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Jeanette Messina, Islip Town leader, dies at 69

BY RICK BRAND | rick.brand@newsday.com

December 6, 2008

Jeanette Messina, a major behind-the-scenes power in the Islip Republican Party and Islip Town government for almost two decades, died early Friday after a nine-month illness. She was 69.

Messina, of Holbrook, was Islip Republican vice chairwoman at the time of her death, a post she held for 19 years. She also worked for Islip Town for 36 years - 14 years as deputy supervisor and town parks commissioner before she was forced to retire in 2006.

"She was the power behind two thrones - both the supervisor for Islip Town and Islip's Republican chairman," said Assemb. Philip Boyle (R- East Islip). "She had the best political brain I have ever seen bar none."

State Sen. Caesar Trunzo, Islip GOP chairman, said in a statement from Albany that Messina "was the backbone of the party. She ran my Senate campaigns and deserves most of the credit for the successes of our town party."

Messina had a pivotal role in the regime of former Islip Supervisor Peter McGowan, who ran the town with an iron fist from 1993 until he was forced to resign when he pleaded guilty to misusing his $1-million campaign fund in 2006. After McGowan went to jail, Messina became acting supervisor for three months, becoming the town's first female top official. She was later forced out by a maverick GOP board majority.

Legis. Cameron Alden (R-Islip) said Messina was the "human side" of McGowan's tough administration. "If there was a problem, it was Jeanette that people went to," he said.

Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, said the key to Messina's success is that "she never sought credit or the limelight."

Messina rose to the town's GOP vice chair in September 1989 when Trunzo became town leader and she ran the party on a day-to-day basis while Trunzo was in Albany. "She was a key operative who did the nitty-gritty work," said Harry Withers, Suffolk GOP chairman.

Critics called for Trunzo and Messina to step down after losses put Democrats in control of Islip for the first time in decades.

Frank Tantone, head of the maverick 21st Century Republicans, called Messina a "savvy and intelligent political leader" who was a "trailblazer" for women.

"She was the best person I ever knew," said her son Vincent, former town attorney and GOP lawyer, adding the secret of her success was that "she always helped people and put others in ahead of herself." Her husband, Vincent, died in 1978.

Other survivors include her brother, Anthony Matyszczyk, of Kings Park, and one grandchild.

A wake will be held at Overton Funeral Home in Islip from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday. A Mass will be celebrated at Good Shepherd Roman Catholic Church in Holbrook Tuesday at 10:45 a.m. Burial will follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Coram.