Former State Supreme Court Justice Joseph J. Saladino of Massapequa, and the son of Italian immigrants, died on Palm Sunday after a lengthy battle with congestive heart failure. He was 75.

The middle child of five sons, he was born on April 28, 1924, and was raised in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn during the 1930s and '40s. "He always remembered his humble beginnings growing up during the Great Depression," said his son, James Saladino, deputy town attorney for Southampton. "His family was not wealthy, and he always reminded us of that. It was important to him to be humble..."

The lack of wealth could not deter the Saladino family from scraping together enough money to buy a plot of land to build a two-room bungalow in the largely-undeveloped Massapequa of the 1920s. The family spent their summers there, close to the Great South Bay, where he often swam, fished and clammed.

Saladino, with his brothers in tow, would walk four or five miles down Alhambra Road to the waterfront, spend hours on the beach, and walk back carrying buckets of clams. "He was a real tough guy, even back then," said his son, Joseph Saladino III, director of operations for the Town of Oyster Bay.

His outdoor activities and physical attributes were not just limited to summers in the country. He graduated as a star track and football player from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, continued playing football at Brooklyn College, and even had a stint as a semi-pro.

Love of country was unmatched, too, said Joseph Saladino III. Saladino was drafted to the Army Infantry during WWII, and volunteered twice to serve as a Marine in Korea, attending St. John's University Law School between both service terms.

In 1956 Saladino opened a law practice in Wantagh, where it remained for 24 years. In 1964 he settled with his wife and children in Massapequa, where he became a recognizable figure in the community, volunteering much of his free time to local organizations and town politics. "He instilled in his family the importance of serving the community and the church and making a difference for people," said his daughter, Virginia "Ginny" Ewan, of Massapequa. "He taught us that we were part of something larger than ourselves."

He was appointed Counsel to the New York State Assembly Health Committee in the 1960s, and worked his way up the political ranks to become president of the Massapequa Republican Club. This experience catapulted him to the Oyster Bay Town Board from 1971 to 1980, where his leadership resulted in the expansion and creation of parks and other town facilities, especially in Massapequa, where he spearheaded the completion of John J. Burns Park and Bayfront Park, and paved the way for senior housing.

He served as a Nassau County First District Court Judge until 1985, then served on the New York State Supreme Court bench in Mineola, where he remained until his retirement in 1994.

One role he treasured most as justice was officiating at wedding ceremonies, which he often peppered with humorous anecdotes and witticisms, said Joseph Saladino III.

Saladino was a founding member of the Columbian Lawyers of Nassau County; the Sunrise Detachment of the Marine Corps League; was the fourth Venerable of the Order of the Sons of Italy, Columbus Lodge, which he nurtured to become the largest lodge in the state; and he served as president of the American Justinian Society of Jurists, a national organization of judges.

Long active in the community, his contributions rippled across Massapequa. He was an usher at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church; a member of the Massapequa Kiwanis Club for over 30 years; a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks in Massapequa; and an active supporter of St. Lima's Youth Outreach Program, the Boy Scouts, Boystown of Italy, and the Massapequa Mustangs Football League, which awards an annual trophy in his name. He also donated generously to charities and even assisted talented Long Island students with their college tuition. During the past decade he served on Molloy College's Board of Trustees.

"His life story is that of the American Dream," said Joseph Saladino III. "He proved that you can accomplish anything through sheer determination."

Despite this long list of achievements, Saladino made time for those he loved, and many weekends were spent with family and extended family on upstate retreats. He is remembered for his humility and sense of humor.

Besides his three children, Saladino is survived by his wife Jessie; his grandchildren, John, Margaret, Joanna, and Juilia; and his brothers Anthony, Frank, John and Jerome. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Massapequa Kiwanis Foundation, PO Box 195, Massapequa, New York, 11758, or to the St. Rose of Lima Outreach, 2 Bayview Avenue, Massapequa, New York, 11758.