THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 Page 3 “Saugus was his passion and he never left it” Longtime East Saugus businessman Andrew Cogliano dies at age 80 – just a week after becoming a great-grandfather for the first time By Mark E. Vogler J ust a couple of weeks ago, 80-year-old Andrew Cogliano was looking forward to the birth of his first great-grandchild. Luciana Cross, the daughter of Mike and Gabriela Cross, made for another memorable milestone of his life last week (Tuesday, March 16) when she was born a healthy baby at Boston Medical Center. But as Cogliano joined his family in celebrating the arrival of Luciana, he was preparing to say some sudden, sad goodbyes to his family. He had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia two weeks ago and wasn’t given long to live. “We never know what twists and turns life brings,” Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano said last week of his dad’s fatal illness, who at the time was himself enjoying his first days as a first-time grandfather. “I hope he gets to see his first great-grandchild in person,” he said. Andrew Cogliano – a longtime Saugus businessman – died before he could get that chance – on Wednesday morning (March 24), according to his son, Anthony. “He couldn’t [hold the baby] 1940. He was the father of five children: Anthony, Andrew, Jr., and Scott – all of Saugus, and daughter Kathy Weishaar and husband Richard of Middleton. He had another daughter, Lisa Marie, who was 10 days old when she passed away. In addition to his wife, he leaves 11 grandchildren. Family, his business and the Town of Saugus were the greatest loves of his life. “Aside from my mother, CarHIS THREE LOVES: Family, his business and Saugus mattered the most to Andrew Cogliano. He closed A Cogliano Food Market in 1982 and turned it into Cogliano Plaza on Lincoln Avenue, where he loved running the family properties until his passing this week. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) because of COVID restrictions,” Anthony said in an interview yesterday as he prepared to make funeral arrangements at Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home in Saugus. “But he did get to facetime with her. He was overwhelmed with emotion looking at her,” he said. Andrew was born on Dec. 3, ol, who he was married to for 59 years, his passion was his grocery store – A Cogliano Food Market – which he ran until we closed it in 1982,” Anthony said. “He then turned the store into Cogliano Plaza and loved running the family properties until his passing. One thing that everyone seems to recall about my dad was his smile. He loved to reminisce about the old days and his friends from the Bristow Street area,” the selectman said. “My father loved driving around Saugus and waving to everyone. He never forgot a face or a name and had a story for everyone. Every conversation somehow made it back to the grocery store and the good ole days. He never got it out of his system. If we were on vacation, somehow we’d end Helping your community S t. John’s Episcopal Church invites anyone who wants to help create a community vegetable garden in Saugus. Open Community Meeting dates: 9:30 a.m., April 6; 7:30 p.m., April 7. For Zoom invitation please email revjbeach@ gmail.com. (Editor’s Note: The following info is from an announcement issued this week by the Rev. John T. Beach of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Saugus.) As winter snow was beating a hasty retreat, and the rising vaccination rate was making the summer look much more inviting, I met with local resident and agricultural expert Laura Eisener. Inspired by her knowledge and love of the fruits of the earth, we called a small Zoom meeting of local residents to consider how we might contribute to the reconstruction of our community after COVID-19. What emerged was the vision of establishing a community vegetable garden on property owned by St. John’s Episcopal Church. We began to consider how we can work as a community to produce vegetables for those who are food insecure in the aftermath of the COVID virus. As we started to iron out the thousand details, we have outlined a project to which we invite interested persons of all ages to participate. Local residents have contributed their stimulus check to this project for the purchase of seeds, mulch, fertilizer and equipment. We have designated a plot which is well suited for growing vegetables. Several members of the Saugus Garden Club have offered their expertise. We are hosting two open meetings via Zoom for all community members who would like to find out more about this project (see dates above). The fruits (pun intended) of the garden are twofold. First, it will provide local fresh produce to those who are financially vulnerable. Second, it provides an HELPING | SEE PAGE 6 up checking out supermarkets … it was his life. My dad was a very successful business man … could’ve done anything or gone anywhere – but Saugus was his passion and he never left it.” Illness came suddenly, according to his son Scott. “He went for a checkup two weeks ago today,” Scott said yesterday (Thursday, March 25). “They told him his white blood count was very high. He was admitted to Mass General. And he was diagnosed with AML leukemia,” he said. Scott said his dad will be remembered for his smile. “He was always a happy guy and was always smiling at a lot of people in town. 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