Joe Stortini

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Joe Stortini
Sen Joe Stortini.jpg
Stortini in 1973
2nd Pierce County Executive
In office
January 1, 1985 – January 1, 1993
Preceded byBooth Gardner
Succeeded byDoug Sutherland
Member of the Pierce County Council
from the 4th District
In office
May 1, 1981 – January 1, 1985
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byJames Edward "Jim" Salatino
Pierce County Commissioner
In office
January 1, 1977 – May 1, 1981
Preceded byGeorge Sheridan
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Member of the Washington Senate
from the 27th district
In office
January 13, 1969 – January 10, 1977
Preceded byGeorge Kupka
Succeeded byR. Lorraine Wojahn
Personal details
Born
Joseph Lewis Stortini

(1932-12-04) December 4, 1932 (age 89)
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
OccupationPolitician, Restaurant Owner/Operator, Teacher

Joseph Lewis Stortini (born December 4, 1932) is an American restauranteer, educator, and politician in the state of Washington. He served the 27th district from 1969 to 1977.

Early life[]

Stortini was born in Tacoma, Washington, to Giuseppe Stortini and Giuseppina Piazza, both Italian immigrants. Stortini's father immigrated from Porto Sant'Elpidio, Fermo in 1914. His mother was born in Domanico, Calabria in 1909. His parents met and eventually settled in Tacoma's 5th ward, which at the time was made up of predominately southern European immigrants. During his early years in Tacoma's hilltop neighborhoods, he developed a passion for athletics. He attended University of Puget Sound, where he played both football and baseball. After graduating with a degree in education, he went on to Oregon State University, receiving a master's degree in education.[1]

Career[]

Stortini started his career as a public high school teacher in the Tacoma Public School district, where he worked from 1955 to 1975.[2] In the late 1980s, he opened the Mama Stortini's restaurant, which he later sold.[3] In 1984, Stortini was elected Pierce County Executive.[4]

Stortini served two terms in the state Senate, two terms on the Pierce County Board of County Commissioners, and was elected twice as county executive.[5]

Stortini opened the Joeseppi's Italian restaurant in November 2005.[3]

Affair and wrongful-death suit[]

Stortini's affair with his employee, Susan Websted, was brought to light when he made a 911 call after she overdosed.[6] A wrongful-death suit against Stortini by her estate was dismissed, with the appeals court finding that "Washington law provides no general duty to protect others from self-inflicted harm."[7]

References[]

  1. ^ http://leg.wa.gov/History/Legislative/Documents/Pictorial_Phone/41stSession1969opt.pdf
  2. ^ http://www.tacomaathletic.com/McArthur/joestortini.asp
  3. ^ a b Sherred, Kristine (May 30, 2020). "Joeseppi's Italian thanks Tacoma with 50% off everything". The News Tribune (Tacoma). p. 3.
  4. ^ Card, Skip (May 12, 2000). "Memorial today for civic and business leader Ned Shera". The News Tribune (Tacoma). p. B4.
  5. ^ Mooney, Joe (January 6, 1993). "Pierce County closes out the Stortini era". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. B1.
  6. ^ "Woman's Family Asks Stortini to Avoid Funeral | the Seattle Times".
  7. ^ Gillie, John (October 25, 1996). "Ruling upholds Stortini in wrongful-death suit". The News Tribune (Tacoma). p. B2.


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