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Monday, June 15, 2009
Severino Verna, husband of Council president, dies

City Council President Anna Verna lost her husband of 57 years over the weekend.

Severino Verna, Jr., 78, had suffered a stroke three years ago.

The longtime South Philadelphia funeral director had been a regular sight in City Hall during Verna's early days on Council, frequently driving her to work.

The couple, who had no children, were devoted to each other, aides to the Councilwoman said. "He was there every step of the way for her. He was very proud of her accomplishments," said Kathleen Murray, a senior adviser who knew Severino Verna since 1983.

Majority Leader Marian Tasco will fill in for the Council president this Thursday, which is the final day Council will meet before the summer break.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

Posted by Marcia Gelbart @ 12:50 PM  Permalink | 16 comments
Comments   
Posted 10:35 AM, 06/16/2009
furby076
Hey CleanUp Philly - the councilwomans husband passed. Lay off the politics for two seconds and wish her well. It's a painful time.
Posted 08:29 AM, 06/16/2009
AnnoyedWithYou
CleanupPhilly: Your incessant need to hijack every single post on every philly.com article already led me to believe that you are an unbalanced, empty individual. This ranting here, amidst a man's death, just makes you a sick human being.
Posted 07:12 AM, 06/16/2009
Michael1971
CleanupPhilly,I would hope your mother had taught you better manners. You strike me as the kind of person who does not move their car out of the way for approaching ambulances. Look in the mirror and adjust your priorities. As to CP Anna Verna, thank you for your many years of public service and deepest sympathies on the loss of your life partner.
Comment removed.
Posted 02:12 AM, 06/16/2009
Dopebuster
Thank you to the last few posters. It seems the evening must bring out the people with some human feelings instead of these couple of crazies that populate this site in the daytime. Thank you.
Posted 10:06 PM, 06/15/2009
sphl girl in fl
This is an obit, not a political article. Regardless of your political views, a lifelong civil servant is widowed after numerous decades of marriage and you think this is appropriate commentary? Express condolences or say nothing! My sympathies to the Verna family and their friends.
Posted 09:29 PM, 06/15/2009
smithdoe
My condolences to Mrs. Verna, a lady of great dignity and grace, on her deep and tragic loss. Doerte S.
Posted 08:52 PM, 06/15/2009
lbphilly
I was very sorry to learn this today. I will hold Mrs. Verna in my thoughts and prayers. Laura Blanchard
Posted 05:28 PM, 06/15/2009
johanna
I find these posts truly disturbing; it would appear that at least some of the posters here suffer from what might best be described as a "marginal personality." I echo the comment by "thegray". Someone just died. If these hateful, non-topical posts continue, I would ask that somebody at the Inky pull the plug on this nonsense completely. My prayers go out to Ms. Verna. May Severino's soul and all the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace.
Posted 04:43 PM, 06/15/2009
Dopebuster
Avenge this, why don't ja!!
Posted 04:41 PM, 06/15/2009
Philly_Avenger
Dopebuster: It appears that you are the hater.
Posted 04:26 PM, 06/15/2009
Dopebuster
Avenge this!!
Posted 03:07 PM, 06/15/2009
Dopebuster
Thank you "thegray" for helping restore some semblance of dignity and decorum to this matter. Some people are, apparently, so blinded by hatred and jealousy that they have completely lost sight of their humanity. What a shame for them.
Posted 02:34 PM, 06/15/2009
thegray
The rules below state: Philly.com comments are intended to be civil, friendly conversations. Please treat other participants with respect and in a way that you would want to be treated. You are responsible for what you say. And please, stay on topic. Commenters above: Someone just died.
Posted 01:44 PM, 06/15/2009
CleanupPhilly
A fitting end to Verna's career would be that she pass legislation to fix Philly's patronage waste houses like the BRT, the Office of the Clerk of Quarter Sessions, the Dept. of Revenue, the Sheriff... do I need to go on? If they can't do this, we need term limits. Verna has fossilized.
Posted 01:41 PM, 06/15/2009
CleanupPhilly
There's half a billion in uncollected property taxes in the city. There's $1 billion in forfeit bail owed the city. There's a corrupt, patronage BRT that still has its entire agency's budget within the Philly School District, so not only does every Philly resident pay for this waste and inefficiency, so does every taxpayer in the state. Anna Verna's solution was not to propose legislation to fix this before the recess, but to call for a sales tax hike for Philly only because in her words it would "benefit the surrounding counties." Maybe this is a sign that it's time for Verna to retire, and not just DROP retire, but to allow a new way to happen that she can't and won't envision.
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The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff Shields, Marcia Gelbart, and Patrick Kerkstra take you inside Philadelphia's City Hall.
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