Please visit our online memorial and guest book John P. Cleary, of Locust Valley, a prominent attorney who dedicated the last decade of his life to the development of Long Island as a scientific center, died Sunday, Feb. 1, at the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Colorado, where he had recently undergone bypass surgery. He was 76. Cleary was a founding partner of the law firm now known as Farrell Fritz in Uniondale. Cleary formed his first firm, Pratt, Caemmerer Cleary, in 1968 with George Pratt, former U.S. Circuit Court Judge for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the late John Caemmerer, former NY State Senator. In 1976, Pratt, Caemmerer Cleary merged with Farrell Fritz in anticipation of the US Senate confirmation of Pratt's appointment by President Ford to the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of NY. The firm then became Farrell, Fritz, Caemmerer Cleary. Cleary was a noted expert in the areas of tax certiorari and real estate law, and represented a wide range of corporations, banks, and other businesses, as well as individuals, in challenges to real property tax assessments on Long Island, in New York City, and upstate New York. After retiring from Farrell Fritz in 2001, Cleary focused on bringing biotech companies to Long Island to develop the region as a research and development center. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory from 1994 through 1997, and an honorary trustee from 2001. He also contributed to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Association as Director from 1989 through 1997, as President from 1995-1997; and as Honorary Director from 2000. He was instrumental in the development of the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park, a business incubator at SUNY Farmingdale. He served as chairman of the board of the bioscience park, a collaborative effort between the university and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to encourage start-up biotech businesses. In 1995, Cleary was the first investor for Mirus Bio, Madison, Wisc., and also served on its Board of Trustees until the company was sold to Roche Pharmaceuticals in 2008. He also dedicated significant time and financial support to finding a cure for muscular dystrophy. From 1979-1997, Cleary was a trustee of Molloy College, Rockville Center, Chairman 1985-1988, and Chairman Emeritus from 2000. In 1998, Molloy awarded him an honorary L.L.D. He served on the planning board of the Village of Oyster Bay Cove from 1978-1981 and served as its chair in 1981 when he resigned to become Trustee of the Village, a position he held from 1981 to 1988. A lifelong Long Island resident, Cleary was born in Brooklyn in 1932 and raised in Freeport in a family of 11 children. He attended Freeport High School, where he developed a love for running as a member of the school's cross country and track teams. His swift feet took him to Yale University, where Cleary ran for the cross-country team and became its captain for his senior year. He graduated from Yale University in 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Cleary remained active with Yale throughout his life. In 2000, he co-chaired the Committee to create an endowment in the memory of coach Robert Giegengack. He received a law degree from New York University Law School in 1961. He is survived by his wife, Rita; two sons, Mark and James; and a daughter, Sharon; as well as eight brothers and sisters and their children. Funeral Information Viewings will be held on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday, Feb. 6, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. at St Dominic's Roman Catholic Church in Oyster Bay. Interment at Cemetery of Holy Rood, Westbury, NY.