Butler county mayors reflect on their mothers
Being a mayor can be a lot like being a mother. It requires patience, good communication, understanding and, in some instances, a great sense of humor.
In honor of Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 12, several mayors throughout the county shared just how much their mothers mean to them.
Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy said his mother Mary Rovetto was a lifelong “Butlerite” who was born and raised on the South Side and had a zest for making everyone feel welcomed.
“One of the things I remember most about my mother was her cooking,” Dandoy said. “I miss it to this day. She was an Italian-American, so food in our house, even if it wasn’t fancy, was always good and always plentiful.”
There was much more to Dandoy’s mother than just being a good cook, he said. She had a way of bringing people together.
“My mother valued people deeply,” he said. “Everyone was like family to her. So no matter who showed up at dinner time, she had that magic in her ability to feed them all.”
The Butler mayor said his late mother’s empathy has had an impact on how he tries to treat others.
“ I hope in some small way, I carry that forward and make people feel as appreciated and respected as my mother was able to do,” Dandoy said.
Slippery Rock Mayor Jondavid Longo’s mother Kristin Longo grew up in New Castle, Lawrence County, in the Mahoningtown neighborhood. Jondavid Longo said his mother was a generous woman with a strong work ethic.
Some of Jondavid Longo’s favorite memories of his mother growing up are when she would make him “silver dollar” and Mickey Mouse pancakes while they watched Saturday morning cartoons.
One of Longo’s most heartfelt memories of his mother is when he would serenade her with a catchy country tune.
“She’s always told me I used to sing “I Swear” by John Michael Montgomery to her when I was a toddler,” he said, “so I chose the song for our mother-son dance at my recent April 23 wedding.”
As far as Mother’s Day traditions go, Longo and his mother have an affinity for sharing a laugh.
“My mother and I really enjoy going to the Improv to catch standup comedians,” Longo said. “We’ve done that quite a few times for her birthday and/or Mother’s Day since I turned 21.”
Evans City Mayor Dean Zinkhann said his mother, Gladys Baker, was the true matriarch of the family, always providing for him and his brothers.
“She was always on top of everything, from clean clothes to making sure everything in the house was just right,” Zinkhann said.
And even when things got hard, Baker was able to provide for her three sons.
“Even with the struggles of depression and everything else that she went through, she did the best she could do for us boys,” he said.
