By Dan Murphy
As all of Westchester prays for our first responders and medical staff and personnel as they serve and protect us through the Coronavirus, the recent passing of Eastchester Town Councilman Glen Bellitto shows us that we are all vulnerable.
Bellitto, 62, died from COVID-19 on April 2. He was a lifelong resident of Westchester, born and raised in Yonkers, until he moved to Bronxville after his marriage to Kyle Anne Moran. Bellitto was a 30-year resident of Bronxville and served as Deputy Mayor and Village Trustee before being elected to the Eastchester Town Board in 2011, where he served until his passing.
His commitment to the Village of Bronxville, the Town of Eastchester, and his love of his family is how he is remembered.
Glenn was Vice President of Finance at Acacia Network Housing, a non-profit based in the Bronx, and one of the largest providers of transitional housing for the New York City Department of Homeless Services. He truly valued the work and relationships he formed there as part of the larger Acacia Network.
Glenn’s interest in politics ignited when he was 10, fueled by the debates around current events that he would have with his father at the dinner table. At 12 years old, he could be found distributing election leaflets at train stations. At 18, he was elected Vice President of the Westchester County Young Republicans Club. In his 20’s, he became a Republican District Leader and President of the 11th Ward Republican Club. At the age of 32, he ran for U.S. Congress as the Republican candidate for New York’s 16th District.
Glenn also took great joy from his membership in the Eastchester Italian American Citizen’s Club, Tuckahoe-Eastchester Lion’s Club, Knights of Columbus, Order of the Sons of Italy and the Eastchester Irish American Social Club (a nod to his wife.)
Glenn always valued education, attending Archbishop Stepinac High School where he made his mark as the editor-in-chief of the iconic 1976 Bicentennial yearbook and as a National Merit Scholar. He graduated from Harvard College in 1980 with a B.A. in Government and received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1984. Glenn met the love of his life, Kyle, at the Harvard Club in Manhattan and proposed to her in Harvard Yard. He carried forward his love for the school by his volunteer work interviewing interested high school seniors, something he did for over 30 years. For those about town who may have noticed the HARVARD license plate on a succession of family cars, that was Glenn.
He was passionate about passing on his love of education to his children. His daughter, Dale, is now a Dartmouth College alum and practicing attorney. His son, Gage, was a sophomore at Columbia University, which is where he died of an opioid overdose two years ago. Glenn was forever changed by that tragedy. It was then that he channeled his sorrow by becoming a spokesperson with respect to opioid addiction and its impact on families.
Glenn is survived by his wife, Kyle Anne Moran, his daughter, Dale Anne Bellitto, his mother Dolores (Patrone) Bellitto, brother Douglas Bellitto, sister Robin Stettnisch (Bill), nephews Kevin, Ryan and Matthew, and many cousins and aunts. He is pre-deceased by his son Gage, and his father Salvatore Joseph Bellitto.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Glenn may be made to the Center on Addiction (in tribute to Glenn D. Bellitto in memo line) at 485 Lexington Ave., New York, NY, 10017, or through their website at https://www.centeronaddiction.org/donate.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. A private family service was held at the Bronxville Cemetery, where Glenn was laid to rest. To sign online condolences please go to www.mcgrathandson.com
Each week we will report on a member of the Westchester community who has passed away from COVID-19, to remember their service. Send your emails to dmurphy@risingmediagroup.com
