Gerald O'Leary

Gerald F. "Gerry" O’Leary (August 7, 1932 – May 23, 2014) was an American politician from South Boston, Massachusetts.

Gerald F. O'Leary
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 5th Suffolk District
In office
1965–1969
President of the Boston City Council
In office
1974–1975
Preceded byPatrick F. McDonough
Succeeded byLouise Day Hicks
In office
1969
Preceded byWilliam J. Foley Jr.
Succeeded byGabriel F. Piemonte
Member of the Boston City Council
In office
1968–1975
Personal details
BornAugust 7, 1932
Boston
DiedMay 23, 2014 (aged 81)
Quincy, Massachusetts
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materCollege of the Holy Cross
Portia Law School
OccupationBroker

O'Leary was born on August 7, 1932, in Boston. He attended English High School of Boston, College of the Holy Cross, and Portia Law School.[1] A student athlete, O'Leary ran the 400 metres at English and played running back for the Holy Cross football team.[2]

O'Leary represented the 5th Suffolk District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1965 to 1969.[1] He then went on to serve on the Boston City Council from 1968 to 1975. He was the Council's President in 1969 and from 1974 to 1975. He ran for the United States Senate in 1972, but lost to Middlesex County District Attorney John J. Droney in the Democratic primary. In 1979, he was elected to the Boston School Committee. He resigned on October 4, 1980, after being arrested and charged with attempting to extort a $650,000 kickback from a school bus company.[3] He pleaded guilty to violating the Hobbs Act and was sentenced to eighteen months in prison.[4]

O'Leary had a wife, who died of breast cancer, and 5 daughters who remain alive today. He has 3 grandchildren.

O'Leary died on May 23, 2014, at his home in Quincy, Massachusetts.[5]

References
  1. 1967–1968 Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  2. Powers, John (September 27, 1981). "Gerry O'Leary's homecoming". The Boston Globe.
  3. Yang, John E. (October 5, 1980). "O'Leary quits school board". The Boston Globe.
  4. Doherty, William F. (March 11, 1981). "O'Leary gets 18 months". The Boston Globe.
  5. "Gerald F. O'Leary". Boston Herald. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
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