Thomas A. Twomey, founding partner of the Riverhead law firm Twomey, Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin and Quartararo died suddenly on Sunday. He was 68 years old.
The cause was a heart attack, said his law partner of 37 years, Steve Latham.
Twomey lived in East Hampton and was married to former East Hampton town supervisor Judith Hope.
The son of a New York City police detective, his love of Eastern Long Island began with summers spent vacationing with his family in Mattituck. A graduate of Manhattan College, Twomey put himself through University of Virginia and Columbia law schools selling kitchen knives.
Twomey was instrumental in the passage of the landmark Suffolk County farmland preservation program in 1975 and later on, as the chairman of Gov. Cuomo’s East End Economic and Environmental Institute, in extending farmland preservation through all of New York State with the passage of the state farmland preservation program. His other accomplishments on that commission included increased state support for the local tourist and wine industries as well as the recreational needs of the East End.
Twomey represented a group of local farmers opposed to the Long Island Lighting Company’s proposal to build four nuclear power plants in Jamesport. He built a broad, statewide coalition of environmental, civic and political groups in opposition to the Jamesport plants and ultimately to the Shoreham nuclear power plant, all of which were defeated.
He currently served as chairman of the East Hampton Library trustees and on the executive committee of Guild Hall Cultural Center. He was also counsel to the L.I. Farm Bureau, which honored Twomey as “Citizen of the Year” in 2002.
Twomey had a great passion for the history of Eastern Long Island. He is a former East Hampton town historian and was the editor of the East Hampton Library Historical Collection. Twomey was the editor of Riverhead Free Library’s 2004 book, “Seeking the Past: Writings from 1832-1905 Relating to the History of the Town of Riverhead.”
Tom is survived by his wife of 34 years, Judith Hope, who served three terms as East Hampton Supervisor from 1974-1975 and again in 1984-1987; by his stepchildren Nisse and Erling Hope; three grandchildren, Soren Hope, Isaiah Aqui and Henry Luka Hope; and by his sisters, Mary Claire Vrtodusic of Oakdale, New York and Florence Cope of East Marion, New York.
Services will take place on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. at St Luke’s Episcopal Church, 18 James Lane, East Hampton. A reception will follow at East Hampton Point, 295 Three Mile Harbor-Hog Creek Road. Visitation will take place on Friday at Yardley Pino Funeral Home from 2 to 4, and from 7 to 9 p.m., 94 Pantigo Road, East Hampton. For further information please call Janice Olsen at 631-727-2180.
Memorial donations may be made to the East Hampton Public Library, 159 Main St., East Hampton, NY 11937.
