NORTHAMPTON – Known for their dedication and commitment to the tenants of the Walter Salvo House, Leonard and Sarah Budgar were honored with a plaque denoting their legacy of compassion in the building’s residence lounge Saturday.
Their sons, Gerald and Lawrence, were joined by their grandchildren and great grandchildren, Mayor David Narkewicz, other city officials and a crowd of over 100 people for a ceremony dedicated to two “pillars of the community,” as the mayor described them. Narkewicz noted that the Budgars’ service extended to the community at large as well.
Leonard, who died at the age of 85 in 2001, will be remembered for his 16 years as a dedicated Ward 3 City Councilor, and Sarah, who died at 94 in 2010, as a caring advocate for the disabled.
“Both of my parents were kind, thoughtful, compassionate people who spent a lot of time and effort doing for others while asking for nothing in return,” said Gerald Budgar. He recounted how his father, as a City Councilor, would show up at a constituent’s home to talk about neighborhood issues over a cup of coffee whenever a concern was raised.
“To know him was to love him and respect him, and we all did,” he said.
The mayor commended Leonard and Sarah for their commitment to the community and for their ability to get to know individuals on a personal level both in the ward and at the Salvo House.
Gerald told those gathered that after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, Leonard enlisted in the Army and served in World War II as a medic in the South Pacific. He proposed to Sarah before leaving for the war, and after they married, she moved to Northampton to live with his family and worked at Leonard’s older brothers drug store on Bridge Street.
In her teenage years, Sarah had contracted polio after a swim in Six Mile Pond in Springfield, and in her 40s, she began to develop post-polio syndrome which caused her weakness in her legs and arms. This caused her to go from relying on a cane to a walker, then to a wheelchair to help with her mobility.
Sarah worked to make access improvements for the disabled around the city a priority, Narkewicz said. Sarah was involved with the formation of the city’s Disability Commission which recently made major access improvements at City Hall, he said.
During Leonard’s 16 years as City Councilor, he and his wife worked as a team on his campaigns for election and together provided services for their constituents, according to the mayor. “They paid special attention to the folks here at Salvo House, which is why I think it is so fitting that this community room would be dedicated in their honor. It’s a great tribute to them,” Narkewicz said.
The event was organized by former Housing Authority executive director Jon Hite and current director Cara Clifford.
Ward 3 City Councilor Jim Nash, who also spoke at the ceremony, said that Leonard set the standard for constituent services in his ward.
“Each day, just like the six councilors before me, we all measure ourselves against Lenny’s standard of excellence and it is something we try to live up to each and every day,” he said.
While Leonard held the title of councilor, he said, it was Sarah who performed many of the duties that made his term in office a success, such as tallying constituents concerns and performing follow-up calls.
“Together they formed a winning Ward 3 team,” Nash said.
Luis Fieldman can be reached at lfieldman@gazettenet.com