Published in Lakeshore Villages, May 2006:
     “The thing I remember most about Marie is that she cared for people and what they were doing,” says Marg Ciupa, a long-time resident of Long Branch and a good friend of Marie Curtis, who died on March 12 at the age of 94.
     Toronto City Council recently called Marie “an exceptional politician” who made “invaluable community efforts in assisting the victims of Hurricane Hazel in 1954.” Because of this, a park near the mouth of Etobicoke Creek was named in her honour.
     The list of her accomplishments is long. She was Reeve of the Village of Long Branch from 1953 to 1962 and was a charter member of the Metropolitan Toronto Council. After retiring from politics, she served for six years as Executive Director of the Association of Mayors and Reeves of Ontario, which today is the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. She was also an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Long Branch Royal Canadian Legion, Branch Number 101.
     “She had this expression,” reveals Marg. “She used easy-to-understand language. She would say ‘I just need a little helping hand.’ It worked like a charm to get people to help with big things. And yes, I got roped in many times.”
     Marg remembers Marie working hard to bring kindergartens to local schools, getting the streets paved in Long Branch, which was a big improvement for the community, for having the Long Branch Rink built, and for getting and keeping local libraries.
     “She initiated many things that are people-oriented,” says Marg. “All of these things we still have. She had the community at heart.”
     Ruth Grier, an area resident who has served 15 years as a councillor from the Lakeshore, 10 years as a M.P.P. and is currently a cancer prevention activist, agrees.
     “Marie kept up her contact with people in Long Branch even after she moved away,” Ruth adds. “I used to see her at Metro Toronto Conservation Authority events and she often returned to the Lakeshore for special occasions. She had a very real interest in the community and her reputation as Reeve speaks to that. People said that they could always find her when they needed her and that she was always ready to help.”
By Gloria Hildebrandt