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MANVILLE: Ex-mayor Zuza dies; cited for flood study advocacy

By Mary Ellen Day, Special Writer
   Ex-mayor Lillian Zuza’s death last Thursday left Manville stunned. She had been hospitalized a few days earlier at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville.
   Mrs. Zuza was the borough’s second female mayor, serving from 2008-11.
   A funeral liturgy was held Monday morning at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Manville. She was laid to rest beside her husband at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Hillsborough.
   Mayor Angelo Corradino called her death “tragic.”
   ”I will miss her from a municipal point of view because she was still very active. Personally I’m going to miss her as a friend,” he said.
   Borough Administrator Gary Garwacke, who worked closely with her as mayor, said working Ms. Zuza was “like working with mom.”
   ”A woman puts a different spin on things,” he said. “She always looked for the human element, how it would affect people personally. She had a big heart for this town.”
   Ms. Zuza turned 56 on Sept. 6. Originally from Winchester, Virginia, in 1975, she was a pageant winner and earned the title of Miss Winchester. An avid lover of music, she extended her talents and would teach voice and piano lessons.
      She met Manville resident Joseph Zuza Sr. in college. The two married and returned to Manville in 1978. Mr. Zuza, who was a former councilman, passed away in October 2005. The couple have three children: Katherine A. Zuza (30), Joseph J. Zuza Jr. (27) and Edward J. Zuza (25), all residents of Manville.
   Ms. Zuza was employed by the Somerset County Planning Board as an office manager for the past 18 years. She was active with the community, and held various executive positions throughout her life. Ms. Zuza was a former Republican campaign chairman, and was actively involved with the zoning board and the Manville Public Library Board.
   She was a member of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, where she was a member of the Altar Rosary Society, sang in the church choir and taught CCD.
   Sacred Heart parishioner Mary Tabbit was in the choir with both Mrs. and Mr. Zuza.
    ”Lillian had a beautiful voice and we were sad to see her go but we understood with her husband being sick, she became the caregiver in helping him,” she said. “She went through a tough life. I really wish the family well, the sons and the daughter. It is going to be hard having both parents gone but as long as they stay with the friends and family and know that they have support of the people in town, if they need it, and not to be afraid to ask for help. This town of Manville is a beautiful community and the people seem to pull together during the hardest times. I will keep them in my prayers and Lillian will not be forgotten.”
   Mrs. Zuza was also a member of the Thomas J. Kavanaugh Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2290 and the American Legion Post 304 Ladies Auxiliary.
   Mayor Zuza was honored as an “outstanding woman” in Somerset County in 2011 by the county Commission on the Status of Women. This June, she received a “Spirit of Somerset” award for her work in government.
   A Republican, she defeated four-term mayor Angelo Corradino in 2007, then lost a primary re-election bid for renomination in June 2011. Mr. Corradino retook the mayor’s post with an electoral victory in the fall.
   Council President Sherri Lynn was not only an ally with Ms. Zuza on the political matters, but also on the personal side. “She will certainly be missed by the many whose lives she touched,” she said.
   ”Lillian loved her family, her friends, her community, her country and the TV show ‘Law & Order.’ Included in her family were her pets. ’During Hurricane Irene, we ran a temporary animal shelter over at the high school. She was afraid to come over to see the operation because she told me she’d want to bring all the animals home with her.
   ”She did offer her support and asked how she could help. I told her we had two orange kittens that needed a home. She wanted to check with her kids because she wasn’t sure everyone was ‘ready.’ Their last cat had passed on and there was some hesitation about getting another. Before the week was out, the Zuza family agreed to take the two orange kittens. It took several weeks to integrate them into the household with the dogs, but it eventually worked out.
   ”During the transition, I received updates that ranged from, ‘I don’t know what I was thinking taking kittens’ to ‘awwww, they’re so cute’ to ‘do you know what time YOUR kittens woke me up this morning?’”
   On the political side, Ms. Lynn said, “Lillian was a great mayor and got things done. She saw that the Flood Committee wasn’t making much headway and moved the effort toward joining forces with other communities and the county to create the Millstone and Raritan Rivers Flood Commission. By joining forces with our neighboring communities, the commission now has access to more resources and has gained traction.”
   Ms. Lynn said Mrs. Zuza was also instrumental in beginning the dialogue that this summer resulted in the borough agreeing to become part of the county library system.
   ’”Lillian was also a great patriot,” said Ms. Lynn. “She enjoyed the opportunity to thank our veterans and their families at all of the ceremonies the VFW held. Her words at those ceremonies were always heartfelt and genuine. At every opportunity she would proudly speak of the great work our VFW quietly does for our community.”
   Ms. Zuza hosted Governor Chris Christie’s visit to Manville to tour parts of the flooded town right after Hurricane Irene. She toured the streets of Lost Valley with the governor and introduced him to residents.
   Republican Councilman Richard Onderko was on council with Mrs. Zuza for a two years during Mayor Zuza’s term.
   ”Her legacy will be that during her term Manville formed a Raritan and Millstone Flood Control Commission with nine of the 21 municipalities in Somerset County,” he said. The body convened for the first time in February.
   ”It’s a big accomplishment and step in the right direction,” said the councilman. “The commission will help place a continued spotlight on the region’s flooding problems.
   ”There is no doubt Mayor Zuza loved the town of Manville and hopefully one day soon we will see relief from flooding and remember Mayor Zuza for flood commission formation as progress is made,” he said.
   At the Nov. 14, 2011, meeting, then Mayor Zuza gave brief farewell comments.
   ”It has been my pleasure being your mayor for four years. I felt that I have worked really hard and it has been my honor,” she said.
   At the Dec.12 meeting, Democratic Councilman Lou Fischer gave Mrs. Zuza thanks “for her pride and passion of this town for the past four years. We have grown to be good friends and I have appreciated everything that she has done for this town.”
   Mrs. Zuza will be remembered by many who know how much she loved Manville.
   ”The night that I got elected, when I didn’t think I would, the first thing out of my mouth was ‘What the hell am I supposed to do now?’” she said at her farewell comments to council in December. “I think I grew into it I did what had to be done. I have worked diligently in this town. I moved here with Joe I met him in college. Let me tell you something, I love Manville more than I love my own hometown in Virginia,” she said.