serve in elected office,” Saladino said. “He set the bar for the rest of us.”

“He was the most devoted public servant I’ve ever met,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. “He was an ever-present figure; there was no event he didn’t show up [to].”

Current Nassau County Executive Laura Curran echoed DiNapoli’s praise. “I try to emulate his way of meeting as many people as possible, or going to as many events as possible,” she said. “For him, it was all about connecting with the constituents.”

U.S. Rep. Peter King, a Republican from Seaford, served as the county comptroller during Gulotta’s early years as executive. “He was an outstanding county executive, a real politician, and he will be missed,” King said.

Gulotta was buried at the Cemetery of The Holy Rood in Westbury.