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Zelie's Mary Santoro fondly remembered
Source:
Cranberry Eagle
Written by:
Bob Schultz
Published:
September 1, 2010
ZELIENOPLE — The borough's first councilwoman and its first elected mayor Mary Santoro died Monday morning at the Evergreen Nursing Center, Harmony.
Santoro, 72, was born in Zelienople and spent most of her life there before moving to Evergreen.
Borough council started its meeting Monday with a moment of silence. The council later voted to honor her with a Mary Santoro Day later on.
Mayor Tom Oliverio said Santoro was the first person to urge him to run for council in 1978. Oliverio was a councilman before becoming mayor.
Two years later in 1980, Santoro became the first woman elected to council. She served on the council from 1980 to 1993.
She was elected mayor in 1994 and served until 1997.
Oliverio said he and Santoro used to fight over borough issues. He recalled one time when Santoro threw an ashtray at him during the council meeting in a spirited debate.
"We were kind of like brother and sisters fighting," Oliverio said. "I had great respect for her, and I think she had great respect for me."
"She cared about the people. She used her heart more than she used her head (in making decisions)," Oliverio said. "I have a lot of good memories (of Mary)."
Charles Underwood, borough council president, said Santoro was really proud of being the first woman elected to council.
Underwood recalled a time when the borough had an incident with one of its police officers.
"That poor lady went through hell over that. She was getting so many calls that she had to shut her phone off," he said.
Councilman Drew Mathew, who had helped Santoro with her health issues in recent years, presented the council with a plaque that was given to her for her service to the community.
She was proud of the award, which now will be on display in the borough building, Mathew said.
She was a former employee of the Evergreen Nursing Center and the Passavant Retirement Community.
Her obituary appears on Page 8.
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