Obituary: Rino Cugliani

The family of Rino Cugliani announced his passing on February 13, 2012 at New York Hospital.

Born in 1922, Rino was truly a man of the elements, his family said. It was a quality he brought with him from his childhood home on the Adriatic Island of Cres to Smith Cove on Shelter Island where, in 1961, he was fortunate to discover his own ideal sanctuary.

The family encourages a gift to the Nature Conservancy in the memory of Rino Cugliani “as an affirmation of the mutual dependency, awesome respect and love that propels us all forward; a dedication towards our care of natural sanctuaries coming from the understanding that we are both one and the same.”

“The Mashomack Preserve is a pristine environment of forest, wetland, shoreline, animal and bird habitat essential to keeping us all in balance,” the family wrote.

“These were the convictions of our father, who wrote an important chapter of his life living, befriending Hareleggers, fishing, sailing, gardening and hunting on Shelter Island.”

He is survived by his wife Anne, sons Tom and Alan, Justin Reed, Ying-Ying Cugliani and his adored grandchildren Michelle and Kiva.