Michael A. Barletta

Michael A. Barletta was a pharmacist, pharmacology researcher and longtime professor at St. John's University in Queens, New York, where students and colleagues knew him as "Dr. B." <cite index="3-9">Michael taught pharmacology at St. John's for 49 years, earning the nickname "Dr. B."</cite> His academic work focused on cardiovascular pharmacology, including animal models of myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias and ischemic heart disease, and he trained generations of pharmacy students at the university's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Barletta was born on July 15, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York. <cite index="3-6">He was born July 15, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, to the late Jeannette (nee Picariello) and Natale Barletta, along with his twin sister Mildred Barletta.</cite> He studied pharmacy at St. John's University, where <cite index="4-10">Michael studied pharmacy at St. John's University, where he met Helen J. Barletta (nee Stubel), the love of his life</cite>, and the two went on to marry and both built careers as pharmacists. <cite index="4-7">A Vietnam-era veteran, Michael served in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, reaching the rank of lieutenant</cite>, and during his service he became acquainted with the future National Institutes of Health director Anthony Fauci and formed a close bond with Fauci's father, who served as an early mentor to him.

The Barlettas settled in Garden City on Long Island, where they raised their two daughters. <cite index="4-13">He also worked alongside Helen as a staff pharmacist at Winthrop Hospital, now NYU Langone, where all their grandchildren and great-grandchildren were born.</cite> He was known to family and friends for interests well beyond pharmacology, including gardening, maritime literature and film, and Clint Eastwood westerns, and for the enthusiasm he brought to conversations about art, literature and political theory.

Michael A. Barletta died on October 24, 2026, at his second home in Kissimmee, Florida, at the age of 84. <cite index="1-5">Michael Anthony Barletta, of Garden City, died Oct. 24 at his second home in Kissimmee, Florida. He was 84.</cite> His death came just days before a major milestone, as <cite index="4-5">they were days away from celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary</cite>. The St. John's University community announced his passing through a memorial notice, stating <cite index="7-2">it is with deeply felt sorrow that we advise you of the passing of one of our former colleagues, Michael A. Barletta, Ph.D. '65CPHS, '70M.S., retired professor of pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences</cite>, while a fuller family obituary was published through Cassidy Funeral Home in Mineola, New York. No cause of death has been made public.

Barletta is survived by his wife, Helen; his daughters, Lisa Marie and Alice Jeanne; his siblings Francis and Mildred; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. <cite index="1-10">Michael is survived by his wife Helen; daughters Lisa Marie (Mark Malaszczyk) and Alice Jeanne (Yasser Abbas); brother Francis Barletta, sister Mildred Barletta, grandchildren Joanna Malaszczyk (Thomas Kroszner), Elizabeth Malaszczyk, Michael Malaszczyk, Alexander Regina, Christopher Regina, and Michael Finger; great-grandchildren Theodore Kroszner and Ella Kroszner</cite>. His family and former students have remembered him as a devoted husband, father and teacher whose influence stretched across nearly five decades of pharmacy education.