Eileen Pilla, First Female Mayor of Tarrytown, Dies at 91

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December 28, 2023

By Rick Pezzullo—-

Eileen Patricia Pilla, the first female mayor of Tarrytown, died peacefully Dec. 18 at Cabrini of Westchester. She was 91.

A Tarrytown native, Pilla proudly served for four years as a village trustee (1984-1987) before being elected mayor, a position she held for 12 years from 1987 to 1999.

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Tarrytown’s current mayor, Karen Brown, recalls how impressed she was when she moved to the village that the mayor was a woman. “Now, three of the rivertown village mayors are women,” Brown observed.

Born Dec. 28, 1931 to Patrick and Molly Downing, she attended Good Counsel Academy in White Plains, where she was active in a number of school activities. She was later inducted into the Good Counsel Academy Wall of Fame.

Upon graduation, she attended the Washington School of Business and became a business representative for the New York Telephone Company.

On Oct. 17, 1953, she married “the love of her life,” Patrick Pilla. Following Pat’s military service, they settled in Tarrytown and began a life of service to the community they loved. On Nov. 7, 1960, they welcomed their son, Matthew, into their family.

Always passionate about community service in her hometown, Eileen served on the Advisory Board of the Elizabeth Mascia Child Care Center as well as the Board of Directors of the Tarrytown YMCA. She was president of “Tarrytowners and Proud of It” and the Transfiguration Church Senior Group. The Scenic Hudson River Committee, Tarrytown Historical Society, Phelps Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and Exchange Club of the Tarrytowns, among many other organizations, also benefitted from Pilla’s never-ending volunteerism.

In her parish of Transfiguration, she served on the Parish Council, was a liturgical lector and a member of the Transfiguration Women’s Club.

Following her retirement as mayor, Pilla was appointed vice-chairperson of the County of Westchester Planning Board, the Ossining Environmental Review Council and the Eagle Bay Board of Directors.

She was most proud of “Pilla Landing,” the Tarrytown Hudson River Park; not because it was named after her and her husband, but because the redevelopment of the Tarrytown waterfront was her priority as she served as trustee and mayor.

Aside from her political and community accomplishments, it was her time with her family that she shined her brightest. Whether it was sharing Sunday breakfast, attending a school play or sporting event, teaching all how to make meatballs or her famous “make-ahead mashed potatoes,” she was the epitome of class, fun and warmth. She considered the Nee and Herighty children as her own grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband, son, and her brother, Jack (John Francis).

Visitation will be held on Friday, Dec. 29, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Coffey Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at Transfiguration Church on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

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