Mt. Pleasant Honors Longtime Volunteer With Street Renaming
Elinor Marzelli certainly earned her latest honor that has been more than 70 years in the making.
The Town of Mount Pleasant recognized the 96-year-Marzelli Monday afternoon with an honorary renaming of Adela Place at the corner outside the family home that she and her late husband built in 1954 and that Marzelli still lives in. One of her three grandchildren who made the request of the town, Scott Valentine, climbed a ladder to remove the ribbons and wrapping to reveal a brand-new street sign – Elinor’s Way.
“I just thought this, and just being symbolic of being on the corner, I just thought this is her home, she’s such a large part of the community, it’s like a great way to honor her,” said Sarah Hanson, one of Marzelli’s grandchildren. “Such great strength. It’s well-deserved.”
Marzelli was joined not only by Hanson, Valentine and another grandchild, Lauren Valentine, but by her sister Dottie Adolfson, friends Marie Tiberi and Flora Mendoza and town councilmembers Laurie Rogers-Smalley and Tom Sialiano for a brief ceremony, which included an apple cider toast and ice cream cake.
For decades, Marzelli has been an incredibly dedicated volunteer, having served at various times as the recording secretary for the Mount Pleasant Seniors and Mount Pleasant Italian American Club, as treasurer of the Gilbert Rauh American Legion Auxiliary in Thornwood, as part of the Ladies Auxiliary for the Valhalla Volunteer Fire Department and delivering blankets, booties and other items for babies to various hospitals.
She also served as a religious education teacher and recording secretary at Holy Name of Jesus Church. Born in White Plains, her parents moved to Valhalla five years later, and has lived in the hamlet ever since. During her working years, Marzelli worked as an insurance broker.
In 2017, she was inducted into Westchester County’s Senior Hall of Fame.
Those who attended Monday’s ceremony marveled at Marzelli’s commitment to the community and her inner strength that helped her raise her three children and become an active volunteer but withstand losing a son, George, to leukemia in 1998, her husband, George, in 2000 and her daughter Kathy to ovarian cancer in 2007.
“Emotionally, she’s very strong. She really is,” said Tiberi, who along with Mendoza became friends with Marzelli when all of their husbands died within a year of each other. “She’s got a generous heart, just a wonderful person. Couldn’t ask for better.”
As Marzelli calmly watched her grandson take off the covering from the street sign, she said she deeply appreciated the honor.
“It’s just a nice town,” Marzelli remarked. “Everybody’s friendly. Great town.”
To no one’s surprise, there was no disagreement among the Town Board to respond favorably to the grandchildren’s request. Sialiano said Marzelli’s service to the town is what Mount Pleasant is all about – good people making a difference for the community and its residents.
“We were all excited and it’s special and it helped that (Councilwoman) Laurie (Smalley-Rogers) knew the family and the history,” Sialiano said. “It made us more confident, but this is special and to have your name on the street sign (means) you’re a very special person. You’ve contributed to society and you’ve helped a lot of people.”
Adolfson said she was thrilled to see her sister honored, having spent so many years helping others and multiple organizations. She lauded Marzelli’s grandchildren for working together with the town to make the honor a reality.
“It was wonderful, just was a wonderful life (she and her husband) had together, and her grandchildren are just wonderful, and I said to her grandson, Scott, ‘You’re so good to grandma,’ and he said, ‘Well, she’s always there for me and I’m going to be there for her,’” Adolfson said. “It’s just so beautiful, and this today, this is the icing on the cake.”
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/