HOWELL – A pillar of the community has passed away at the age of 71 from the coronavirus. Suzanne Marie Leonard Veitengruber was Howell’s first female mayor.
Veitengruber died on January 20 and is survived by her husband, George E. Veitengruber, Jr., her children, George III, and Melissa Skrocki and five grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were made through the Lakewood Funeral home in Howell. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all services for her were held virtually.
Mayor Theresa Berger spoke about the former mayor on her social media page saying, “I come to you today with heavy heart. A pillar of our community has passed away from COVID. Sue was the lady who you knew was there.”
“She and I sat on the opposite sides of the aisle but always spoke about how we could make the town better as a team. I want to thank the Veitengruber family for sharing her with us. Everyone who knew her knew the fiery vivaciousness that she had,” Mayor Berger added.
The mayor added, “I want to say for my family and the many people in the town who have spoken to me and have this sense of sadness for her passing – we are here for the family. We are Howell and we love Sue. I want to say thank you Sue for all your kindness and support. You will be missed.”
“I wish R.I.P. meant return if possible. I will miss you,” Councilman John Bonevich said in a comment on the mayor’s post. “Howell will not forget you. Rest in peace Sue.”
Veitengruber’s son also responded saying, “thank you on behalf of my father, my sister and her five grandchildren, Kate, Mia, Grayson, Jack and Jacob. We want to thank you and all of Howell for a lifetime of memories and support.”.
“She loved Howell Township and was proud to be a resident for 45 years. Please sign up for the vaccine, wear a mask and keep yourself safe. COVID robs us all of time and hits closer to home every day,” her son added.
Deputy Mayor Thomas Russo also took to social media to convey his condolences about Veitengruber’s passing. “My wife Amanda and I send our love and condolences to the entire Veitengruber family. I had the pleasure of getting to know former Mayor Veitenbruber through my years of public service and will always remember her relentless commitment to community, devotion to volunteerism and her love for Howell.”
The former mayor had served on council for two years prior to being elected as mayor in 1991, she told The Howell Timesduring an archived interview. She had held positions as finance director in North Brunswick, administrator for Keansburg Borough and finance officer in Tabernacle Township.
She was married for 48 years and said she loved public events that brought so many Howell residents together for a good cause.
Veitengruber was praised for her devotion to the township and the various boards and committees she served on over the decades. She not only served as the township’s first female mayor but also served as a member of the Township Board of Education.
She cooked hundreds and hundreds of turkeys and sides for the Howell PBA for years at Thanksgiving. Those meals were delivered to homebound seniors and Veitengruber was a strong supporter of the Howell Education Foundation. She was also a professor at Rutgers University where she taught municipal finance courses.
Veitengruber was known for her love of volunteerism and the many boards and committees she served on which included, among other positions, the township’s planning board, environmental commission, transportation committee, ordinance review committee plus the Howell Rent Control Board and the Finance Review Committee.
Howell resident Marc Parisi, who serves on the Board of Education at Freehold Regional High School said of Veitengruber, “anyone who met Sue knew instantly she was incredibly smart and sharp. She literally knew everything about Howell and how it ran.”
“She was a dedicated public servant for many years and cared deeply about Howell. Her passing is a tremendous loss for our community,” Parisi said.
