JoAnn D’Angeli, former Sussex freeholder, dies at 86

JoAnn D’Angeli, a former Sussex County Freeholder, died on February 26.  She was 86.

She ran for freeholder in a December 1997 special election convention to replace Erma Gormley, who had been elected county clerk.  At the time, the all-Republican board was split 2-2 between two factions.  D’Angeli was serving her 10th year as a commissioner of the Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority and ran with Gormley’s endorsement.

D’Angeli won the race with more than 50% against former Freeholder Joseph DelBagno, Fredon Mayor Robert Cowan, and newcomer Robert Heitner.  Sussex County Republican Chairman David Mortimer refused to release the vote tally.

In 1998, D’Angeli, while serving as freeholder director, narrowly edged out Ronald Pettinger, a political newcomer from her hometown of Lafayette, in the Republican primary, winning by about 400 votes.  She and another incumbent, Jeffrey Staple, defeated two independent challengers in a landslide.

She was unopposed in the 2001 GOP primary; her running mate, Staple, retired, and was replaced by Hal Wirths. She defeated Democrat James Flanagan in the general election by more than 10,000 votes.

Her political career came to a close in 2004 when she lost the Republican primary to Steve Oroho, by about 1,100 votes.  Oroho criticized D’Angeli for increases in taxes and spending and for expanding Sussex County’s debt.  Rep. Scott Garrett backed D’Angeli, but State Sen. Robert Littell (R-Franklin) endorsed Oroho.  Oroho won a State Senate seat three years later.