Antonia P. “Toni” Rettaliata Tepe

Antonia P. “Toni” Rettaliata Tepe was a trailblazer in the world of politics who forged a path that future women in this arena can follow. For over four decades, she was a leader in a predominately male dominated field by utilizing a fierce combination of pure leadership, intestinal fortitude, tenacity and caring that got the job done for all Huntington residents.

In 1979, she became the third woman elected to serve as an Assembly Member in the Town of Huntington when she won election in the 8th Assembly District. In the office, she was following the trail blazed by Republican suffragette Ida Bunce Sammis, the first woman to serve in the New York State Assembly, and Mary Rose McGee. She served the Huntington community in the Assembly from 1979 through 1987.

In 1987, Ms. Tepe successfully ran to become the first and only woman to be elected to hold the office of Town of Huntington Supervisor. In this job, she created the formation of the Town of Huntington Veterans Advisory Board.

In 2006, she was elected to serve as Huntington Republican Committee Chairperson – a position she held for 14 years until her passing in 2020. During this time, Ms. Tepe led the party through election victories, fought to ensure that candidates had the funding they needed and, most importantly, nurtured the careers of many fine public servants who continue to follow in her footsteps to put the people before the politics – including Senator John Flanagan.

Ms. Tepe, who passed away only 19 days after her husband Phil Tepe, was born in 1944 to Pasquale Bifulco and Mary (Finello) Bifulco and raised in the Town of Huntington. The couple is survived by Toni’s sister, Hope Van Bladel; Phil’s sisters Diane Marks and Elizabeth Finkelstein; Phil’s children, Tiffany (Luke) Legrow, Philip Anthony Tepe II, and Brett Tepe; and their grandchildren, Shane Legrow and Blakely Legrow.

A friend and mentor to all, Ms. Tepe will be greatly missed throughout the Town of Huntington and the County of Suffolk. A proud Italian woman who deeply loved the Town of Huntington, she broke numerous glass ceilings while always fighting to make life better for all that she served.