Hundreds turn out to bid farewell to Leonard Spano

Hundreds turned out to say a final farewell to the patriarch of one of Westchester's most influential political families.
Mourners packed Saint Mary's Church in Yonkers to say goodbye to Leonard Spano.
The longtime Yonkers public servant, Marine Corp veteran and patriarch of a political dynasty passed away last weekend at the age of 88.
The Police Emerald Society of Westchester played the Marine Corp hymn as Leonard Spano’s sons, including current Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, brought his flag-draped coffin into the church for his funeral service.

Spano served for more than 20 years as a Westchester county legislator. But son Nick, who gave his eulogy, says his dad had the most fun as a county clerk. He served from 1994 to 2005.
Democratic Westchester County Executive George Latimer served on the County Board of Legislators in the early 1990s as Spano was in his last term. He says the Republican welcomed him with open arms.

"Usually in the world of partisan politics, you sort of ignore somebody who is a freshman and young and try to treat them as an outcast. He was very generous to me,” said Latimer.