'Loyalty and Respect:' Borough President Vito Fossella Honors Dennis W. Quirk on his Retirement from Court System

Vito welcomed Dennis W. Quirk into his office to congratulate him upon his retirement after five decades of service to the courts and to thank him for championing the needs of special education students.
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In presenting him a proclamation, Vito declared November 15, 2023, as “Dennis W. Quirk Day” in the Borough of Staten Island.

“The two words that come to mind when I think about Dennis are loyalty and respect -- and those things matter,” said Borough President Fossella during the gathering, which included family members, friends, and court staff. “It seems, Dennis, as if you have been enriched with a lot of great things in your life both personally and professionally.”

Mr. Qurik is retiring after 51 years of service to the Unified Court System and serving more than 48 of those years as the President of the New York State Court Officers Association.

Known for his tough-as-nails approach to collective bargaining and grievance procedures, Mr. Quirk has a soft side that shows in his work for special education students and for organizing annual ice-skating parties at the World War II Veterans Memorial Ice-Skating Rink for the Seton Foundation for Learning.

As a Board Member of the Seton Foundation for Learning, he spearheaded the construction of the Bishop Patrick V. Ahern High School and renovated the Mother Franciska Elementary School. To make the multi-purpose room at the Seton Foundation’s Joan Ann Kennedy Memorial Preschool more colorful, he donated a collection of Disney murals to decorate the walls.

Mr. Qurik is a proud father and grandfather and recently held the Bible when his daughter, Susan Quirk, was sworn in as a New York State Supreme Court Justice in Brooklyn.

“It’s been great -- 50 years is a long time,” he said. “I couldn’t have done what I did without the help of so many people. They were always there for me.”