by FRANK CONTE
Guy Umana would spend most of his time at the Winthrop Nursing Home in Medford on the telephone, opening each conversation with the inquiry of “What’s going on?” It didn’t matter who he called or at what time; Guy had this obsession to find out what was happening and what was being said in East Boston. It didn’t matter if he was far away in a somber rest home. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t feeling well — in that case he’d immediately ask you to come visit. Guy simply had to know what was on his neighbors’ minds.
Guy’s friends would visit and inform him about the latest gossip. They did so not as a favor for an old friend, but because they knew they would walk away wiser and better informed than when they walked in.
Today, when people move out of East Boston, the neighborhood becomes a memory — something that has only nostalgic value. But Guy Umana loved East Boston too much to forget about it. He knew and admired its people, its tradition, and its character. His columns in the Post-Gazette and in these pages clearly reflected that love.
In the age of television, Guy was able to organize political rallies which drew hundreds of people to places like Day Square. At those rallies the Umanas were known to bring pizzas to sway the crowd, and Guy’s children could be found handing out political literature for their uncle. More often than not, such campaigning would work. By the way, those were the rallies where the little guy counted. Guy knew how to ask people for their votes.
He became his brother Mario’s closest advisor, telling his young Harvard-educated brother how to get elected. It was probably Guy who concocted that famous line that Mario used in a tight re-election battle: “My opponent has a Harvard accent, but I have the Harvard diploma.”
The rest is history. Mario went on to win a few terms in the Senate even after his career was interrupted by a loss to Michael LoPresti, Sr. Afterwards Mario became majority leader of the Senate, and then was appointed to a judgeship by former Governor Francis Sargent in 1973.
But Guy was always behind Mario’s success. “When you wanted to see Mario, you saw Guy first,” says one longtime political observer. “That was the rule of thumb.”
Of course, if you lived a life as full of experience as Guy did, you have many stories to tell about the way things were and how people reacted to the events around them. So it was natural that Guy would turn to writing his well‑respected columns. Guy personified the old neighborhood gadfly — unpretentious, and perhaps not as flashy as today’s columnists. He spoke his mind and defended those loyal to his brand of street politics.
Even though he may have been partisan, there was one trait you simply can’t discount: loyalty. In my many conversations with Guy, I often debated his political support for officeholders, but he never withered. He owed, at least, kind words to those who helped his family politically.
Guy Umana’s life was an example to those who care about civic American life. After his father died, Guy worked hard with his mother in the family’s Cottage Street Bakery. As the oldest son, he took responsibility for providing for his immediate family, sacrificing an education and his own political aspirations. In Guy’s mind, that was what you were supposed to do.
When Guy was elected class president at East Boston High, he clearly demonstrated leadership skills that spelled out a political career. Unable to pursue that path because of family obligations, Guy instead groomed his brother Mario for political office.
With amazing political skill, Guy helped Mario win a seat in the House of Representatives. Those who benefited from Guy’s support — former Mayor Kevin White, former School Committee member David Finnegan, and more recently Michael LoPresti, Jr. — could never take his backing for granted. In an age where political officeholders spend thousands for advice, Guy would offer much more valuable information just for the asking.
One of the greatest honors I received was an acknowledgment in one of Guy’s columns that my work with Great Eastie Television was an asset. On the other hand, I also took some heat from Guy for some of my political prejudices. Nonetheless, I walked away a more mature fellow.
Guy’s contributions to the Community News were clearly an asset to a fledgling paper. Many people in East Boston would turn to the Post‑Gazette’s Noddle Island page before anything else.
There was no reason why old-timers and newcomers wouldn’t appreciate a piece of oral history in the pages of the Community News. “Guy Umana sells!”
Guy also used his knowledge of East Boston to teach us about our past. His way of name-dropping made ordinary citizens feel important. The man that everyone once thought was a senator recalled much from our rich social and political past.
With his passing, one of the many things Guy Umana teaches us is that families are important. He knew, and showed us, that we should always be ready to step in when the family is in need, and that without strong families, society itself becomes feeble. This was part of Guy’s philosophy long before it came into vogue in the likes of Mario Cuomo.
But Guy didn’t stop there. After love for family, he extended his love to an entire neighborhood.
The Community News extends its sympathy to Guy Umana’s family and friends. Thank you for sharing him with us.
This article appeared in the July 16, 1985 edition of the East Boston Community News
