Lillian Ciarrochi, 85, long-time activist in feminist causes, died on April 13, 2016 in Philadelphia.

"A real jewel, a lover of action, a fighter and a strong friend, who helped us out of so many jams, Lillian was an indefatigable feminist who worked constantly for women's rights at the local, state and national levels," says Eleanor Smeal, three term president of National NOW and founder of the Feminist Majority, with whom Lillian shared a mutual admiration society. "She did whatever needed to be done and never looked at any clocks. She was totally involved in ERA ratification from 1972 to 1982 and stayed involved all her life. A total news junkie, even in the last few years, she cheered from the sidelines, most recently to support Hillary Clinton's campaign."

The last survivor of nine siblings of Mary (Taraschi) and Alfred Ciarrochi of Ardmore, Ciarrochi was an accounting supervisor at Scott Paper Company in 1981 when she left her job to join others to answer a call of the National Organization for Women (NOW) to volunteer to help ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in Florida, one of five states which had not yet ratified. She did it, she said, in memory of her Italian immigrant mother. "She had very few choices in her life. I wanted very much to make women's lives more fulfilling than hers was."

Ciarrochi, then 49, went to Tallahassee, FL, where working 15-hour days, she organized phone banks, coordinated demonstrations, and handled state-wide public relations. "We have lots of volunteers and good things are happening here," she wrote a friend. "I only hope it isn't too late." It was too late; the amendment never received the necessary 38 states, failing by three states by the June 30, 1982 deadline.

A woman of strong and vocal convictions, Ciarrochi said she felt "sad and angry. I feel as though 22 members of the Florida Senate showed extreme cowardice," but she was more determined than ever. "I feel we have reached the hearts and minds of hundreds and thousands of people who will carry their anger into the voting booth in November."

Ciarrochi worked as controller at the NOW national office in Washington, D.C., before she returned to Philadelphia to become manager of accounting at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, and later auditor with the State Treasury Department.

Ciarrochi's women's equality work in Florida was an extension of her activism in Philadelphia where she was Treasurer and President of Philadelphia NOW. Ciarrochi led the nation's largest delegation of 3500 to the 1978 ERA march in Washington and women's groups in Philadelphia wrote an average of 7,000 letter a month to the President and Congress members about ERA.

NOW's media project pressured television stations, such as KYW TV, to hire women on-camera anchors and producers. Ciarrochi was especially proud of Jessica Savitch's promotion to news anchor at KYW TV.

Philadelphia NOW developed a "Barefoot and Pregnant Award" presented to sexist institutions. In 1973, when Judge Lisa Richette gave a keynote speech at the Union League, but was told she had to enter through the back door. Lillian and others went at 4 am to tie a huge pink bow and the award to the League's front door.

"The publicity kept up, we kept it up, we picketed them, all kinds of things." Lillian recalled in an interview. "They voted to allow women members by about ten votes, because the younger men saw the handwriting on the wall. It was so exciting to be able to break down these barriers, but you had to hit the streets. You couldn't just 'be lady-like and say well we think women should whatever…,' you had to embarrass them to do whatever you could to raise their consciousness to do the right thing."

Ciarrochi actively supported Penny Brace when she filed a grievance with the EEOC to become the first female police officer in Philadelphia. When Philadelphia's Mayor Frank Rizzo, asked her, "Lillian, what's a nice Italian woman like you getting involved with these things?" He said he loved women and that he put his wife, Carmella, up on a pedestal.

Ciarrochi's retort: "We don't want to be up on pedestals. We want equal jobs and equal pay."

Ciarrochi was a graduate of West Catholic High School for Girls. After studying at Villanova University, she attended seven years of night school and received a bachelor's degree in accounting.

A Viewing will be held on Monday April 18th, 11:00 AM at McConaghy Funeral Home, 328 W. Lancaster Ave, Ardmore, PA 19003. A short Memorial Service will follow at 12 Noon. Burial will follow in St. Denis Cemetery, Havertown, PA.

Lillian hoped to live to see Hillary Clinton as President, and those who would like to honor her memory may make contributions to the NOW Political Action Committee, 1100 H Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20005.