By Howard Koplowitz
Gloria D’Amico, who became the first woman to serve as Queens County clerk, died Tuesday after a battle with cancer. She was 83.
D’Amico began her political career by joining the Taminent Regular Democratic Club in Astoria and rose to district leader in 1970.
That same year, she got a job with the Queens County Board of Elections and two years later became chief clerk.
As chief clerk, one of D’Amico’s greatest achievements in her 20 years in that position was transferring the paper records of Queens’ one million voters into computerized form.
As county clerk, D’Amico put her stamp on the position by making Queens the first county to initiate off-site microfilming records.
More recently, she oversaw the final stages of the renovation of the clerk’s office.
“Gloria was a longtime friend and colleague in government who served with distinction for almost a generation as county clerk,” Borough President Helen Marshall said in a statement. “She worked hard to improve the conditions for the thousands of jurors who report to duty in Queens County and was very effective in bringing about change and improved the environment for those who served.”
D’Amico is survived by her sons Louis and Leonard, grandchildren Leonard, Michael, Amanda and Lauren and great-grandchildren Olivia and Chloe.
