A woman with deep ties to local environmental efforts as well as doing groundbreaking work in area politics has died.
Irene Gossin died on Monday at the age of 97. When Gossin was elected Town Supervisor in Penfield in 1971, she was that town’s first elected Democrat and the first woman to run a government in Monroe County.
Gossin has long been active in local environmental efforts, working to protect wetlands and fighting against pollution.
She also worked on land use and open space issues in Penfield, and after filling the Supervisor’s role there for 10 years, she later served in the Monroe County Legislature for several years.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Mindy MacLaren bought 18 acres of land across from Rothfuss Park to eventually be turned over to the Genesee Land Trust.
That nature preserve was named for Gossin, and the Irene L.Gossin Nature Preserve is scheduled to open in 2018 with hiking trails and a nature center.
Details on a memorial service are still pending.
WXXI interviewed Gossin and MacLaren as part of a Connections with Evan Dawson program that aired in May. You can listen to that Connections' hour here.
