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Tuckahoe Remembers Former Trustee Stephen Quigley, 62

EASTCHESTER, N.Y. – Elected officials in Eastchester mourned one of their own on Monday, as they remembered the late Tuckahoe Trustee Stephen Quigley, who unexpectedly passed away two weeks ago in his Manhattan law office.

There was an empty seat at the Tuckahoe Board of Trustees meeting Monday, as they celebrated the life of former Trustee Stephen Quigley, who passed away last month.

There was an empty seat at the Tuckahoe Board of Trustees meeting Monday, as they celebrated the life of former Trustee Stephen Quigley, who passed away last month.

Photo Credit: Zak Failla
Tuckahoe Trustee Stephen Quigley passed away two weeks ago.

Tuckahoe Trustee Stephen Quigley passed away two weeks ago.

Photo Credit: Tuckahoe Mayor Steve Ecklond's Office

On Thursday, April 30, the 62-year-old Quigley suffered a cardiac arrest, reportedly the result of an enlarged heart. He was survived by his wife, Mary Ann Jonaitis and three children.

At their Monday board meeting, Mayor Steve Ecklond, his fellow trustees and other Tuckahoe officials took time to celebrate the life of Quigley, who was a founding member and inaugural president of the Tuckahoe Schools Foundation.

“When I first met Steve, right away, his dedication as a father and support of his children was obvious, but he also showed a tremendous amount of support for our school district,” Assistant Superintendent of Tuckahoe Schools Carl Albano said. “Through his leadership, he set the standard (of the Foundation), which has been a huge success since he’s been involved.” 

Quigley was initially appointed to the board in 2010 by former Mayor John Fitzpatrick. He then won re-election in 2012 and 2014, and Ecklond quipped that “I’m sure in March of 2016, he also would have been re-elected.” 

“I served with Steve during his duration on the board, and we had a great respect for each other and our differences of opinions,” he said. “He never brought a hidden agenda to a discussion and was a true gentleman in the way he presented himself and his position. He was an even-keel man who was fair and open-minded, and always put our residents’ best interests first.” 

Quigley, who was the lone Democrat on the Republican-heavy board, was praised for his ability to put party politics aside while he put the village he called home for nearly three decades first.

“Steve was a person who was always concerned with the individual. He was concerned for the police officer, for the DPW worker, and for the taxpayers,” Deputy Mayor Tom Giordano said. “He cared about everyone he met, and he was deeply respectful of everyone he met. He was a person who served his community in a manner that we should all be proud, and it’s something we will deeply miss.”

“I heard he suffered from an enlarged heart. The irony of that is not lost of that. We all knew of the size of Steve’s heart, and we’re going to miss that oversized, thoughtful heart.” 

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