~ Malden Musings ~ Mary C. “Marie” Swansen 1932-2025

By Peter Levine

Mary C. “Marie” Swansen of Edgeworth passed away last week after gracing Malden with 93 beautiful years of life, love and happiness. For as long as I can remember, the Swansen family have been a cornerstone in Edgeworth — one of those families that gave our neighborhood its heart and soul. I was lucky enough to grow up alongside two of her boys, Johnny and Billy, who became fast and lifelong friends. Truth be told, every one of the Swansens carried that same warmth and goodness. Just a wonderful family, through and through.

One of the last “old time” great Edgeworth moms, Marie was the beloved wife of the late James Swansen and the proud, loving mother of Gerry, Leslie, Linda, Billy, Donna, Johnny and Mary. A graduate of Girls Catholic back when it cast long shadows up and down Highland Ave., she spent her working years as a bookkeeper for P.A. Milan Trucking — one of those Malden jobs that kept us employed through the good and lean years.

But where I’ll miss Marie most is during the San Rock Feast. Every year, like clockwork, I’d see Marie and Gerry pinning their donation to the Saint with reverence and quiet pride. It was one of those small, powerful moments that reminded you of what tradition and community really mean. Walking the Procession without her presence this year just won’t feel the same.

My sincerest condolences to the entire Swansen family. Malden — and especially Edgeworth — was made better because she was here.

And now a word from Marie’s boy Billy: “Ma lived all her life in Malden. She raised her family of 7 children in Edgeworth and enjoyed seeing her kids marry and have families of their own. Marie gave with her whole heart to all who knew her. She loved visits from her 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and hearing all the stories everyone would share with her throughout the day. Daily phone calls will be missed by all. Being a true Maldonian, she would arrive at cookouts with Dom’s steak tips, Piantadosi bread, and her wonderful attitude. Her smile, laughter and support to everyone she knew will never be forgotten. Our mother was truly a selfless woman and was loved by many.”

It is said in “Malden Musings”…

• Dedicated to managing the City of Malden’s finances for the men, women and children of Maldonia, I am declaring August “Be Kind to Your Friendly City of Malden Controller’s Office Employee Month” to City Controller Charles Ranaghan and the Controller’s Office as a tribute to these hard-working City of Malden employees. This week’s spotlight shines brightly on none other than Nick Pernice — a man who attacks the municipal grind the way Johnny Havlicek attacked a fast break: relentlessly, fearlessly and without flash. Picture a Hondo/Carl Yastrzemski hybrid… if Captain Carl traded in his Sox hat for an Excel sheet and a calculator.
• Nick’s got that rare blend of blue-collar work ethic and white-collar wizardry — always dependable, always smiling and always keeping City Hall humming. So next time you’re paying a bill, approving a budget or simply walking past the Controller’s Office, give ’em a nod, a thank you, maybe even a donut (Donut Villa, of course). They’ve earned it. Thank you, Nick. Thank you, Controller’s Office. Maldonia appreciates you!
• In all fairness, I simply cannot give a shoutout to the Controller’s Office without tipping my Scally cap to the rest of the all-star crew who hustle day in and day out under the steady handed leadership of Chuckie Ranaghan. Karen Bushee, Jean Tucker and Louis Matnog — the unsung MVPs of Malden’s financial front lines — bring brains, heart and a tireless work ethic that keeps Maldonia humming. Whether it’s crunching numbers or keeping the Controller’s Office chaos in check, they never, ever fail to put Malden first. A huge thank you to each and every one of you in the Controller’s Office — the real dream team behind the scenes.
• The legendary Dorothy “Big D” Levine is about to add another candle to the cake — but this year, it’s a milestone celebration, and the party plans are nothing short of epic. Picture — if you will — a star-studded gathering of friends and family, tales of yesteryear (some tall, some not), laughter all around and the kind of good-natured shenanigans only a group of friends like this can deliver. Dorothy, in her classic understated way, never seeks the spotlight — but she is the quiet heartbeat of Malden, especially with the youth of Malden; the kind of person who makes a neighborhood feel like home and a city feel like a community. She’s one of those rare gems who bring common sense, grace and grit to everything she touches. So, here’s to you, Dorothy — may your birthday be filled with happiness, hugs, Black Forest cake (?) and a celebration worthy of the legacy you’ve built. Malden is a better place because of you. Happy Birthday, Dorry!
• In the “one day you turn around and it’s summer, next day you turn around and it’s fall” department, I remember the day in 1985 as if it were yesterday… Joe and I just got through working out like the gym rats we were back in those days of the old Y. Marathon hoop games on that tiny — but sacred — hoop court, the most competitive handball on the North Shore upstairs, sit-ups and crunches, marathon rope jumping sessions; anything to get that all important sweat going and workout in (so we could “snap a wire” on Friday night [inside joke]). But I digress… Before we hit the streets, we’re in the steam room after the workout when Joe tells me Helen is with child! Gobsmacked I was!! Dorothy has grown into a fine human being but how could she not with parents like Joe and Helen and an uncle like me? Fuhgeddaboudit!!
• Thank you to Neil Sullivan — CEO/President/Head Chef at Cornucopia Café on Pleasant Street — for your, once again, more than generous donation to this year’s Saint Rocco Feast. You’re a sweetheart of a man and very much appreciated in Malden.
• Contact me if you also would like to make a contribution to the Feast. All proceeds from the Festa go to scholarships for Malden kids and for keeping next year’s Festa alive for future generations.

And now a word from our sponsor… Hello, Maldonia, Chris “Keeper of the Flame Linden USA” here with another “tale from the cheap seats”: “It’s the early 1980’s, the best and brightest baseball minds of the time are sitting in a breakfast nook on Andrew Street (Linden, USA) on a Sunday evening just chewing the fat.

“Let’s see what was this evenings topic? What else?! The Malden Babe Ruth League, of course. The cast of characters goes like this – (my pops) Leo Moro from the Chiefs, Bob Rotondi from the exalted Knights, the Orioles Tom Heerter, and Larry Collins from the Colts. The dream team of BRL managers – rest in peace gentlemen!

“On this particular Sunday the order of business is the creation of the Malden Senior Baseball League. All was worked out…except what was going to be the name of this team? The boys are going back and forth when a voice from across the kitchen rings out ‘for cripes sake, are you guys serious?!’ The head chef and bottle washer, Mrs. Winifred Moro, says, ‘didn’t they call Babe Ruth, “The Bambino”?’

“So, there you have it, pardon the pun, ‘out of the mouths of babes!’ Funny, right?! Well, never mind…

“That’s it for this week Maldonia, hope you enjoyed my ‘Tale from Linden USA,’ I certainly enjoyed writing it. Look for a baseball related quiz in the future (Diamond Dust?) – but for now, see you next time, same bat channel, same bat time!”

As Peter Falk’s iconic TV character Columbo would say, “Just one more thing, sir” — Oops, my bad… A glorious oversight corrected! In my recent shout-out to the legendary MHS Class of ’73, I made the kind of omission that would get you a week’s detention in Mr. Duffy’s office back in the day (if I actually went to school, that is), forgetting to include one of its brightest stars: the one and only Joanne Torosian. For that, I offer a heartfelt mea culpa wrapped in Malden High School Blue and Gold.

Joanne, God bless your pea-pickin’ heart for being the glue that has held the Class of ’73 together all these years. While the rest of us were fumbling with group texts and Facebook threads, you were out there doing it the old-fashioned way: calls, cards, gatherings and good old human connection. You’ve kept the spirit of your class alive, one (mini) reunion and check-in at a time.

From every Class of ’73’er I’ve talked to, there’s one consistent message: Thank you, Joanne. You’ve gone above and beyond, and your love for your classmates has not gone unnoticed. Here’s to you, the unofficial mayor of ’73, the queen of reconnections and a true-blue Maldonian through and through.

Postscript 1: Malden’s own Captain Marc Gatcomb of the Police Department has been wearing a grin as wide as the Malden River since April 6 — and for good reason — besides its summertime and the living is easy; that’s the night his 25-year-old son, also named Marc, lit the lamp not once (who said I don’t know hockey lingo?!) but twice for the New York Islanders in a game that will be remembered less for the Isles’ 4-1 thumping of the Capitals, and more for NHL history: Alex Ovechkin netting his record-breaking 895th goal, passing none other than “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky.

Overshadowed by the headlines? Maybe. Overlooked in Malden? Not a chance!

News flash…young Marc Gatcomb — the 6’2″, 195-pound 25-year-old rookie sensation — just signed a one-year, $900,000 contract for the 2025–2026 season with the Islanders. Through 39 games this year, he’s already notched 8 goals and 1 assist, showing flashes of brilliance and grit that can’t be taught (well, maybe his pops taught him a little from his time vanquishing all the rink rats throughout Edgeworth).

While Marc Jr. grew up in Woburn, his roots stretch deep into Malden asphalt (I’m sure he’s had at least one Big A sub in his life LOL). His dad, Captain Gatcomb, carved his name into local lore by dominating the street hockey scene in the Girl’s Catholic parking lot on Charles Street — back when games went from sunrise to streetlights and arguments over high-sticking were settled with a quick faceoff, not a whistle. Right, Johnny Bionelli?

So, from the corner of Charles and Highland to the blue line at UBS Arena — Malden stands proud. Keep firing away, Marc. Maldonia is watching, and we are very proud of you.

Postscript 2: Let’s raise a glass of cheer (or maybe an ice hockey stick) to Somerville’s very own Mike “Hammer” Hamilton — a recent and most welcome defector to Malden and proud new fixture at the I.A.C.C. In a cross-town trade worthy of front-page headlines, we happily inherited Mike from the legendary Dante Club, and he now enjoys full dual citizenship between these two historic institutions. A hardcore puckhead (a double Ram & Suffolk University Athletics Hall of Famer, BSBA ’88, MBA ’95) with a brain the size of the Boston Garden, Mike brings encyclopedic knowledge, sharp wit and a booming laugh that echoes off the I.A.C.C. walls like a slapshot off the boards of the Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink. But more than that — he’s simply a swell guy. Welcome to the family, Hammer. Malden and the I.A.C.C. are lucky to have you.

—Peter is a longtime Malden resident and a regular contributor to The Malden Advocate. He can be reached at Pe*****@*ol.com for comments, compliments or criticisms.