'Universally loved' Pittsburgh clerk supervisor handles criminal justice system with grace and compassion
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Theresa Bronowicz is an unrecognized public servant who has dedicated her entire life to criminal justice. She's been a clerk supervisor in city court for 58 years -- handling that rough and tumble world with grace and compassion.
You'll find her deep in the bowels of Pittsburgh city court. As she has been most days since 1965, Theresa Bronowicz will be at her desk, cocooned in a nest of court papers, greasing the wheels of criminal justice.
She's scheduling hearings and postponements, filing dispositions and fines, moving the daily parade of defendants through court. It's not the stuff of glamour, but she seldom misses a day, processing hundreds of thousands of cases over 58 years -- with no plans of stopping.
Bronowicz: "I would have to think I like my job in order to come here every day."
Sheehan: "You would hope so."
Bronowicz: "I think I do."
"I've known her for 45 years. I've never heard an unkind word said about her from victims, defendants, prosecutors, defense attorneys, cops, administrators and judges. Universally loved," said defense attorney Bob Del Greco.
In the rough and tumble world of criminal justice, Theresa is calm in the eye of the storm. Through the stress and drama, she has earned a reputation of kindness and compassion for all the participants involved.
"It doesn't matter why you're here. Whether you're a person that's been charged with a crime, a witness, a victim, a defense attorney, a prosecutor, her staff, she treats everyone with the same level of kindness and respect and it's a tenet that all of us should follow as public servants," said Angharad Stock, the chief deputy court administrator.
To Theresa, they're more than judges lawyers and police officers.
"It's like a family," she said.
Her faith sustains her. At least three days a week she spends her lunch hour at the noon Mass at St. Mary's -- part of the reason Del Greco commissioned a bench in her honor with a plaque that reads "In Recognition of the Patron Saint of City Court."
"For 58 years, she makes her daily trip to pray for all of us, all of the great unwashed at city court, the combat zone, the war zone. And she comes back with that kind heart and gentle spirit," Del Greco said.
And there's no retirement in sight.
Bronowicz: "You never know. I'm not one to plan but I may come in here some morning and say that I'm leaving."
Sheehan: "That'll be a sad day for a lot of people."
Bronowicz: "Oh I don't know I'm sure things will just go on like they always did."