Matthew J. Cronin, 87, a World War II Navy veteran, Democratic activist and lawyer died on July 4.
Matthew was born in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn and was inspired by his father, a World War I hero, who had devoted much of his life to veteran’s rights. In 1945, Matthew decided to skip his high school graduation and enlist in the US Navy where he served aboard the USS Webster in the Pacific. Upon returning, he went to St. John’s University and like his father before him, St. John’s Law School, where he had many of the same professors that his father had. Most importantly he met the love of his life, Patricia Egan, in freshman English class. He was married to his beloved Patricia for sixty-one years until she passed away on January 25, 2012.
Both Matthew and Patricia (“Pat and Matt”) were active in Democratic politics. Matthew was the head of the Democratic Party in Manhasset. Under Nassau County Executive Eugene Nickerson, Matthew joined the Board of Assessors. After serving on the Board of Assessors, Matthew founded one of the most successful tax certiorari firms on Long Island where he maintained the motto “the harder you work, the luckier you get.”
He is survived by his four children, Lynn Cronin of Manhattan, Brad Cronin of Manhasset, Laureen Harris of Manhasset and Valerie Wiblishauser of Dix Hills, ten grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Funeral services were held at the Church of St. Peter of Alcantara in Port Washington. He was buried last Wednesday at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury.
