[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 8, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1114-E1115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO MARY COLLINS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. THOMAS R. SUOZZI

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 8, 2020

  Mr. SUOZZI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mary 
Collins who, after 22 years is retiring as chair of the Huntington Town 
Democratic Committee. Over the years, I have been fortunate to know 
Mary both as a friend and an ally and remember the gracious welcome she 
gave me when I opened my flagship Congressional office in the Village 
of Huntington. As a staff person to former members of Congress Gary 
Ackerman and Steve Israel, Mary spent many years advocating for the 
constituents of New York's Third Congressional District. She is admired 
by many and I join with them in wishing her the best as she moves on to 
the next chapter in her life.
  I include in the Record the following tribute to Mary that was 
prepared by the Huntington Town Democratic Committee:

       On the Occasion of the Retirement of Mary Collins as the 
     Chairwoman of the Huntington Town Democratic Committee, 
     celebrating her 22nd anniversary as our beloved chair, we 
     honor Mary for her excellence and service to the Huntington 
     Community. We hereby recognize and acknowledge her tenure in 
     office by sharing some of her biography and contributions.
       Mary has been a resident of the Town of Huntington since 
     1950. She moved here from East Hampton as a child at the age 
     of 8 when her Father became the caretaker of the Marshall 
     Field Estate (now Caumsett State Park) where he was in charge 
     of the stable of horses.
       Her family ties to East Hampton connected her to Eleanor's 
     Legacy by her relationship with Judith Hope who was the East 
     Hampton Town Supervisor. Judith Started Eleanor's Legacy. 
     Mary brought Eleanor's legacy to Huntington by appointing 
     Sherry Pavone as head of the Woman's Initiative. HTDC has 
     supported Eleanor's Legacy's goal of supporting women 
     candidates throughout NY.
       Mary was a teacher by profession. She spent her career 
     wholly within Syosset High School District. Mary's area of 
     expertise in teaching was Global studies. However, she became 
     very interested in local politics on Long Island after 
     observing her mother's long service as a Board of Elections 
     volunteer, registering voters and working through election 
     times as far back as the 1950's.
       Huntington at that time was a quasi-rural area with much 
     farmland.
       Many Huntingtonians wanted to keep the character and nature 
     of Huntington as it had

[[Page E1115]]

     been before WWII. Huntington experienced rapid 
     suburbanization with the development of Dix Hills/Melville, 
     community groups such as House Beautiful and the development 
     of the 110 Corridor. However, these changes came and our 
     leaders had to wrestle with the issues surrounding this 
     development.
       Early on, Mary was particularly interested in the 
     corruption felt throughout Long Island in the late 1950's. 
     She fondly remembers when Robert Flynn, attorney and longtime 
     Huntington Democratic leader, joined with likeminded 
     Republicans to form The Fusion Economy Party designed to 
     combat such corruption with the goal to defeat institutional 
     corruption. There were Democrats and Republicans that ran on 
     that line.
       Mary recalled a time when Committee people were recruited, 
     friend to friend, neighbor to neighbor. Her own mentor into 
     the position as Chair was Eunice Titcomb. Eunice taught Mary 
     the day-to-day workings of the committee.
       Mary became more active in Huntington Democrats with her 
     husband, the late Dick Tretler. They met Annie and Matt 
     Berger around 1979 during Frank Grimes' tenure as HTDC Chair 
     and they all campaigned actively for Jane Devine's successful 
     run for County Legislature. In fact, she recalled that the 
     reason she became a Notary Public was when Jane Devine was 
     first running for office in order to carry Jane's petitions. 
     In those days you could not carry a petition outside your 
     district unless you were a Notary Public.
       Annie Berger shares what she believes to be key to Mary's 
     success: her listening skills. She listened, she heard 
     people, even if she would not commit to their position. This 
     was echoed by every elected Democratic official and leader 
     past and present.
       We Recognize that under Mary Collin's leadership, 
     Huntington Democrats maintain a strong presence in 
     Huntington. She made it a time to be proud to be a Democrat 
     in Huntington and support our neighbors and friends in our 
     community. Under Mary's leadership, Huntington held the 
     majority in the town for 18 years.
       Her integrity was always high and she put the Committee 
     first.
       Frank Grimes, HTDC long time Chair asked Mary to be Vice 
     Chair and she readily accepted helping to bring HTDC into the 
     21st century. Mary was the Vice Chair of Huntington Town 
     Democratic Committee for 6 years. In 1998 she became the 
     Chair holding that position until 2020 when she became Vice 
     Chair for Western Suffolk of the Suffolk County Democratic 
     Committee. She has always enjoyed reaching out to people, 
     being available to provide the best advice and assistance to 
     every candidate, every Committee person, every constituent 
     inquiry.
       Frank Petrone, our long time Town Supervisor and now 
     Committee Chair always found Mary welcoming, even though he 
     was a Republican at the beginning of his tenure as Town 
     Supervisor. When Frank changed his own party affiliation, 
     Mary continued to provide him with an orientation to our 
     Committee and paved the way for his acceptance to the 
     Committee. ``She was, as ever, always gracious.''
       Mary worked for a long time as a Legislative Assistant to 
     Congressman Gary Ackerman whose district stretched from 
     Queens to Smithtown, dealing with constituent issues, 
     becoming well versed in local issues affecting Huntington.
       Former Congressman Steve Israel recalls that he met Mary 
     when he moved to Huntington in the 1990's. He recalls 
     learning about her from his friend, Congressman Bob Mrazek. 
     Her knowledge of Huntington politics, as Congressman Israel 
     remembers, was a reason that he asked Mary to join him when 
     he was first elected to Congress. Israel remembers that he 
     was always amazed by her dedication to her neighbors, her 
     insistence that we were in politics not for power but to help 
     those without it and her passion for improving communities. 
     Congressman Israel is reminded, upon returning from 
     Washington, walking into his local office feeling uplifted 
     seeing Mary at the front desk helping constituents with their 
     everyday problems.
       As Chair, Mary not only kept up the day-to-day operations, 
     she nurtured us all with her amazing Home baked goodies. If 
     you haven't tried her famous Irish Soda Bread, you are really 
     missing out. Anyone coming to the office for GOTV work has 
     enjoyed the extra benefit of sharing in a good cup of coffee 
     or tea and a delicious homebaked treat made with love.
       Ever the quintessential politico, Mary has always been able 
     to straddle being essentially apolitical in a very political 
     position. The interaction with people, trying to improve 
     things for all Huntingtonians has always been her goal. And 
     in her own words:
       ``Politics is the most fun people can have legally.''

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