Casimir S. Lopata

Casimir S. Lopata, Esquire, passed away surrounded by his loving family members on August 10, 2022. Cas was born in Rabka, Poland to American citizens Thomas S. and Anna A. Lopata on November 11, 1941. He returned with his parents and siblings to the United States in 1948, settling in Ludlow, MA.  As a young man, Cas enjoyed fishing, playing the accordion, archery and carpentry work with his father. In his adult years, he developed a passion for downhill skiing on the slopes of Vermont and New Hampshire with his brothers, Andrew and John.  Cas was a graduate of Ludlow High School, Ludlow, MA., a graduate of American International College, Springfield, MA. and a 1971 graduate of Suffolk University School of Law, Boston, MA.

Prior to becoming a highly successful attorney, Cas worked as an English Teacher and a summer police officer on Cape Cod. He would often talk about how these experiences helped him in his legal career in drafting documents and evaluating cases.  Cas was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar on November 18, 1971 and actively practiced law for more than fifty (50) years. He quickly established himself as top prosecutor in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in the 1970’s before a brief time working as house counsel for the telephone company. Cas made friends wherever he went; the DA’s Office and the phone company were no exception. He worked collaboratively with his close friends from the District Attorney’s Office and the phone company throughout his career.

After leaving the phone company, Cas opened his own practice in Boston.  Cas was an exceptionally talented and successful attorney running a general practice, with a heavy emphasis on criminal defense and civil litigation. Cas had a calm, mild mannered, methodical style in court and he used the skills he had developed as a prosecutor to successfully represent countless clients over his over 50 years in practice.

As part of his practice and in part due to his affinity for Suffolk Law School, Cas would regularly hire law students from the school to assist him with his practice. His contribution to the practice of law far exceeds just his own accomplishments as he is responsible for training these students to develop successful practices of their own. This experience gave Cas the opportunity to combine two (2) of his great callings, that of an educator and an attorney. Every lawyer that had the good fortune to be trained by Cas in this manner is a far better lawyer as a result. After practicing law for many years from his Boston office, he maintained a law office in Stoneham, MA at the time of his death with his longtime secretary, Mary Kostaras and one of the attorneys he had mentored for over 26 years.

Cas was a strong supporter of his Polish heritage and visited Poland several times, renewing and developing friendships and family relationships. He was a devout communicant of Christ the King Parish in Ludlow, MA. and enjoyed attending traditional Sunday Polish services. Cas was a lifetime member of the Polish National Alliance Lodge 2986, Chicago, IL. and cultivated an extensive client base within the Polish community in the Boston area.

Those who knew Cas personally found him to be generous, straight-forward and were fortunate to enjoy his keen wit, sense of humor and insight into human nature. His annual holiday gatherings at the family home in Ludlow were legendary, as they provided family members and friends with many happy times and memories. Our loss is felt very deeply as Cas will be greatly missed by his numerous clients, friends, and family members.

Cas is pre-deceased by his father, Thomas Sr., his mother, Anna, his brothers John and Andrew and sister-in-law, Judith (Lopata). He leaves behind his beloved partner of 56 years, Joan Foster; his sisters: Mary (Robert Gromack), Christine Matera, Anna Poitras (Alan Campagna), several nieces and nephews: Deborah, Christine, Elizabeth and Robert A. Gromack, Andrew Lopata Jr., Thomas Lopata Sr., Thomas Lopata Jr., Mathew Lopata (Annan), Thomas Matera (Alexis), Lisa Ledgerwood (Jeffrey) and Jennifer Matera (Michael). Cas also leaves behind his great nieces and nephews: Zachary, Adam and Daniel (Krutka), Alec (Bray), Emma and Mark (Ledgerwood) and great-great nieces and nephews: Carter and Lincoln (Lopata), Lola and Graham (Lopata), and Jack (Matera).

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, August 18, 2022 from 2 p.m.- 8 p.m. at the Kapinos-Mazur Funeral Home, 64 Sewall Street, Ludlow, MA 01056.  A Liturgy of Christian burial will be held on Friday, August 19, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Christ The King Parish, 41 Warsaw Avenue, Ludlow, MA 01056. Cas will be laid to rest at Saint Aloysius Cemetery, 1273 Berkshire Avenue, Indian Orchard, MA 01151, directly following the service. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in memory of Cas to Christ The King Parish Rectory, 41 Warsaw Avenue, Ludlow, MA 01056.