Obituary of Mario A. Posillico

Mario A. Posillico, 87, of Huntington, New York, passed peacefully Wednesday, August 4, 2021, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Mario was born March 25, 1934, in Mineola, NY. His parents Joseph D. and Angela Posillico settled in Farmingdale, NY along with other family and friends that emigrated from Durazzano, Italy. Mario graduated from Farmingdale High School in 1952 and was a three-letterman athlete in football, basketball, and golf. He graduated Lehigh University in 1956 with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering where he was also captain of the golf team. After college, Mario enlisted in the US Navy and completed a degree in Meteorology at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Upon completion of his degree, he was stationed in Guam in 1958 where he flew on typhoon hunters gathering data as a meteorologist. While in Guam, he turned professional in golf and played in several tournaments throughout the Philippines and Japan. Upon the completion of his tour of duty for the US Navy, he returned to Farmingdale with his wife Kay Posillico and daughter Jeanne to join J.D. Posillico, Inc., that his father Joseph had started in 1946 along with his uncle and aunts. Mario was instrumental in transforming the company with his brothers, Dominic and Joseph, and along with Charles A. Gargano, P.E., from a small site sub-contractor into one of the premier heavy construction businesses on Long Island. He was president of the Long Island Contractors Association. Mario continued his passion for golf winning many amateur tournaments including the Metropolitan Golf Association Senior Championship in 1993 as well as countless club championships at the Huntington Crescent Country Club and Indian Hills Country Club. He was also an avid boater and enjoyed having his friends and family aboard for a toast of champagne and reminiscing about one of his many great stories he loved to tell. Mario’s passion for people and his interest in everyone in the company that worked for him was one of his hallmark qualities. While J.D. Posillico, now known as Posillico Inc., became one of the largest privately-held infrastructure companies in the US, of which Mario served as Chairman, he never forgot his humble beginnings. He was known for his generosity to his employees and the community. After his retirement from Posillico, he would commonly walk the hallways and speak to each employee about themselves and their family’s wellbeing. Loving father of Michael J. Posillico, Barbara Posillico, Kristi Head, Lindsay Posillico, and Chris Posillico. Jeanne Leonard and husband Peter Leonard . Cherished grandfather to Caroline Tarantino, Gregory Posillico, Lauren Posillico, Whitney Ahern, Caitlin Leonard Azzollini, Kelly Leonard, Erin Leonard, Clifford Sieber, Peter Leonard Jr, and devoted great grandfather to Lily Azzollini. Dear brother of the late Dominic Joseph Posillico and Joseph D. Posillico Jr., survived by wife Whitney. Adored nephew of Angela Adamo. Wake Services Thursday, August 12, 2021 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm M.A. Connell Funeral Home 934 New York Avenue Huntington Station, NY 11746 In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Mario A. Posillico to The Mary Ann Tully Hospice Inn: https://www.hospicecarenetwork.org/care-mary-ann-tully-inn/