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04/12/2017 08:30 AMMarie Messina recently celebrated her 100th birthday by receiving a Mayoral Proclamation and that should come as no surprise given her extensive history of service in the town.
Her family is very well known in East Haven. Her mother used to own a liquor store and a Dairy Queen, and her father was chairman of the Board of Education and has his name on a plaque in Town Hall.
She is best remembered as the former “first lady” of East Haven—she is the wife of the late former mayor Frank Messina, who served as mayor from 1967 to 1975. Messina Drive in East Haven is named after him and his family.
Marie has many fond memories during her husband’s time as mayor, including one time where she got to attend the Republican National Convention in Florida.
“I shook hands with President Nixon,” she says.
One of her daughters, Lenora DiMarzo, remembered being driven around East Haven in a Winnebago with her mother and father after Frank won the election for mayor for his first time. She says it was a fun and exciting experience, and her mother agreed.
“I was so happy he won in his home town,” says Marie.
During her husband’s time as mayor, Marie was also very involved in the town, and helped her husband out wherever she could. If Frank was too busy, she would sometimes fill in and give speeches.
“I just felt like I was one of them,” she says, “Whatever I said, they would accept.”
She became a great cook because she always had to entertain. Her husband would have meetings at their home, and she would make food for whoever was there. Her specialties were chicken and pasta.
When it was an election year, she would help with the voting system. She served on the Historical Society, Chamber of Commerce, Merit Award Committee, and Rotary Club, as well as being an honorary treasurer for the town.
“I was born in East Haven, raised in East Haven, and the rest of my life would be there,” she says, “So I gave into that and said I’ll help as much as I can.”
Another talent Marie has is crocheting. Lenora says her mother would crochet Christmas trees and Santa Clauses for other women in Town Hall during the holiday season.
Marie currently resides at Branford Hills Health Care Center, and remains active and social, even at 100 years old.
“She’s a wonderful lady, very energetic,” says Brother Joe Walsh, a Holy Cross Brother who volunteers at the health care center, “For 100 years old, you’d think she’s like 40.”
Walsh says that there is a person who comes in and plays ‘40s music for the residents there, and that’s something that Marie really enjoys. Lenora says she used to be an excellent dancer because she would attend many balls with her husband.
Marie is fortunate to have a very large and extremely supportive family. She has three children: Lenora, her son Bill, and Rita, another daughter. All three children visit her regularly, and her son Bill, who is a barber, will do her hair.
She has 10 grandchildren, 7 step-grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
Her 100th birthday was celebrated with her immediate family at the Branford Recreation Department. She even received a Mayoral Proclamation from Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. Lenora says her brother-in-law took many photos and will be making photo albums for the family.
Lenora says that she is very proud of her parents and has lots of very fond memories from what they did in East Haven.
“I want people to remember that they loved the town, and they wanted to make it the best that they could,” says Lenora, “My mother and father worked very well together.”
If someone sees Marie for the first time, Marie will probably wonder why that person isn’t calling her “Babe,” her nickname that she has had for many years. Marie had two brothers, and her older brother Fran first called her that when she was very young.
“And it stuck for 100 years!” Marie says with a laugh.