Obituary of Frank A. Nemia

Frank Anthony Nemia, 93, of Binghamton, NY passed away shortly after midnight on December 24th. He is survived by his loving family and his wife of 39 years, Linda (Olson) Nemia; five children, Joseph (Jay), Robin Gregory, James, Frank Jr., and Justin; 10 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Frank was predeceased by his former spouse, Theodora "Teddy" Strates and four siblings, Thomas, Morris, Johnny and Angelina. He was born in Brooklyn, NY, in 1932, the son of Italian immigrants and restaurateur Joseph and Mary Nemia. Frank's family later bought a farm in Harpursville NY with three Nemia families in 1940. Frank grew up in Harpursville, and graduated from Harpursville Central High School. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York (SUNY)) at Binghamton (Harpur College) in 1955 and his law degree from Syracuse University College of Law in 1957. Frank was inspired to pursue a career in law after an accident left his father injured. Frank's distinguished legal career included serving as a partner at Twining, Nemia, Hill & Steflik, and later joining Coughlin & Gerhart LLP before retiring in 2014. He was a founding member of the Labor & Employment Law Section Management Advisory Committee (MAC) and received the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the NYSBA's Labor & Employment Law Section in 2013. Frank was also named in all editions of The Best Lawyers in America and was selected as the 2014 Binghamton Litigation – Labor & Employment "Lawyer of the Year." He was a fierce champion of legal specialization to assure high-quality legal representation. In addition to his legal accomplishments, Frank was an Associate Professor Emeritus of Law at SUNY Binghamton, where he taught Business and Labor law for more than 30 years. He received the H. Bentley Award for outstanding service to the community. His community service included commitments to local and state boards of directors of several non-profit organizations, including the American Cancer Society and Greater Binghamton Health Center. Frank had a beautiful singing voice and was a longtime member of the choir at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. He spoke and sang in Italian, and 'Ave Maria' was his special song, which he sang on holidays and at weddings. Often mistaken for Tony Bennett, both for his appearance and his voice, Frank once attended a David Copperfield show in Las Vegas where Copperfield introduced him to the audience as Tony Bennett. After the show, several audience members sought his autograph, which he happily provided — signing each one "Tony Benedetto." A Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Patrick's Church, corner of Oak and Leroy Streets, Binghamton, Monday, January 12, 2026 at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. The family will receive friends at the J.A. McCormack Sons Funeral Home, 141 Main Street, Binghamton, Sunday January 11, 2026 from 2 to 4 p.m. The Mass will be live streamed at www.sta-sp.org