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And so am I. Former Mayor Peter Torigian, Mr. Peabody, died at home Saturday, Sept. 11 from cancer. He was 68 years old.
Mayor Torigian was the very antithesis of what many people thing politicians are. Peter was "incorruptible, honest, caring, a man who led by example".
I first met Peter in 1968, in the immediate aftermath of a snowstorm, when my mom called then Ward Councilor Torigian to help get plows to the neighborhood. After calling several times, he finally went out and found a plow himself, jumped in the truck with the driver and personally saw to it that it got done.
In 1973, I worked on my first political campaign, Peter Torigian's first run for mayor. He lost to Mayor Nicholas Mavroulas by just over 1000 votes.
In 1979, when Mayor Mavroulas became Congressman Mavroulas, Councilor at Large Torigian won the special election by a respectable margin. It became clear thereafter, that the corner office was his as long as he wanted it. He retired in 2001.
Mayor Torigian brought the pride back to Peabody. He cleaned up the absolute corruption he found when he took office and never looked back. Today, Peabody has a top credit rating, and an enviable reputation. This is a city people move to, not from.
Peabody is once again a vibrant, active, "destination" city of 50,000 residents. Our status is due to Peter Torigian.
He was my mayor, my political roll model, and my good friend. I will miss him.
God Speed, Mr. Mayor!
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