Obituary: Former County Legislator Pete Ramundo

From the Rockland County Legislature and T.J. McGowan Sons Funeral Home

Former County Legislator Peter V. Ramundo died Dec. 30 at the age of 85.

Mr. Ramundo, a successful local businessman who was active in community organizations, enjoyed a political and public service career that spanned more than two decades.

“On behalf of the entire County Legislature, I want to express our condolences and sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of Peter Ramundo,” Rockland County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr. said. “Although his retirement years took him elsewhere, Pete Ramundo will always occupy a special place in the heart of Haverstraw and Rockland County due to his many positive contributions to our community.”

Born in Suffern, Mr. Ramundo was one of 14 children of Sabatino and Josephine Ramundo. He spent most of his life in the Haverstraw area until retiring in 1994. He graduated from Haverstraw High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from Fordham University.

He worked for The Journal News as a reporter and editor from 1960 to 1969, when he became administrative assistant for then-Haverstraw Town Supervisor Philip Rotella. He would also serve as commissioner of the Haverstraw Joint Regional Sewerage Board, and hold two top County government posts, Director of the Rockland County Real Property Tax Services and Director of Tax Delinquent Properties.

When John Grant was elected Rockland’s first County Executive, Mr. Ramundo was appointed to fill the vacant legislative seat. He won election in 1986 to the year remaining on Mr. Grant’s term and was reelected to a full four-year term in 1987. He was also active in Democratic Party politics on the town, county and state levels.

Citing the need to take better care of his health and to spend more time with his family, Mr. Ramundo resigned as of Feb. 17, 1989, but it wasn’t an easy decision.

“This is very difficult for me,” Ramundo told The Journal News at the time. “I am the one who has been involved with politics all his life.”

During legislative his tenure, he earned the respect of the then-21-member board, in part due to his work studying the MTA. A committee led by Ramundo recommended withdrawing from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority because the county was paying $18 million in taxes but receiving only $3 million in commuter railroad services. The Legislature voted to withdraw from the MTA, leading the agency to offer a $5 million incentive package for Rockland to stay in the agency.

Today, Rockland County is the only county in the MTA region that has a “value gap,” with residents and businesses continuing to pay more into the MTA than it receives in services – a gap currently estimated to be at least $40 million.

On the business side, Mr. Ramundo was a real estate broker at Miller & Ramundo Real Estate in Stony Point; part owner of T.J. McGowan Sons Funeral Home in Haverstraw, Nyack, and Congers; and a partner in Parkway Mobile Homes, Inc., in Mt Ivy.

Locally, he was active in community organizations in North Rockland and Nyack, including serving as chairman of the North Rockland Father and Son Athletic Committee, and a member of the Haverstraw Knights of Columbus and the Haverstraw and Naples (Fla.) Elks Clubs.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Rockland County Board of Realtors and the Rockland County Multiple Listing System, as well as the Nyack Hospital Board of Trustees. He was also a member of the Nyack Rotary Club, the Nyack Chamber of Commerce, and was active at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, serving as chairman of the President’s Council and later as a member of the College’s Board of Trustees.

Upon his retirement, Mr. Ramundo and his wife of 46 years, Mary Ellen, spent their summers at their home in Sag Harbor and their winters in Naples, Florida. She died in 2008. Mr. Ramundo was active in organizations and churches in both locations.

He is survived by his son, Peter V. Ramundo Jr. (Amy) of Naples, FL and his two daughters, Tracy Brosnan of Sag Harbor, NY and Jill Ramundo of Montauk, NY.

He is survived also by six grandchildren, Nicole and Jack Brosnan of New York City, and Gabriel, Peter, Hannah, and Michael Ramundo of Naples, FL and many nieces and nephews.

His survivors include a sister, Virginia D’Agostino of Bradenton, FL and his companion of 13 years, Lois Farber of Nyack, NY.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by five brothers, John, Michael, Joseph, Thomas, and Sabatino (Sal) Ramundo and seven sisters, Catherine Ryder, Theresea Felice, Mary Crow, Mary Ramundo, Christine Squillini, Josephine Marino, and Liberata Marino.