Louis J. Tullio
Encyclopedia
Louis J. Tullio was the Mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania for eight terms from 1966 until 1989. He was the first Italian-American elected to this position.
Tullio had a childhood goal of becoming Mayor of Erie. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross
in Worcester, Massachusetts
on a football scholarship, and received a master's degree in education from Boston University
. After serving in the Navy in the South Pacific during World War II
, he opened a restaurant in Erie and became a high school teacher and football coach. He lost the 1965 Democratic primary for mayor to Mike Cannavino, who died 11 days before the general election. This allowed Tullio to replace Cannavino on the ballot and defeat Republican incumbent Charles Williamson.
As mayor, Tullio was credited with helping slow Erie's decline as a manufacturing town and preserving it as a port city and commercial center. He easily won re-election five times, and unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1976.
In October 1987, Tullio was diagnosed with amyloidosis
, a rare disease that also struck then-Pittsburgh
mayor Richard Caliguiri
and then-Pennsylvania governor Robert P. Casey
. Despite his illness, which forced him to cut back on his workload and schedule, Tullio stayed in office and did not appoint an Acting Mayor until November 12, 1989, shortly before the end of his term. He eventually succumbed to his illness in his home on April 17, 1990.
The Louis J. Tullio Arena
is named after him.
Tullio had a childhood goal of becoming Mayor of Erie. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
on a football scholarship, and received a master's degree in education from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
. After serving in the Navy in the South Pacific during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he opened a restaurant in Erie and became a high school teacher and football coach. He lost the 1965 Democratic primary for mayor to Mike Cannavino, who died 11 days before the general election. This allowed Tullio to replace Cannavino on the ballot and defeat Republican incumbent Charles Williamson.
As mayor, Tullio was credited with helping slow Erie's decline as a manufacturing town and preserving it as a port city and commercial center. He easily won re-election five times, and unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1976.
Amyloidosis
In medicine, amyloidosis refers to a variety of conditions whereby the body produces "bad proteins", denoted as amyloid proteins, which are abnormally deposited in organs and/or tissues and cause harm. A protein is described as being amyloid if, due to an alteration in its secondary structure, it...
, a rare disease that also struck then-Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
mayor Richard Caliguiri
Richard Caliguiri
Richard S. Caliguiri was an American politician who served as the mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1977 until his death in 1988....
and then-Pennsylvania governor Robert P. Casey
Robert P. Casey
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Sr. was an American politician from Pennsylvania. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd Governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995...
. Despite his illness, which forced him to cut back on his workload and schedule, Tullio stayed in office and did not appoint an Acting Mayor until November 12, 1989, shortly before the end of his term. He eventually succumbed to his illness in his home on April 17, 1990.
The Louis J. Tullio Arena
Louis J. Tullio Arena
The Louis J. Tullio Arena is a 5,586-seat multi-purpose arena, in Erie, Pennsylvania, United States....
is named after him.