Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutFormer Mayor John Torcaso-1987/1998 o co a o xo S c � a 5 0 Cn CD c co CD w p a. CD _A . r. ,., " CD `-' O a. �= = N - � 5- o4bgg a � �� y 0c w 5 ` �-n CD ° c- a. y /" ry w 5 r' y a O CCD.0 _. w 4,T. Oy w , ... a• 0 °-ion a. m S , m tii 5 a.t< B tD • ° `� a n co o- ^' O U' a O �• � faD 74-•CM y .. tip ._, ,.. . o as SP's ° r Api 0 COD 0 °' N ... ri 0E stfDto X 0 o CD o �C �� 0 < oa0 O O 0 C 0 CD 0 5. a• cD 0 0 0-Co m w O - N 0 •, a. En CD a. F C7C 'TJOU `e w c '7, n 0 et, o m n,o a O.arcs 7 imullillit iimai _ w co 0 -I 'y 0 o 0 n n. 0 x �y ° 0 CD P.: �' 5 - -1 '' •- -3 CD, 0. to• n 5 O O to — i V o CD, Cn °,° a. hD CD -n.D 0 w CC O -V Oo O 5 a. CD !7 e0-. O .0., o � , COED 5• CD D •7 8• y O �Q,/y. 0 O v x • O- m CD $ a o w ° ° m DJ w N , 0 t, w y a, C< t- 3.S.�" w B B O N O a. CD w 0 a'0. D N 0 •••3 < 4 MD Qom CD 0. C''� cD D NC7 cn CD a rw w Q, CD w v0, S. YB xc y '. 0 y Ujo, -- .r is-,, ° 0 5• CD CD w O w C y O'. 0• CT, m Fa -tiCD y• a 5 0 1a mei oI) � �50 ,wy5w� � `' Cc,, w Pi ,.• �, O 'b �„ =.11 FP-0 < I ^7 C_ p 0 o V o w CD c .. CD 5 .., nj 0 = ..~ '., «y 0 w 0 O O p w 0 `G a. o .�-. ti CD Q' co 0 . `C CD CD �, < O 4x5 rxx � 'v y cD i, .. w CD w C CD Cc, 0 cD 2,° O .0., CD Cr) fryD 2 CD 0 '-f DJ 0 w nag w ti w p ., •- O.. w CD -, .�-. w _• ,» . 5 xn o' ~ti a xa ,,„ ti Cr a. C7 -, CD 0. Pj .-s co N 0 0 Gyct C . 4a p, R.•'OO N CAD 5. el p r•. C p O v0, fa. [•r� O M ea-.on unom . __• ,„ . tc= p o g N •'y p S N ' . O p ^7 CD w 4. -, CD CD CJ9 co w y c] ' 0. co ... W 0 ∎-∎, CCD C e'i 0 0. CD a O o 5 e+ -, r. p . 0 W — CD 5 Chi, O e ° Cop M W A, n gl m- < ' co E.,: 5' Qom CD "1 C/, n g w 0. CD F r-:CID no" ° '"'ti mow- CcD p CD 0•n -y •.7 '� C� f2�•e O CD Cp 0 CD C e c.,t< O v A ntiy'ce~o ba `' ,, ca * a 61 CD 0 0C O O C/ ."•0 e-. .b n CS • G7'0 . 0 C 5' + d n cD r. 0q XO n oo0D • e-. 0 Alit J liPc teittri4 kliiiii"14\ . , :41 vb. ilhlIT 4 IN a 4...., t : ,. r F T R S vo fe„:„ ''''' :-, v • . Sign committee congratulated g atulated Mayor John Torcaso is shown congratulating Kathleen Degrenia, member of the sign ordinance committee, as Commissioners Cindy Kaehler and City Manager Dick Rozansky watch. Other members who received and thanks for a job well done were Mary Cestaro, George Weigle and Jim Pressler. Two other members, Jim Hartman and Martha Tyre, were absent when the presentation was made at a recent city plaques (John Horner photo) commission meeting. ' 70 7 /6 Former MayorRemembers .Winter Springs ' Formative Years by Linda Humphrey • ball rolling on that issue and on getting Winter _ . -In his 86 years of life, John Torcaso has con- Springs a post office and a separate zip code." tributed a great deal. Plaques and certificates, sym- Torcaso is proud of the fact that today there is a bolic of more than 20 years of public service and beautiful post office located near City Hall along community efforts, take up one entire wall of his with a zip code just for Winter Springs. And, the Hacienda Village home. next time you have friends driving in from out of "One wall, that's all he gets!" said Sandy town,you might thank Torcaso for making it easier Torcaso,John's wife of 43 years."Once the plaques for them to know when to exit. reach the floor, that's it! The rest go in a box," she Another milestone that Torcaso recalls with said smiling. Among Torcaso's treasures are remem- satisfaction is the Senior Center located off brances of the time he served Winter Springs as a Edgemon Avenue. "It was in the planning stages member of its City Commission and as its Mayor. ., while I was mayor. A very important place,"he said. John and Sandy Torcaso recall Winter Springs M ayorTormso is an avid iderof The Winter as it was 20 years ago. When SR 434 was two lanes . Springs News. He believes that people who live in and all the firefighters were the city need the kind of in- volunteers, when City Hall .m. formation it provides. was a two room building, g I ' 3'" In their personal and the city had very little lives, the Torcasos love to identity of its own. "There l s ' play golf and try to remain have been a lot of changes. t' as active as possible. They Winter Springs had no post 4, ; �' , do not concede to age. office and no zip code of Their five children are scat- its own. There is a barber g T , .:� ii;s tered across five states: shop now where City Hall ' , t ,. ‘ - a ; 'i Florida, North Carolina, used to be," he said I ' . ° ' <. -a I +¢. Pennsylvania,Connecticut, • The first time. Torcaso 1 ,, Wig,, ,t ' and California."It's nice to . •` have one close by," Sand ran for a City Commission ;� , � f � � Y seat was 1977. "There 1 1 + f Torcaso said were five people running. I I E ri ° ° The Torcasos appre- lost. 1 ran again and was ciate Winter Springs and its elected in 1978, then was moderate growth rate. . elected Mayor in 1982,",he Winter Springs'Former Mayor John Torcaso Torcaso believes that be- ` said. Following two terms - coming interested in how as commissioner and twp your city leaders do their . terms as mayor,Torcaso took a brief hiatus in 1987, job—and volunteering to do your part—helps to but was still active on the planning and zoning board. keep this city a great place to live. Community in- The political bug bit again in 1991 when he ran for volvement is something Torcaso encourages from another term as commissioner, his third. He served everyone. He believes that any effort is better than until 1994 when he retired for good. none, and that for every enemy you make,you make Sandy Torcaso said having a politician in the many more friends in the long run. family was okay, but one is enough. "I stay out of "I thought serving the public was the greatest everything. We had numerous phone calls all the thing I could do," said John Torcaso. time because John was the type to get involved We would hasten to add that the greatness, Mr. personally. If someone called with a problem, he Mayor, lies in how well you did it. would go check it out himself," she said. While John Torcaso's service to Winter Springs was characterized by many accomplishments, some stand out in his mind more vividly than the others. "We shared a post office with Casselberry, and we used the same zip code. Another thing that I thought was important was that we didn't have a sign on Interstate 4 showing the Winter Springs exit. The other cities had one, even Oviedo, so I started the John Torcaso helped lead Winter Springs By Sherri M. Owens ter Transmission Authority a rxs saxrws�srux "He was just a real sweet- ��� heart, and he did everything he John V.Torcaso,former possibly could for the employ- of Winter S r' mayor ees," said Margo Hopkins, who time public ervvaant, and today a "He always city clerk fought for etur years. city park carries his name. Ys ter get more He died Friday.He was 88. money and better benefits." ist "I want Winter Springs to be a enforcemenbelieved He encouraged residential community where light industrial and commercial people can take pride in where development in the city and they m live,1985."Torcaso told the Senti- to urged meet homeowners together to assocja resolve tions prob- ne Born in Danbury Conn., Tor- lems. caso had said he was drawn to A member of St. Stephen Ca- 1 Winter Springs in 1976 because tholic Church,lbrcaso was also a of the trees and open spaces. He Marine Corp veteran of World called it"a garden of Eden." War II and the Korean and Viet- As a public servant,he helped nam wars. guide the town for nearly two He is survived by his wife, decades. Torcaso was a fire coin- Clara "Sandy;" sons John II of 1 missioner in 1978, City Council Hubert, N.C., and lbny of Ovie- member from 1979 to 1982 may- do; daughters Jean Ross of Dan- or from 1982 to 1987 and return- bury, Sharon 1Williger of Vista, ed to the City Council from 1991 Calif., and Kathleen Slusser of I to 1994. Pennsylvania;sisters Rose Hcklg- He was director of the Long- es of California and Louise Hon- / wood/Winter Springs Chamber of lihan of Danbury; nine grand- Commerce,a member of the Ser- children and eight great-grand- toma Club and the Lions Club, children. and retired a few months ago Arrangements are being han- from the South Seminole and died by Baldwin-Fairchild Ebner- North Orange County Wastewa- al Home in Oviedo, Cjk/C/7 CS Fl W vg Y 4, .�+r -a , e 3 0 = c ' e.._ E 3 6 0. 4, y+,- m y .. 4, 4,ra. 8 4,`wv°io rupwavbgo &' U eEba al vmgo 'cgjmc 4 ¢ „$, "o" o cE $ c = c S V0. u ^� rs t0., 3 .g o,$ c 0 „ E U.S o g, $o:a4, .10 ° o° po w c. �gw .11: �N Z &G E 4:3' C3 4 U ....5m � s � 'co ›, t -4 4, -353x0. , a4 300 }o, n O9o4a92 n.° agog '..° - o .c £ .° O cri• 0 `o $ u `n Q c Diol-c .. xgm - SoS4, - 3 '`1 '94, 3 'o ca `o � '° I, 4, 8 >. 5 'E T.4,5. 4' .0 35.. r E lFO o cte§ ..= -8z 1-) .V › o0aa $ ° 3; egr'at, Es .eE ac co -4,10 wo wae+ a mW `o b a °_' .9 W `o E = c o z ._ a o c 4, c2 0 .: = w 59zm >`F° coE. Fc o = 3 33E � 01.0i ELi- a° Uas u � cF C :.° o3 9 0 >a, .0 o 4p.$ '$ ac4 = �9 mx. 3 � � x . :c - 9 : o ° H gU 4,^ Oi r0. Qv .N ; E3 >. O.0' ;94, .4,. >, o >, ao 0.,• a ° L oc .5 ou o 'S ° aq ^O ° 0 :`a E §' ° 00 xmu E0? 350 ,2-254s *F.u, 2FO & Z ° e ,s u. o0c d .� 3 $ 4, ° 4, m .Y q> o o .. v < ~ E ?3s .h ,9 22i 40. 0. 4- .y co 464, xgQ ,EL' 0- $ o - x 5 u0 EN0 �2 0 .< 0.2 mo ° :_ - ¢ v ® o ' ca —�- _ xF t' 3 E - o .33wc ® 5 m A5 p `E ,4 n 3 4, t CO yz „ " x = - w •• 3 1C = c ,0 4-. 0 5 ° C E O wo u E N'in O , ,„ 0 - 4, 4, m w , � 4, 4, ` � _ • 0 4, W c 4, - m y 0o G C C - 5 ° U .5 .o 4, 5oc4, rn N .= 'r� E U _ 3 (11) Arga 0 ° >.c E v 2 c Earn °"y>, s _eu �;o �1 mz = 4, > „, o,� 4, 'Og '` co fa �+ 0 .5 y Cs .E s 'va p o0 E « a c l E.' co W ��+ 2. .°. L y t, 6 'J . .y. 74- o g c:, _,- c) Tr mQ $ p3 5 `sa ' a -0 = 4 3a A g 'S tc 2- 25 L 3 -4,o � .c z % o .o oo °o o x t - 3 0 o H .4,. h V m I' x a H V0 uo. 3 ',Z S4, i J.y.' U E ,a a n tO p X) >, $:1( e _ ,5 4, 4, V 0. Fv.i > ,, . ._, . .. .„ .3. 0 5 .' 80.. - .P W 5Fc' a - a � �� 9 y _ N o in Ctl < as 4w za 8. o 7 i C € Ea0 m U E 4, E e m re c) c " C O al 0 .-. W W ' v u ° C T d y v 000 C ti O L E[ y v U � y cx •Z a.'.c9 o o .°-, F' � -= y °' tc 0 - 0 - Z` vEw" cyCF °c 3 '3 .."v. '3 aUc � 3c ` 3 N CI " '^ �4 F' E C ° v Z . usx ° 9oF U C 0 c o • Z.'> s m E - = 3N v Ecs � c T O �y a � Qv v 1. .01:E W 3 ,• v . o 4° ,,,L) m d 9 0 c N V v 'E >;rd >' o 0c C 0 V v ? • m .E° ; :° , r p c ' o o 4 C o v = m y v = E 3 .2 l ' o E c ` a of e° v,. .o Q ` 3-s ti' g po . 2 .$ i2 H E ° �a „ E o z . dr5 r vy ° $, v r s :' ov . at ^ d "3S t4o 0 ` _0 v .0 Eo O ' d m m �: Z `'O CC p o s U y 0o O . . . , N N r ” U w ooh E r z U v W f .v Y a°.0 •• q ° € °.O E T i v C o m 4 c d E L'co o o ` E e ar c 2 E °''° v ` 'm v▪ .5„ E p E r � O c am ° O � m 0 -�, o. -• o05- a G rn '- ° 40H5- 0) 4 3 . 3 5 3 2, w 5 .E E ° v . A."N 3wa � E .e � 0 . EQ = a -' ca E TE- ? 3 w6 eu$ c ' 5 v ax m . E > A w o2 o p v Ec a .c 0m v ° cn E v ti s Y U v H c p5J " ov EE ag 'Eooco " . g -O V Ccv oio yv V z %_ ' A E $ ° _ Co3 _ E -o ..o > o 5 on ,p v U a o ow o C C C.V.� m `° ` m y Q U ° = o y 4 ° °' U o '� Vr p C v N C p . L c U v ° C o d y.. L v c g 3 n Fvz7 • CE _ .E w E Qc v _ � o ° o o ° ' �L °) O a•- z ° cvv vE 'Cv ..o c m o cc c°el • 3 � �6 3 C C ro c e° ro v m : d U a w Fa 3 $9 U j9° � "U TL ds u V] t U v Cd -. C U U _ ro ° s "i O m °