The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Former mayor Serra dies at 72
MIDDLETOWN — Friends and colleagues remembered Tom Serra, a former mayor, educator and majority leader on the Common Council, as a dedicated public servant and family man.
Serra, 72, a Democrat who spent decades in public office, died Saturday evening after a 10-month battle with pancreatic cancer, friend Larry McHugh said.
“I don’t think there is one part of the city, not one part, that he hasn’t touched,” McHugh said. “That’s a unique situation. A lot of people have come and done a good job, but Tommy has been there for the longest period of time. It’s a huge, huge loss for the city of Middletown.”
Serra had a profound impact on the city’s education, police, public works and other areas, said McHugh, president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, of which Serra was part.
“His love of Middletown was unbelievable,” McHugh said.
Current Mayor Dan Drew ordered flags to be flown at halfstaff Sunday in honor of Serra.
“Councilman Tom Serra was first and foremost a family man — a loving husband, father and grandfather,” Drew said in a Facebook post.
Mary Bartolotta, deputy majority leader of the Common Council, said Serra had a wife, two sons and five grandchildren. His family and the city were paramount to him, she said.
“He served in so many ways that just helped our community be what it is today,” Bartolotta said. “I appreciated his leadership, his mentoring, his friendship, and most of all I respected him for the husband and family person he was. I think that spoke to who he was more than anything else.”
Bartolotta said Serra helped her navigate the city’s politics when she joined the council eight years ago, adding he showed her the importance of listening to everyone. She said Serra was up front about his beliefs and stood by them.
“He was open to all, but also could put foot down when we needed to,” Bartolotta said.
Bartolotta recalled frequently eating breakfast and lunch with Serra and bouncing ideas off of him.
“He always had a historical point of view that was very knowledgeable and helpful,” she said. “It was something I relied on in that regard.”
Bartolotta said he was an advocate for the education budget and sports programs. Serra taught and was principal at Vinal Technical High School, where he also coached sports. The school’s athletic fields are named after him.
“He spent a long and distinguished career shaping countless young minds with skills, knowledge and values,” Drew wrote.
In addition to volunteering on various boards and commissions over the years, Serra was president of the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame, helping to grow the organization, McHugh said.
In 1979, Serra joined the Middletown Common Council. He left that position when he was elected mayor in 1993. He later returned to the Common Council and was serving as majority leader before he died.
“Tom always put our city first,” Middletown Democrats said on its Facebook page. “Tom’s contributions to Middletown are seen and felt everyday.”
Even the state’s Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz expressed sadness over the loss of Serra.
“Tom Serra dedicated his life to public service and to the Middletown community,” Bysiewicz said in a statement issued Sunday. “Across five decades, Tom served as an educator, coach, athletic director, principal, mayor, longserving council member and mentor to so many. I appreciated his wise counsel and advice through the years. Tom will be deeply missed by his family and the city he loved.”
Others weighing in included Senator Matt Lesser, who said “they don’t make ‘em like Thomas J. Serra anymore. Tom devoted his life to Middletown. Like countless people I am incredibly grateful to him for his friendship, mentorship and service. Even from his bed, he would text me words of encouragement and advice, because that’s the kind of man he was.”
Serra has won various awards over the years, including the Governor William A. O’Neill Public Service Award in 2013 and the Distinguished Service Award from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2011.
Serra’s brother, Joseph Serra, D-Middletown, is serving his 14th term as a state representative. Joseph Serra did not immediately return a request for comment.
McHugh said Middletown will miss Serra’s institutional knowledge and commitment to the city.
“He believed in (Middletown),” McHugh said. “He wanted to do best for the citizens. He was really dedicated to making Middletown a better place to live and work for all of his citizens.”