Joe Moakley

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American politician, a legend in his own lifetime, an enduring and celebrated Dem. congressman. Earthy and affable, Moakley loved his country and worked on countless projects such as the harbor cleanup, the federal courthouse, teaching hospitals, schools, colleges, veteran shelters and community centers. He is noted as one of the state’s most beloved public officials, a man of humor, humility and humanity who fought for his constituents. One three boys, he was raised a devout Catholic in a Southie public housing project. His dad drove a laundry truck and later owned two taverns. When WW II began, Moakley, at age 15, lied about his age to enter the U.S. Navy. The stocky youth attended University of Miami on a boxing scholarship and also played football. Entering politics, he was a state rep at 25, in 1952. Ten years later he moved into the State senate for six years. He earned his law degree at Suffolk’s, night school. He moved up to Congress 20 years later by running as an independent. He and his wife, Evelyn, had no children. In July1995, he had a liver transplant because of rapid deterioration from hepatitis B virus. He had already had a hip replacement and kidney surgery and during his recovery, his wife was terminally ill with cancer. He announced his illness of leukemia on 2/11/2001 and worked up to the last few days. Moakley died of leukemia on May 28, 2001, 2:30 PM, Bethesda Memorial Hospital, age 74. Link to Wikipedia biography