Dr. Alfonse A. Cinotti

Dr. Alfonse A. Cinotti passed away peacefully at his home in Naples, Florida surrounded by his family on September 15, 2023. He was born in Jersey City, N.J. on New Year’s Day in 1923 to William and Concetta (Ilaria) Cinotti.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Kathleen, his parents and his brother William.

He is survived by his sisters, Norma Panico and Arlene (Andrew) Milone, his sister-in-law, Doris Cinotti, and his children Donald (Paulette) Cinotti, Kathleen (John) Passidomo, Lawrence (Lisa) Cinotti, Carol (Robert Young) Cinotti, William (Lisa) Cinotti, 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren in addition to numerous nieces and nephews as well as his dedicated care-giver, Andrea Campbell. A member of the Greatest Generation, Alfonse served as an officer in the United States Navy from 1947-1949 and later at a U.S. Naval Hospital during the Korean War.

Alfonse graduated from the Long Island College of Medicine (now known as SUNY Medical School) in 1946 and opened a medical practice in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he specialized in Ophthalmology. On a blind date in 1946, he met a young nurse from Brooklyn named Kathleen Higgins. The couple married in 1948 and were an inseparable force until her death in 2020.

A practicing physician for over 60 years, Alfonse was also the Director of Ophthalmology programs at three of the largest hospitals in New Jersey and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He also served as President of the New Jersey Academy of Ophthalmology in 1956 and of the American Association of Ophthalmology in 1978. In 1975 Alfonse was inducted as a Master Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Although busy raising five children and mentoring half the neighborhood youth in their hometown of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Alfonse and Kathleen had a busy community and social life. They traveled the country and the world together, children in tow, as Kathleen read passages from Fodor’s travel guides to their not-so-attentive brood while Alfonse patiently drove.

Alfonse had a very busy medical practice and oftentimes saw as many as 50 patients a day, many of whom could not afford to pay for his services. In the days before Medicare and Medicaid, Alfonse never turned a patient away and would often come home with a pan of lasagna, a basket of eggs, a homemade cake and even a freshly killed chicken given by grateful patients. One time he performed complicated surgery on a bricklayer who had previously lost one eye and Alfonse was determined to save the other eye. That patient did not have insurance and couldn’t afford the surgery. Alfonse did the surgery pro bono and in return the bricklayer came to Alfonse’s home and built a magnificent brick oven in the backyard for the Cinotti family. Unfortunately, since he only had one eye, the oven was slightly crooked. But it worked.

One of Alfonse’s more significant accomplishments during his long career included the creation of Eye Institute of New Jersey and the Lions Eye Bank in 1969. In recognition of his many years of service, the Lions Club and the Eye Institute endowed a Chair of Ophthalmology in his name at the New Jersey Medical School in 2008.

Upon retirement in 1993, Alfonse and Kathleen moved to Naples, Florida. He obtained a license from the Florida Board of Medicine as a Volunteer Health Care Provider and immediately immersed himself in community activities. He co-founded the Florida Lions Eye Clinic, which provides free eye care services, treatments and surgeries for low income individuals. Until well into his 90's Alfonse gave his time and talent to providing medical care to indigent patients through his volunteer work with the Lions Club and the Senior Friendship Center.

Alfonse also developed a Lions eye screening and wellness program at health fairs, churches, day care centers and community centers throughout Collier County, Florida and especially for the migrant workers in Immokalee. For his service to the Collier County community Alfonse was awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award in Washington, DC in 2008.

A Prayer Service will be held on Thursday, September 21st at 5:00 PM at Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens. Funeral Mass will be offered in New Jersey at a later date.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Florida Lions Eye Clinic, 10322 Pennsylvania Ave, Bonita Springs FL. 34135 or the Cento Amici Alfonse Cinotti Endowed Scholarship Fund at the NJ Medical School, 185 S. Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103.