December 14 - 20, 2023
Fa lls Chur c h, V i r g i ni a • ww w. fc np. c om • Fr ee
Fou n d e d 1991 • Vol. XLIV No. 44
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
Tarter, Duncan SHOW US THE LIGHT Say Farewell After 11+ Years On F.C. Council Flynn, Underhill Sworn In; Take Seats Next Month by Nicholas F. Benton
Falls Church News-Press
The Falls Church City Council and citizens of Falls Church bid farewell to three giants of lengthy terms of care and governance of the Little City Monday night as, following a recognition of the passing of the City’s four-term and first woman mayor Carol DeLong, current Mayor David Tarter and Councilman Phil Duncan were hailed in a lengthy and emotional ceremonial changing of the guard. At the same time, the event, which occurred at the opening of the meeting Monday following an hour-long reception in the City Hall hallway, was keyed by the swearing in of two two new and one incumbent City Council member, Erin Flynn and Justine Underhill being the new ones and Letty Hardi entering her third four-year term. They will begin to assume their new duties in the first business meeting of the New Year on January 8. DeLong passed away at age 93 last week (see story elsewhere this page) and it was noted that flags at City Hall were lowered to halfmast in her honor. While Tarter and Duncan are leaving after serving the exact same length of time on the City Council, both having run for the first time in 2012, Tarter leaves after eclipsing DeLong’s tenure as mayor, concluding 10 years in the role. His remarks, which are also published elsewhere in this edition on Page 21, are a retelling of the formidable achievements of both
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A COMMAND PERFORMANCE by teacher Mary Jo West’s talented orchestral students was held at the Meridian High School last Thursday and the program featured remarks by Marian Selby, the first black student to attend Meridian (then George Mason) in 1961. (Photo: Carol Sly)
First Woman, 4-Term Mayor of F.C. Carol DeLong Dies
by Phil Duncan
Falls Church City Council
Carol DeLong, the first woman to serve as Mayor of Falls Church, has died at age 93. She was born on June 25, 1930 and died yesterday, Dec. 9, 2023. DeLong, a civic activist for more than 60 years and the first woman to serve as Mayor of the City of Falls Church, died Saturday evening while in hospice care at the Vierra Falls Church nursing home. She was 93. Her son in law, Phil Duncan, is currently a member of the F.C, City Council. DeLong was born on June 25,
1930 in Newark, N.J., the daughter of Carl Peter Witte and Edith Kraeuter Witte. She graduated from the New Jersey College for Women (Rutgers University) with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952. She moved to Pullman, Wash., to obtain a Master’s degree in organic chemistry at Washington State University. There she met Chester DeLong, who was pursuing his PhD at the time. She and Chet married in August 1956 and moved in 1960 to the City of Falls Church.
While managing a busy household with three daughters, Carol devoted a share of her formidable organizational skills and attention to detail to the betterment of the then-young City of Falls Church. She served as Madison School PTA president in 1969-70, was appointed to the City’s Planning Commission in 1971, and in 1974 won election to the City Council. She won three more Council terms, serving until 1990. Her Council colleagues chose her to be Mayor for four two-year terms, from 1980 to 1988. She was City’s first woman Mayor.
While on the City Council, she served on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (1976-90), and on the the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Transportation Planning Board, which she chaired. She was instrumental in brokering compromise among the various jurisdictions in COG over transportation funding formulas. During her tenure on City Council, DeLong oversaw construction of the City Hall East Wing addition; the creation of
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