John Kerry: “it is a privilege for me today to honor and celebrate one of Massachusetts' most esteemed public servants, Mayor Peter…”

“it is a privilege for me today to honor and celebrate one of Massachusetts' most esteemed public servants, Mayor Peter Torigian of Peabody. After 23 years, the dean of Massachusetts mayors is retiring from public office but hopefully not from public life. The city of Peabody is known as the ``Tanner City'' for its leather trade dating back to the 1630s, and therefore it is only appropriate that this former leather worker and leather-neck has led Peabody with vigilance, compassion, and integrity for over two decades. Peter's ascent to city hall began in a ``three decker'' in the heart of Peabody's industrial sector. Born to hard-working Armenian immigrants, Peter was studious and gifted, as well as the star quarterback for the Peabody High School football team. After school, the future mayor worked as a tanner and experienced first-hand the leather factories that were once the life-line of Peabody's industrial economy. He then put in 3 years of his life to the service of the U.S. Marine Corps before returning home to Peabody. As all of us in this body know: Once a Marine, always a Marine. He spent 16 years as a letter carrier for the U.S. Post Office. In a harbinger of things to come he quietly rose through the ranks to presidency of the union local. Then began his formal public career with his election to the city council in 1968--a tumultuous year in the history of our country--and culminated with his election as mayor in 1979.”