Marilyn Ann Catino Porreca (April 21, 1932 – February 4, 2008) was an American politician who served as

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Medford, Massachusetts Medford is a city northwest of downtown Boston on the Mystic River in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the time of the 2020 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 59,659. It is home to Tufts University, which has its campus alo ...

from 1986 to 1988. She was Medford's first female mayor and the final Mayor under the Plan E form of government in which the Mayor was chosen by the City Council.

Political career

In 1973, Porreca became the first woman elected to the Medford City Council. In 1984, she ran for the 37th Middlesex District seat in the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...

. She lost to the incumbent

Michael J. McGlynn Michael J. McGlynn served as the 31st Mayor of Medford, Massachusetts, from 1988–2016. He also served from 1977–1988 as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives representing the 37th Middlesex District ( Medford/ Malden). Ed ...

, 4,886 votes to 2,164, in the Democratic primary. In 1986, she was chosen by the City Council to become Mayor of Medford. After Medford's Plan E government was abolished, Porreca was a candidate for Mayor under the new form of government. She lost her mayoral bid to State Representative Michael J. McGlynn. After her defeat, Porreca left Medford and retired to

Marshfield, Massachusetts Marshfield is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on Massachusetts's South Shore. The population was 25,825 at the 2020 census. It includes the census-designated places (CDPs) of Marshfield, Marshfield Hills, Ocean Bluf ...

. Outside politics Porreca worked as the secretary to Mayors

Frederick Dello Russo Frederick Dello Russo is an American politician and funeral director who served as a member of the Medford, Massachusetts city council, Mayor of Medford (a ceremonial position), and the Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts ...

and James Kurker and as a hospital administrator at Middlesex County Hospital.

Personal life

Porreca attended

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...

where she received a BS degree in business administration. She was the daughter of Michael Catino, who served 18 years as a State Representative. She and her husband, Gino, had six children: Nanci, Michael, Brian, Ronald, Cathryn, and Andrea. She was second cousins with Michael J. McGlynn. She died in 2008, in Weymouth, Massachusetts.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porreca, Marilyn 2008 deaths Boston University School of Management alumni Massachusetts Democrats Massachusetts city council members Mayors of Medford, Massachusetts People from Marshfield, Massachusetts 1932 births 20th-century American politicians Women city councillors in Massachusetts Women mayors of places in Massachusetts 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American women