Frank P. LoPinto - 27 East
logo logo logo logo

News / Obituaries / Southampton Press / 1474535

Frank P. LoPinto

icon 1 Photo

author on Sep 16, 2008

Frank P. LoPinto of Emerald Isle, North Carolina, and a longtime resident of Amityville, died on September 5 in North Carolina of complications following surgery. A leading production manager for several well-known Seventh Avenue garment manufacturers and a former partner in Kohler Couture, he was 82.

Mr. LoPinto was responsible for the manufacture of the now-famous paper dresses of the 1960s. While he was with Kohler Couture, his gowns were worn by members of the Kennedy family at John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration Ball. With Mary Ann Restivo, he produced many of the outfits worn by Matilda Cuomo when she was first lady of New York State.

Among the notable fashion manufacturers Mr. LoPinto worked with were Ellen Tracy in the 1950s to the1960s; Betsey Johnson with Paraphernalia in the 1960s; Kohler Couture and The Kohler Collection from the 1960s to the 1980s; and Mary Ann Restivo, Randy Kemper, Geoffrey Beene, Sanyo/Burberry, and the Philippe Adec Division of Morelle Products.

A World War II veteran, he served in U.S. Navy overseas. He met his future wife Rose while attending high school in Brooklyn, where the two began their romance as teenagers. The couple married in 1950 and retired to Emerald Isle in 1999.

In addition to his colleagues in the fashion industry in New York and abroad, and his family, survivors said this week that he will be dearly missed by Bill and Kathy Johnston of Emerald Isle—friends with whom he shared a love of winemaking and bird carving.

Predeceased in 2005 by his wife of 58 years, Rose LoPinto, he is survived by a son, Dr. Joseph F. LoPinto and his wife Gail of New York City and Sag Harbor; a daughter, Joann and her husband Thomas Folk of Virginia; two granddaughters, Karina and Elizabeth; and two grandsons, Frank and Joseph.

A viewing was held on September 12 at the Jones Funeral Home in Swansboro, North Carolina. A graveside memorial followed on September 13 at the Seaside Cemetery, also in Swansboro.

A memorial service will be held in New York City on Friday, September 26, at 11 a.m. at the Church of The Holy Innocents, 128 West 37th Street—where Mr. LoPinto attended mass often throughout his career.

You May Also Like:

Southampton DWI Arrests for the Week of April 24

Dylan Flores, 25, of Hampton Bays was arrested at about 10:30 p.m. on April 17 and charged with misdemeanor DWI after Southampton Town Police responded to the scene of a multi-car accident at the intersection of Tuckahoe Road and County Road 39 in Southampton and a breath alcohol test indicated he had been drinking more than the legal limit. Flores was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation, and once released, taken to Southampton Town Police headquarters in Hampton Bays for further processing. Luis Patzan Ajvix, 24, of Flanders was arrested at about 7:30 p.m. on April 20 and ... 23 Apr 2025 by Staff Writer

Southampton Police Reports for the Week of April 24

SOUTHAMPTON VILLAGE — A resident reported to Southampton Village Police this week that he had recently noticed that someone cashed a check from his Suffolk Credit Union account for $5,700 that he had not written or authorized. He told police that when notified of the fraud, the bank refunded the money to his account but wanted a police report to be filed. SOUTHAMPTON VILLAGE — An employee of the 7-Eleven convenience store on North Sea Road reported to Southampton Village Police on April 22 that he observed a man take a Red Bull energy drink and a toothbrush off the ... by Staff Writer

Richard John Forrestal of Hampton Bays Dies April 20

Richard John Forrestal passed peacefully in his sleep from this world to the next on ... by Staff Writer

Shining Examples

A glimpse back in time to the 19th century would reveal, in most of the East End’s hamlets and villages, small general stores, often containing a local post office, where people living in the neighborhood could purchase groceries and necessary supplies — and, later on, gasoline for a growing number of automobiles. Over the years, many of those general stores disappeared, making way for larger business districts and developments, especially as the South Fork grew into a flourishing tourist destination. Big-box stores eventually arrived, challenging even those downtown shopping destinations. But it was those general stores, mixed with a thriving ... by Editorial Board

Staying Alive

And, in the same vein, Sag Harbor Village’s holiday weekend “Keep It Local” shopping event was a success, and it’s a model that should be repeated more frequently in the village — and in every other village and hamlet shopping district on the South Fork. It was the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce that undertook the very simple campaign to encourage people not just to walk the streets of Sag Harbor but to cross the threshold and actually spend some money. Because the village has no issue with foot traffic these days, but its merchants are struggling. That’s the theme ... by Editorial Board

Doyle Runs Unopposed in Tuckahoe

Brian Doyle, who was elected to fill a vacant seat on the Tuckahoe Common School ... by Michelle Trauring

Two Incumbents Run Unopposed for Riverhead School Board

Two incumbent members of the Riverhead School Board are running unopposed in the May 20 election. Board President James Scudder, who was elected in 2023 to complete an unfinished term, is seeking his first full three-year term. He will be joined on the ballot by Matthew Wallace, the board’s former vice president, who was first elected in 2019 and is seeking his third term. by Staff Writer

Southampton Town Still Hiring for Lifeguard and Beach Attendant Positions at Eastern Town Beaches

The Town of Southampton is still actively seeking employees to staff its many beaches, particularly the bays and oceans in the eastern portion of the town, and is offering new locations for lifeguard training courses to help make the process run more smoothly and, hopefully, attract new candidates. Positions for beach manager, assistant beach manager, and beach attendants are still open at Foster Memorial Long Beach in Sag Harbor, and at the town’s ocean beaches east of the Shinnecock Canal, including Sagg Main, Mecox, Scott Cameron and Flying Point. In past years, the lifeguard certification courses — a necessary prerequisite ... by Cailin Riley

Foreclosure Sale Next Week Will Solidify Future of The Villa in Westhampton, Expected New Owner Says

The investment company that spurred the foreclosure auction of The Villa at Westhampton assisted living ... by Michael Wright

Suffolk County Tax Map Agency Amends Its Record of Conscience Point To Show Southampton Town Owning Portion of Disputed Property

Suffolk County has filed a new tax map for Conscience Point at the behest of ... by Michael Wright