James Garbarino

James Garbarino, PhD, a beloved husband, father, scholar, teacher, and tireless advocate for children, passed away unexpectedly in Ithaca, New York, on Saturday, March 7, 2026. Born April 7, 1947, he leaves behind a remarkable legacy of intellect, compassion, and moral courage, as well as a family and an international community.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Claire; his sons, Josh (Lara) and Eric (Amy); and daughter, Jo (Steve). His siblings, John and Karen, and his lifelong best friend, Dan Clayton, also mourn his passing.

Dr. Garbarino (“Dr. G” as he was often called) was widely recognized for his extensive contributions to child and adolescent psychology. After graduating from St. Lawrence University in 1968 and earning his doctorate at Cornell in Ithaca, NY, Jim was a Fellow at the Boys Town Center for the Study of Human Development in Omaha, Nebraska. Following Boys Town, Jim was Associate Professor of Human Development at Pennsylvania State University. He then served as president of the Erikson Institute in Chicago. He later held the Elizabeth Lee Vincent Professorship at Cornell University, and then the Maude C. Clarke Chair in Humanistic Psychology at Loyola University Chicago. He devoted his last many years to educating judges, attorneys and juries to inject compassion in the legal system and make sense of violent, troubled pasts in the lives of inmates. He brought humanity into places few cared to tread.

A memorial service will be held at the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 306 N. Aurora Street, Ithaca, New York, on Saturday, April 11, 2026, beginning at 4:00 pm. Please arrive by 3:45 pm. The service will also be livestreamed on this page.

In lieu of flowers, Jim would be deeply touched by donations made to: The Life School, located in Panajachel, Guatemala (https://www.lifeschoolfoundation.com/shop), or Save The Elephants (https://savetheelephants.org/). These held a special place in his heart.

Condolence notes may be sent to: Jim Garbarino / Claire Bedard at P.O. Box 7074, Ithaca, NY 14851.