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<p>HAZLETON &#8211; For more than thirty years, Grace Cuozzo has been described as a &#8220;watchdog&#8221; of Hazleton city government.</p><p>But, Cuozzo, who lost her battle with cancer early on Sunday morning at 63, never liked being called a &#8220;watchdog,&#8221; because the word, she said, didn&#8217;t convey that concern and commitment she had for the residents of the city which motivated her political activities.</p><p>When Cuozzo was asked why she began going to council meetings in 1986, she always began with saying that before she left for meetings, she made dinner for her family and that she often took her daughter, Sarah, with her to meetings.</p><p>To Cuozzo, the information was more than an antidote, it was her way of reminding city residents that it was important for everyone, no matter their gender, profession, social status or other responsibilities, to participate in the city&#8217;s government.</p><p>David Sosar, a political science professor at King&#8217;s College and former city councilman, said he was impressed with Cuozzo&#8217;s understanding of the city&#8217;s government structure.</p><p>&#8220;She had a mind like a steel trap,&#8221; he said. &#8220;She knew the law and the ordinances better than anyone else, especially the third-class city code.&#8221;</p><p>Sosar said he also remembers being a bit intimated by Cuozzo.</p><p>In the late 1980s, when the city was in transition from a commission form of government to an &#8220;optional plan,&#8221; which changed the balance of power between council and the mayor, Sosar remembers being at odds with Cuozzo.</p><p>&#8220;At one point,&#8221; he said, &#8220;I thought she was going to come over the table at me.&#8221;</p><p>In spite of their differences, Sosar and Cuozzo built a very close friendship.</p><p>And although, much of the time Cuozzo thought she could make the most impact simply as a concerned resident sitting in the first row of the council chamber and often stepping up the podium, she also threw her hat into city politics periodically.</p><p>In this year&#8217;s primary race, she ran as a Democrat and losing to Bob Yevak.</p><p>Cuozzo attributed the loss to not feeling well and less than vigorous campaigning.</p><p>In contrast, her loss in the Democratic primary to Jack Mundie in 2015 was a close one, and she continued to work with Mundie throughout his own campaign against Republican Jeff Cusat.</p><p>Following Mundie&#8217;s loss to Cusat, she was appointed as a council member in 2016, serving through the end of 2017.</p><p>Cuozzo&#8217;s most robust attempt at city politics was in 2011, when she won in the Democratic mayoral primary and lost by a narrow margin to Republican Joe Yannuzzi in the general election.</p><p>To Mark Rabo, a longtime resident of the city who has served on the water authority, Cuozzo served as a role model.</p><p>&#8220;She taught me that good government is not only possible, it is vital to helping the people who have nothing in life,&#8221; he said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Cuozzo </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_cuozzo.jpg</photo0><caption0>Cuozzo </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Former Hazleton city councilwoman Cuozzo dead at 63