By Christina Johnson
RED BANK – Family, friends, colleagues and political leaders mourned the passing of former state Sen. S. Thomas Gagliano, who was active in Monmouth County and state politics for decades. A Republican who lived in Oceanport, Holmdel, Rumson and Red Bank, many remembered him this week as a statesman who cared deeply about this area.
Gagliano died April 13. Funeral services were held Wednesday. A full obituary appears on page 25.
In his later years, Gagliano used his experience to help create the Jersey Shore Partnership (JSP), which successfully advocated for the establishment of a $25 million shore protection fund. Its annual fundraiser at Sandy Hook, scheduled for June 10 this year, brings local supporters together.
“He was a great man and a great visionary,” said Margot Walsh, executive director of the JSP. “He saw a need and jumped on it, making sure our beaches are protected.”
Paul Gaffney, the former president of Monmouth University between 2000 and 2013, got to know Gagliano while working closely with him on an effort to save the military bases in New Jersey. “He definitely knew New Jersey politics better than anyone else who served on the commission,” said Gaffney.
They also worked together on the Jersey Shore Partnership. “He was concerned for the growth, stability and prosperity of the county, especially the beaches. He understood the value of tourism and understood that keeping the beaches in good shape was important to tourism.
Gaffney, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral, said he was proud to have been a recipient of the JSP’s Thomas Gagliano Leadership Award. “I received it one year. It was great,” he said.
Laurence Downes, CEO of New Jersey Resources, a major supporter of Jersey Shore Partnership, recalled how he was impressed by Gagliano’s vision back in 1996. “Thanks to his leadership and tenacity, the partnership has been a driving force in the protection and preservation of our beaches and coastal communities. The Jersey Shore is Tom’s legacy and all of us who live and work here are indebted to him.”
Retired state Sen. Joe Kyrillos was a longtime friend and colleague in politics. “Tom became a giant in Monmouth County,” he said. “The proof of that is he’s been out of public life for 30 years and people are talking about him, days after his death, in a very significant way.”
