Obituary of Gaetano “Tom” Anthony Cincotta

Rotterdam- Gaetano “Tom” Anthony Cincotta, 87 of Rotterdam passed away on Friday, May 27, 2022 after complications from COVID at Albany Medical Center, surrounded with an abundance of love from his family and cherished friends.

He was born in Yonkers, NY on January 15, 1935.  As the son of the late John and Josephine Cincotta, immigrants from Stromboli, Italy, his hard work and success proved to be a testament to the American dream.  He graduated high school as Valedictorian and earned a full scholarship to Princeton University where he received his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering in 1956 and his master’s degree in engineering in 1958.  After an impressive career with the Martin Company (where he designed booster rockets for NASA's first human space flight Project Mercury/Gemini missions) and General Electric Company (where he designed gas/steam power generation systems throughout the world), Tom retired in 1995. This allowed him to dedicate valuable time with his greatest and proudest success, his family.  

In 1958 Tom married the love of his life and soulmate Arlene (Grosser) Cincotta.  Their marriage of over 63 years was full of love, laughter, and travel. Together they built a family blessed with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will carry forth his loving memory.

He had an incredible engineering mind that approached any endeavor, from navigating his Pearson sailboat through the winds on Lake George, to putting together a car engine, to tackling a crossword puzzle with a detailed methodical strategy.   He leaves behind family and friends who will deeply miss and who are forever inspired by his kindness, sense of humor, generosity, and love of learning.

Tom was predeceased by his brothers, Joseph (Edythe) Cincotta and Eugene Cincotta and niece Maria Calandriello.

In addition to his dear wife Arlene, Tom is survived by his children, Judith (Mark) Johnson of Hackensack, NJ, Susan (Vernon) Word of Wellington, FL, Martha (Edward) Asselin of Glenville, NY, and Thomas (Julie) Cincotta of Plano, TX; grandchildren, Briana (Bryan) Glynn of West Palm Beach, FL, Crews (Monica) Word of West Palm Beach, FL, Andrea (Austin) Marvin of Jacksonville, FL, Ryan Asselin of Boston, MA, Morgan (Daniel Seel) Johnson of Madison, WI, Daniel Asselin of Brooklyn, NY, Madison Johnson of Hackensack, NJ, Mamie Cincotta, Garrett Cincotta and Wyatt Cincotta of Plano, TX; great grandchildren Dylan Glynn and Ronin Word of West Palm Beach, FL; sister, Carmella (John) Calandriello of Westport, CT, and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

There will be no calling hours. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, June 3, 2022 at 11am at The Church of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Saratoga Road, Glenville, NY 12302. The mass will be live-streamed at https://www.Facebook.com/ICGlenville/videos/.

In lieu of flowers, please consider an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness in Tom’s name.