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Me too.
Furthermore, I will be dedicating this basketball season to the memory of my friend.
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ffice:word" />Judge Andrew James Puccinelli, age 58, passed away suddenly the morning of August 8, 2011 after a brief, yet fierce battle with pancreatic cancer.
He presided over the Fourth Judicial District Court, Department Two, in Elko County, and also oversaw operations for the Family Juvenile Court. He was a member of the Court Improvement Committee, the Access to Justice Commission and the Specialty Court Funding Committee. Puccinelli was appointed by the Nevada Supreme Court as an alternate on the Judicial Discipline Commission in January 2009. He served as past president of the State Bar of Nevada from 1998 to 1999. Puccinelli also established the highly successful Adult Drug Court program for Elko County in 2005 and in 2007, he established the current Juvenile Drug Court Program.
Puccinelli was born and raised in Elko, Nevada. He graduated from Elko High School in 1971. In 1975, he graduated with distinction from the University of the Pacific. He received his law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1978 and practiced law in Elko with his father Leo Puccinelli for 24 years until he began serving as District Judge beginning 2002.
Puccinelli enjoyed playing golf and for 33 years officiated high school basketball and football games. An avid sports fan, he supported local youth by serving as a coach for Little League, PALS, and AAU basketball teams. He particularly enjoyed watching his children participate in sports throughout their elementary, high school and college years.
Puccinelli was a consummate family man and a superb lawyer and jurist. His compassion for others, intense professionalism and exemplary work ethic were unequalled.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret, three children (Cassie, James and Phillip), his mother Gertrude (Diz) Puccinelli, and three sisters (Janet, Gayle, and Carol).
A private family service at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Elko is planned and a public celebration of his life will occur over Labor Day weekend at the Great Basin College Theater. More information about this event is forthcoming.
Published in Elko Daily from August 12 to September 22, 2011
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