The late Suffolk County Surrogate Court Judge Theresa Whelan was honored in a ceremony last week at the Surrogate’s Court in Riverhead, where a portrait of Whelan was unveiled in a courtroom packed with family, friends, colleagues and government officials.
Whelan died of cancer at age 60 in December 2022. Her illness forced her to retire that summer, four years into her 10-year term as Suffolk County Surrogate. Prior to her election as surrogate, she served for 10 years as judge in Suffolk County Family Court.
Her successor, Suffolk County Surrogate Judge Vincent Messina, presided over the April 4 ceremony.
Whelan’s husband of 32 years, Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Thomas Whelan and their children, Joseph and Erin attended the ceremony with other family members.
Also in attendance were Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine, former Suffolk Surrogate’s Court judges John M. Czygier Jr. and Gail Prudenti, former Nassau Surrogate’s Court judge Raymond Radigan, District Administrative Judge Andrew Crecca, and numerous members of the Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court staff.
“The turnout here today—there are more people in another room because we couldn’t fit everybody in here—is a testament to the incredible impact that Judge Whelan has had on so many lives, not just here, but throughout Suffolk County,” Crecca told the audience.
“Far beyond her professional accomplishments and accolades, Theresa Whelan was an extremely genuine, caring, and extraordinarily special individual,” Crecca said. “To me, it was a true honor and privilege to know her, to serve with her, and today to dedicate this portrait to her.”
Surrogate judges preside over proceedings involving wills, trusts and estates, and guardianship matters. Whelan was considered an efficient and fair jurist to all who practiced in Surrogate’s Court, the district administrative judge’s office said in a statement. “She also broadened her already-sterling reputation with her leadership skills by ushering the Surrogate’s Court through the unparalleled challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Judge Whelan was a distinguished and highly-respected jurist who was wholeheartedly committed to public service, justice, and serving people at the toughest times in their lives — she never forgot that there were real people behind every case she handled,” Crecca said.
After Crecca’s welcoming remarks, the current surrogate presided over the unveiling ceremony, a near-century-old and deeply revered tradition of hanging the official portrait of past surrogates on the courtroom wall.
He told the crowd to look around the room and view the portraits of past surrogates. “We are here today to add another star to that constellation,” he said.
Supervising Judge of the Family Court Caren Loguercio, who succeeded Whelan in that leadership role, hailed the accomplishments of her predecessor. “Following in her footsteps was no easy task,” Loguercio said. “Judge Whelan spent every day working towards improving outcomes for families that appeared in front her. She was the impetus behind bringing the most current, evidence-based treatment modalities to our court system, increasing access for litigants, developing alternative dispute resolution protocols, and supporting the judges and employees of the court,” Loguercio said.
“Theresa’s dedication and commitment to her public service was boundless, notwithstanding her own struggles,” she said. “Even after she became ill, she had her husband or son regularly bring her work home for her.”
Whelan’s daughter Erin Meyers addressed the audience, thanking the many colleagues who called and visited her mother during her illness, which uplifted her spirits. “I truly believe that all of those visits and phone calls helped keep her here with us longer,” she said. “And to the staff of the Surrogate’s Court, it was a true honor to witness the love, admiration, and protection that you all had for her. Thank you.”
Meyers introduced the portrait artist, Kevin McEvoy.
“Painting the portrait of Judge Whelan reminded me of when my children used to catch fireflies in our backyard,” McEvoy told the crowd. “In both, we’ve captured a light in a bottle, and we then hold that light so close to us in the darkness and we try to hold onto it forever,” he explained.
The artist then turned to the Whelan family and said, “May the beautiful light I captured in this portrait shine forever.”
After his remarks, McEvoy helped the Whelan family officially unveil the portrait of their beloved wife, mother and sister.
“My hope for this portrait that we unveil today is that it forever reflects Theresa’s love of the law, never-ending commitment to justice for
the people of Suffolk County, and that it demonstrates her as the public servant we all wish to be,” the late surrogate’s husband Justice Thomas Whelan said.
The ceremony concluded with vocal performances of “In the Way She Moves” by Court Assistant James Stevens and “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” by Court Officer Darlene Caruba sang inspiring renditions of and respectively, to honor Judge Whelan.
A brief reception followed the ceremony.
Source: Press release from the office of District Administrative Judge Andrew Crecca
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
