by Bea Peterson
On December 17, 2013 the Rensselaer County Legislative Body concluded its evening’s deliberations with deep sadness in memory of the Honorable Thomas G. Restino. On Wednesday evening, June 4, members of the Legislature met with the Restino family to unveil a plaque on the Rensselaer County Memorial Wall with a photo of Restino on it.
[private]Tom Restino was born in Hoosick Falls and graduated from St. Mary’s Academy. He was a welder for Oak Mitsui. He was an Army veteran and served during the Korean Conflict. Politics was his passion. He began his political career as a Trustee for the Village of Hoosick Falls, then served as Justice of the Peace for the Town of Hoosick. He served four terms as a Rensselaer County Legislator for District 5, from 1974 to 1989, and then served as Town of Hoosick Supervisor. He was a member of American Legion Post #40 and served as Commander, Adjutant and Chaplain. He was also a Past President of the SMA Alumni Association.
Rensselaer County Legislator Lester Goodermote served as a Town Justice with Restino and told the family, “He was the greatest guy I’ve ever worked with.” Legislator Stan Brownell, whose work path often crossed Restino’s said it was always apparent how much Tom loved his family and how much he wanted to raise his children in Hoosick Falls. Brownell gave Restino credit for helping develop Curtis Lumber, noting it was Restino, as Town Supervisor, who was instrumental in successfully moving the company from Route 22 to Route 7.
Current Village and Town Justice Tom Restino Jr., on behalf of the family, thanked the Legislators for the plaque and for the resolution honoring his father. He said he remembered coming to the Legislature with his father and how proud he was to serve.
Before the ceremony began Helen Restino, Tom’s wife of 62 years, recalled coming to the Legislature with Tom many times. She would do her paperwork for the Town of Hoosick Housing Authority while Tom attended the session. She and this reporter recalled Tom’s time as a Literacy Volunteer tutor and how proud he was to teach his adult student to handle his bank accounts and write a check. “That student was so proud to learn to read,” she recalled.
The four Restino children, Michele, Gregory, Tom and Kathryn, with their spouses and children, were all in attendance. Kathryn and Jeff and their children came from Connecticut to attend the event.
Afterwards the family spent time with the many Legislators who remained to share their stories of their time spent with a gracious, gregarious and dedicated man, Thomas G. Restino.
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