As part of the
ceremony, Fedele's sister, Frances DiFria, pulled the flag down,
unveiling the words "Anthony V. Fedele Way." Six members of the high
school drum line played "Somerville Leads the Way," officially
commemorating the dedication of the concourse.

"This dedication
is a small piece of the community saying thank you and forever will
memorialize all [Fedele has] done for us," said Mayor Joseph A.
Curtatone.

Although the concourse formerly memorialized all veterans, Fedele also served in the armed service.

"He
received the Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, the National
Defense Service Medal, the United States Service Medal,"

Curtatone said. "Dedication to country, sacrifice to community, Tony Fedele embodied it all."

When
Fedele died on May 14, 2007, at age 70, he left a legacy at Somerville
High School. Fedele, a teacher and headmaster for over 40 years,
created a scholarship foundation, had the National Honor Society named
after him and shaped the minds of many Somerville residents, including
Curtatone and Regina Pisa, Somerville Museum president.

"Good
teachers help students develop their talents, but great teachers help
students discover talents they never knew they had," Pisa said.

"By that definition, Tony Fedele was a great teacher."

The speakers at the ceremony emphasized Fedele's way of mentoring students and colleagues throughout their lives.

"He
remembered so many people at 14, 15 and 16 years old even as they got
to be 40, 50 and 60," said Eve Shelton-Jones, who spoke on behalf of
High School Headmaster Anthony Ciccariello.

Fedele, friends
said, embodied the spirit of Somerville. He participated in community
organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, Kiwanis International
and the Historical Society. He also taught as an adjunct professor at
Bunker Hill Community College.

"I believe this sign, although a
simple memorial, is going to say an awful lot about the values of this
city and the values that we're teaching our children about how
important education is," said Alderman-at-Large Bruce Desmond. "That
would mean a lot to Tony Fedele."

At times, Fedele left
Somerville, like when he got his masters at Brown University or moved
to Scituate near the end of his life, but he always came back.

"The
words in the song 'Somerville Leads the Way' were not idle words to
him," said Shelton-Jones. "He wanted everybody to know about the city
of Somerville. He wanted them to know the pride in his community,the
history in his community, and to feel it the way he did."

Now, Fedele's commitment to the community will not only be remembered. It will be set in stone. Well, metal to be exact.

"His legacy will live on," Curtatone said.