John Ralph Iacovino

“We die twice. First when we pass from this earth. Second when memories of us are forgotten.” Dr. Ducky Mallard, NCIS

"Things that have form will all disappear. But certain feelings stay with us forever.” M. Murakami, South of the Border, West of the Sun.

John Ralph Iacovino, M.D., the son of Louis John Iacovino, M.D. and Adeline De Rosa Iacovino was born in Cortland, NY on the 18th of February 1941. He died on July 4, 2026. Dr. Iacovino is survived by his wife and Venus in Blue Jeans, Anita Donofrio Iacovino and his two children, Nick, his spouse, Emily and Leana Iacovino and her daughter, Ava Greeno. He is also survived by Anita’s three daughters, Dania Etzold, and daughter Saiya, Katja Vittorio, her husband Joseph and son Kai and Nicole Etzold.

John graduated from Middlebury College, Vermont where he was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and Tufts University, School of Medicine in Boston, MA. After completing post graduate training, he practiced pulmonary diseases and critical care at Norwalk, CT hospital. He was board certified in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Diseases and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Chest Physicians. Military service was in the United States Army Medical Corps where he attained the rank of Major. . He made the best decision of his professional career by leaving medical practice and entering the life insurance industry with General Reassurance Corporation in Stamford, CT. Five years later, he became Vice President and Chief Medical Director for Underwriting at the New York Life Insurance Company in Manhattan. He was in charge of the Medical Underwriting Department developing company underwriting guidelines, conducting medical-actuarial research and audited compliance with the medical underwriting standards.

His career in the life insurance industry included election as President of the American Academy of Insurance Medicine and served on its Executive Committee for many years. He was awarded a Diplomat of the Board of Insurance Medicine. Additional awards were the Distinguished Physician Award for contributions to the life insurance industry and the W. John Elder Award for contributions to the Journal of Insurance Medicine. Dr. Iacovino was on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Insurance Medicine and published over fifty medical/actuarial articles on the impact of various diseases on life expectancy. He served on the Board of Directors of the Medical Information Bureau, Committee on Risk Classification for the American Council of Life Insurance, Mortality and Morbidity Committee, Liaison Committee with the Society of Actuaries, Board of Insurance Medicine for the American Academy of Insurance Medicine and Committee on Biotechnology and Law for the New York State Bar Association. He was a Facility Instructor for the Academy of Life Underwriting. Post retirement from New York Life he was Senior Medical Director for Fasano Associates, A Longevity Holdings Company. In that capacity he analyzed mortality data both on individual lives and populations and estimated life expectancies for various insurance products. Additionally, he provided expert testimony in legal cases involving life expectancies. He regularly spoke at national and international life insurance meetings on topics related to longevity and life expectancy.

He was a past member of the Wallace Rotary Club in which he was program chairman and directed the Dictionary Project which delivered dictionaries to area schools. He served on the Duplin Country Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and tutored at James Sprunt Community College Nursing Program and at Wallace Elementary School. With Anita, he delivered homebound meals to the elderly. John was a merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts of America and taught at the annual merit badge college. When he arrived in Wallace, he donated his extensive train collection to the Wallace Depot Train Room where he volunteered operating the layout for many years. John was a lifetime philatelist and published numerous articles on Russian Philately in The American Philatelist, Rossica, The Journal of Russian Philately and the British Journal of Russian Philately. He also had a vast collection of post cards and other material from his home town of Cortland, NY and regularly contributed articles of historical interest to the Cortland County Historical Society Bulletin. He was an avid reader in his favorite chair on the screened-in-porch often interrupted by brief wee-winkies. Donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice, or, go out to dinner and celebrate his life.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

You may share your memories and send condolences to the Iacovino family by selecting out Guestbook above.

Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home of Wallace, North Carolina is serving the Iacovino family.