Shores officials remember former Councilman Peter Accica

ST. CLAIR SHORES — Peter Accica served the city of St. Clair Shores as a councilman for eight years but didn’t run in the recent election due to health issues.

Accica died on Dec. 3. His passing was announced at the St. Clair Shores City Council meeting on Dec. 4 by Mayor Kip Walby.

“These are hard times for me,” Walby said. “With deep sadness, I have to announce the passing of Councilman Pete Accica.”

Accica’s family accepted a proclamation read by Walby at the beginning of the meeting. The proclamation was originally scheduled to be read on Nov. 20 but was rescheduled.

Each council member offered their condolences to Accica’s family during their comments near the end of the meeting.

“It’s a sad event, and I want to give the best to his family, and we lost a good person,” Councilman Dave Rubello said. “To the Accica family, God bless you.”

Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Candice Rusie said her thoughts and prayers are with the family.

“It’s an unbelievable thing to go through, and it’s even tougher at the holiday season,” Rusie said. “My heart goes out to you guys, and we’ll all be thinking of you.”

Councilman John Caron said he and Accica worked together on police projects and that Accica had a lot of input. He said a lot of the decisions that went into the schematics have his fingerprints all over it.

“I think that’s a fitting legacy for him, as well, upon his passing. Thoughts and prayers are to his family during a very difficult time,” Caron said.

Councilman Chris Vitale said he and Accica worked together at the beginning of Accica’s first term on the foreclosure committee. Vitale said Accica was a real asset due to his background in construction trades, and it was a little odd because he was taking another councilman’s place.

“It’s rough up here watching three colleagues pass, but not as rough, of course, as the family that has to go through a Christmas without their patriarch,” Vitale said.

Councilwoman Linda Bertges said she knows Accica will be truly missed, and City Manager Dustin Lent offered his condolences to the Accica family.

Councilman Ron Frederick thanked Walby for Accica’s proclamation. He mentioned a memorial item the Accica family chose in lieu of flowers and he checked with the city attorney to make sure the city could do something like that.

Accica’s obituary asked that “memorial contributions can be made to the City of St. Clair Shores with a memo (on the check) for the Proposed Peter A. Accica Memorial Viewing Device.”

“Pete, we already miss you, buddy, and I appreciate everything that you did up here — all the support, all the conversations, all the jokes,” Frederick said.