La Sala, former Herricks board prez, dead at age 78

Richard Tedesco

Vincent La Sala, an educator who was former president of the Herricks Board of Education and a senior Nassau County BOCES administrator, died on Oct. 10. He was 78 years old.

La Sala, a 50-year resident of Williston Park, married his wife, Carol, after they both graduated from St. John’s University in 1956. Five years later, they moved to Williston Park, where they raised four daughters.

After attending St, John’s University, La Sala and his wife lived in Astoria, and he worked as a detail man for Schering and Hoffman-LaRoche pharmaceuticals. 

Shortly after moving to Williston Park in 1962, La Sala earned a master’s degree in education from Hofstra University and became a science teacher in the Commack School District. After teaching briefly in Commack, he became a science teacher in the Mineola Junior High School.

Sala went back to school for certification as a guidance counselor and administrator and then became a guidance counselor in the Mineola Junior High.

“He loved it. He was a great teacher, and they remember him as a very caring guidance counselor,” his eldest daughter, Carolann Sherman, said.

La Sala was born in Brooklyn on Feb. 9, 1934, a day he enjoyed telling his family was one of the coldest days ever recorded in New York City. 

He was the youngest of the four children his parents, Joseph and Mary, raised there.

He had a strong sense of family, said Carolann, who recalled her father frequently saying, “La Familia always comes first.”

She said her father always accompanied her and her three sisters – Vanessa, Linda and Laurie – to father-daughter dances as they were growing up. In later life, he was a chess partner to his grandchildren.

She described her parents as “very self-sacrificing, altruistic people” who were attentive to the needs of their daughters and their neighbors.

“Any of our friends and neighbors who had problems were welcome in our house at any time,” she said.

After several years in the Mineola School District, La Sala was named executive administrator of Nassau County BOCES in 1972, a position he held until his retirement in 1991. He was the first recipient of BOCES’ “Partners in Education Award”.

He also served as Long Island’s representative on Gov. Mario Cuomo’s Job Training Council for the enhancement of children’s academic and vocational educational experiences and related job training.

Shortly before taking his position at BOCES, La Sala was elected as a Herricks school board trustee in 1969 and also served as that board’s president during a tenure that continued until 1984.

La Sala and his wife were both active in Williston Park community. 

Both were extraordinary ministers at St. Aidan Church in Williston Park, where he was longtime president of the Holy Name Society.

La Sala was also president of the Rotary of the Willistons and involved in its Gift of Life charity to enable life-saving surgeries for needy children from third world countries. He also served as president of the Williston Park Library Board and was a member of the Sons of Italy Cellini Lodge in New Hyde Park. He was also a member of the St. John’s University Alumni and the American Cancer Society.

“I am sorry to see the loss for the family,” said Williston Park Mayor Paul Ehrbar. “I’ve known Vinnie for a number of years. He was an asset to the community.”

In keeping with his community-minded spirit, Carolann said her father had a gregarious personality.

“He had a fabulous sense of humor. He was the guy that really lit up a room,” she said.

His wife, Carol, predeceased him in 2003. 

Along with Carolann, La Sala is survived by his daughters Vanessa Rofsky, Linda Crapotta, and Laurie Longman. “Poppy Vinny” as his grandchildren called him is also survived by nine grandchildren, Lisa, Gina, Daniel, Jason, Christopher, Joseph, Laura, Nicholas and Michael and three great-grandchildren Isabella, Anthony and Gabriella.

La Sala’s survivors also include his brother, Gaspar, of New Hyde Park; his sister, Christine Romeo of Peekskill, N.Y. and many nieces and nephews.

A wake was held at Wiegand’s Funeral Home in Williston Park last Friday. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Aidan Church on Saturday morning. Interment followed at Calvary Cemetery in Queens.

Share this Article