Joseph Femino

Joseph A. Femino DVM, age 85, passed away Saturday April 8, 2023, at Stony Brook University Hospital. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Joe was the son of John and Anna Femino. He was born on Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1938, which is why his favorite color was green. He lived in West Roxbury Massachusetts until the age of 10, when his family moved to Southern California. His parents were hard working with only a grade school education, and Joe carried their strong work ethic and worked diligently in school. He graduated from Arcadia High School and went on to attend junior college, becoming a first-generation college graduate. After junior college, he earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of California at Davis.

One of his fondest memories from his time at Davis was working as a fireman, where he lived in the firehouse on campus in order to pay for his education. After he graduated, he began an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. It was there that he met his future wife and life partner, Katie Drew Kennard. After they married in Greenwich, Connecticut, he began his career working for a Veterinary practice in Massapequa. One year later he and Katie bought a house at 171 West Main Street in Smithtown where they converted the first floor to an animal hospital and lived in the apartment on the second floor. He worked there for over 50 years, and proudly practiced with his son Andrew, and Andrew’s wife, Claudine, who together succeeded him in the practice. Joe took great joy in his profession and awoke each day in excited anticipation of going to work.

Joe and Katie were very active in their church, Church on The Sound, and were well loved by the congregation, many of whom considered them family. Joe mentored many men and women in their Christian faith, and upon his death, received many heartfelt testimonies of the deep impact that Joe’s faith, love and sincerity had on others.

One passion that Joe had was fishing; his sons have fond memories from their earliest ages of blue fishing on the Long Island Sound in the family boat. Later, Joe took up flyfishing with his sons and granddaughters. He truly enjoyed flyfishing on the Nissiquogue River at Caleb Smith State Park. Also, he always looked forward to taking destination trips with his sons to places like the AuSable and Pere Marquette rivers in Michigan, Slough Creek in Yellowstone, and several lodges in Alaska.

Joe had a great capacity for love, bringing light to so many people’s lives. His memory will continue to inspire and comfort others for years to come.

Joe is survived by his wife of 61 years, Katie; his sons John and Andrew, their wives Lorraine and Claudine; and his beloved grandchildren Hannah, Elise, Emily, Ella, Nola, and Anna.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Christian Veterinary Mission.