Anthony Perici
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" A. Perici (September 21, 1920 - April 6, 2010) was a Maltese
-born American
politician
and engineer
. Perici served as the first full-time Mayor of Twinsburg, Ohio
, from 1976 until 1987.
, Malta
, in 1920. The family moved to Yonkers, New York
, when Perici was young due to his father's career.
Perici moved back to Malta with his family due to his mother's declining health. He graduated from a Maltese high school when he was 16 years old and enlisted in the Royal Navy
. He received the Africa Star
and the Victory Medal
during his naval career. Local news sources also refer to him having received the George Cross
, but recipient lists do not include his name.
Perici met his wife, Rosita "Rose" (née
Rosetti), while stationed in Egypt
. They married three months after they met and returned to Malta. The couple had three daughters during their marriage - Dorothy, who was born in Malta; Sharon, who was born in Canada
; and Robin, who was born in the United States
.
Perici and his family immigrated to the United States
, settling in northern Ohio. He worked as a manufacturing
engineer
at the Ford Motor Co. plant in Walton Hills, Ohio, for twenty-five years, until he retired from the company.
, where he first entered local politics. He served as a Twinsburg town councilor from 1974 until 1976, before becoming the town's mayor in 1976. The now famous Twins Days
festival was first held in 1976 during Perici's tenure as Mayor. Perici also oversaw the 1978 construction and opening of the Twinsburg Government Center on Ravenna Road.
In 1978, Perici shepherded the transition of the town's government to a full-time mayoral and town council system. Before 1978, Twinsburg was run by a part-time mayor and city manager
. The governmental change made Perici Twinsburg's first full-time mayor. He retired from office in 1987, and was succeeded by Mayor Jim Karabec.
after leaving office. He died from cancer on April 6, 2010, at the age of 89. Perici was a resident of Fort Myers, Florida
, at the time of his death.
He was buried at the Crown Hill Mausoleum following a funeral in Twinsburg on April 10, 2010.
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. Perici served as the first full-time Mayor of Twinsburg, Ohio
Twinsburg, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,006 people, 6,641 households, and 4,695 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,366.7 people per square mile . There were 6,871 housing units at an average density of 552.2 per square mile...
, from 1976 until 1987.
Personal life
Perici was born in SengleaSenglea
Senglea is a fortified city in the east of Malta, mainly in the Grand Harbour area. It is one of the Three Cities in the east of Malta, the other two being Cospicua and Vittoriosa. The city of Senglea is also called Civitas Invicta, because it managed to resist the Ottoman invasion at the Great...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, in 1920. The family moved to Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, when Perici was young due to his father's career.
Perici moved back to Malta with his family due to his mother's declining health. He graduated from a Maltese high school when he was 16 years old and enlisted in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He received the Africa Star
Africa Star
The Africa Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in the Second World War.The Star was awarded for a minimum of one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943...
and the Victory Medal
War Medal 1939–1945
The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea...
during his naval career. Local news sources also refer to him having received the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, but recipient lists do not include his name.
Perici met his wife, Rosita "Rose" (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Rosetti), while stationed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. They married three months after they met and returned to Malta. The couple had three daughters during their marriage - Dorothy, who was born in Malta; Sharon, who was born in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
; and Robin, who was born in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Perici and his family immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, settling in northern Ohio. He worked as a manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
at the Ford Motor Co. plant in Walton Hills, Ohio, for twenty-five years, until he retired from the company.
Politics
Following his retirement from Ford, Perici moved to Twinsburg, OhioTwinsburg, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,006 people, 6,641 households, and 4,695 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,366.7 people per square mile . There were 6,871 housing units at an average density of 552.2 per square mile...
, where he first entered local politics. He served as a Twinsburg town councilor from 1974 until 1976, before becoming the town's mayor in 1976. The now famous Twins Days
Twins Days
Twins Days is a festival for biological twins which has taken place every summer since 1976 in Twinsburg, Ohio. It is the largest annual gathering of twins in the world...
festival was first held in 1976 during Perici's tenure as Mayor. Perici also oversaw the 1978 construction and opening of the Twinsburg Government Center on Ravenna Road.
In 1978, Perici shepherded the transition of the town's government to a full-time mayoral and town council system. Before 1978, Twinsburg was run by a part-time mayor and city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
. The governmental change made Perici Twinsburg's first full-time mayor. He retired from office in 1987, and was succeeded by Mayor Jim Karabec.
Later life
Perici and his family moved to FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
after leaving office. He died from cancer on April 6, 2010, at the age of 89. Perici was a resident of Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
, at the time of his death.
He was buried at the Crown Hill Mausoleum following a funeral in Twinsburg on April 10, 2010.