By Linda Chuss

This June, coworkers and friends of Mark Tosti, a lifelong Milford resident and the maintenance supervisor at the courthouse, dedicated a newly planted tree and plaque on the grounds of the building in his memory. Tosti passed away from cancer in August 2021.

“There used to be a big, old tree there and it was a hassle for Mark to cut the lawn at that spot because of the exposed roots,” explained John Wallace, who worked with Tosti at the court for nearly 20 years. “That tree ended up dying and was cut down. We decided to plant a replacement tree there for Mark.”

Picking right up where Tosti left off, his replacement, Ron Perron, prepared the site and built the memorial. Lamberts Garden Center in Mendon helped with the tree, and Signs Plus in Milford, where Tosti once worked, made the plaque. Coworkers contributed flowers and funds.

“We started this a year ago and by this summer, it was in bloom for the dedication,” said Wallace. “Judy Dagnese, Tosti’s sister, attended. His daughter, Alicia Tosti, lives in Hawaii now and couldn’t make it. Alicia and Mark were best friends and dedicated to each other. I hope my relationship with my children will be like that when they are grown.

“When I first started working at the court, we quickly became very good friends,” said Wallace. “I think about him every day. He always greeted me with a warm welcome and a big smile that made me forget my troubles right then. We used to give each other a hard time, in a joking way.”

Wallace also appreciated Tosti’s generosity. “He’d cut lawns for people who needed the help. If you needed some obscure repair, he’s the first one you’d call. Mark could fix anything and always had tools in the back of his truck just in case someone needed help.”

When Tosti drove around Milford, his hand was almost always out the window, waving to people he passed. It seemed nearly everyone in town knew Tosti, and everyone who knew him was fond of him. That relationship with so many people is among his most memorable traits, according to Wallace.

When Wallace, Perron, and others see the tree and Tosti’s name on the stone at the court, their memories of him will once again make them forget their troubles.