Political Quotes

“As my friend said, on September 17, Fairfax County lost one of its most important and influential citizens ever. Martha Pennino was known as Mother Fairfax. Through her leadership, Martha Pennino helped oversee development of Fairfax County into one the most successful jurisdictions in the entire country. She was a kind and compassionate public servant who made sure that all people were treated fairly, regardless of their circumstance. Born in Roanoke, Virginia, as the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) said, she grew up in Gloucester, Massachusetts. She lived for many years in Massachusetts and went to Emerson College in Boston. Early on she had dreams of becoming a ballerina or an actress. She did have a flare for the dramatic. But her plans changed upon meeting Walter Pennino. She says she knew at the outset that she would be with him for life. They moved to Vienna, Virginia, in the 1950s after her husband took a job at the Pentagon and began searching for a typically American place to live.”