Obituary of Mildred A. Pagliaro

Mildred A. "Missy" Pagliaro,  Political Leader and Community Activist

Mildred A. "Missy"  Pagliaro (nee: Ruggiero) (December 15, 1932 - December 1, 2017) - Beloved wife of the late Joseph R. Pagliaro, proud mother of Joseph, Donna, and Andrew. Loving sister to Lorraine Formont and sister in law to her late husband and former East Rockaway Mayor, Charles H. Formont, cherished aunt to Christopher.
Missy was born and raised in Manhasset, NY. As little girl, she would often accompany her mom to the local orphanage bringing coats, blankets, food and toys to those that were less fortunate. Her experience would ignite a passion within her to help those in need, for the rest of her life. After speaking to Missy for five minutes, her effervescent personality and warm smile made you feel like you have known her your entire life. 
After marriage she settled in East Rockaway, and focused on raising her three children. Sometime in the early sixties she joined the East Rockaway Democratic Club, where she quickly rose to become the Executive Zone Leader, a position she held for more than twenty years. She worked for former NY State Assemblyman Arthur J. "Jerry" Kremer. One of her proudest moments came in the early seventies at the Nassau Democratic Convention, when she cast the deciding votes, which clinched  the party's nomination for District Attorney, for a candidate named Denis Dillon, they remained friends until his death. 
Anyone attending the East Rockaway Fair and fund raiser for the Grist Mill Museum, known as the "Huckleberry Frolic," during the 1970s and 80s fondly remembers "Missy's Meatballs." She donated 50 pounds of meat, cooked and served meatball heros. Her booth was always the first to sell out, and when they did, customers would ask for the bread and gravy. All proceeds went to the museum. 
She semi-retired from politics in 1988, to focus on charity, and later co-founded the Georgia Wright Animal Guardian Foundation, which helped find homes for unwanted dogs and cats. She did fundraisers to promote spay-neuter programs, food drives, etc. She often fostered many unwanted animals until they found homes. 
She returned to local politics in 1994, when her brother in law, Charles H. Formont, an East Rockaway Village Trustee, decided to run for mayor. He was not the party's choice, they selected another candidate.  So Missy used her political savvy and devised a strategy that won not only the primary, but the general election as well. Pulling off the biggest upset in East Rockaway political history. 
In 1997, after the passing of her late husband, Joseph R.Pagliaro, who in the days prior to his death was trying to get heat for a desperate family in need, she launched the Joseph R. Pagliaro Memorial Charity, "people helping people." This is where she really hit her stride. She did countless food drives, especially around the holidays, cooking turkeys for needy famlies donating the  turkeys and all the trimmings. She opened up the local church to serve Thanksgiving Dinner to those who had no where to go or experiencing tough times. Missy's warm smile made those attending feel as if they were going to a party and they were the guest of honor, not someone in need or alone. She did coat drives, toy drives, blanket drives, anything anyone needed, she was there. She would often say no cause is too small or challenge too great. She received many awards and honors for the great work she did from many organizations including, St. Raymond's Church, Knights of Columbus, VFW, County of Nassau, Town of Hempstead, Village of East Rockaway, and the Eckerd Corporation' s "Salute to Women."  She was one of 100 women chosen out of 58, 000 entries to receive the honor, but it was more important to her, to raise awareness for those less fortunate. She will be missed.
She passed peacefully on afternoon of December 1, 2017 in the presence of her family. Her remains will be cremated, and the family will be receiving visitors on Saturday December 9, 2017 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. at the Thomas A. Glynn Funeral Home, 20 Lincoln Ave. Rockville Centre NY 11570. In lieu of flowers, the family requests making a donation to a charity of your choice, to help those less fortuate this holiday season, that would have made her happy