C. Gerald Lucey Explained

C. Gerald Lucey
Office:Mayor of Brockton, Massachusetts
Predecessor:Melvin B. Clifford
Successor:Hjalmar Peterson
Term Start:1952
Term End:1956
Office2:Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 8th Plymouth District
Predecessor2:Harvey Iris
Successor2:James R. Lawton
Term Start2:1947
Term End2:1953
Birth Date:8 September 1913
Birth Place:Brockton, Massachusetts
Death Place:New Haven, Connecticut
Alma Mater:Providence College
Suffolk University Law School
Party:Democrat
Profession:Salesman
Mayor
Transportation executive

C. Gerald Lucey (1913-1989) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Brockton, Massachusetts and was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Early life

Lucey was born on September 8, 1913, in Brockton.[1] His father, Charles Lucey, served as a member of the Brockton board of aldermen and was an unsuccessful candidate for mayor.[2] Lucey attended Brockton High School, Providence College, and Suffolk University Law School.

Political career

Municipal office

In 1936, Lucey was elected to the Brockton city council. In 1937, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Brockton board of aldermen in Ward 2.[3] He returned to the council in 1942, but left later that year to enlist in the United States Army. He served in the 6th General Hospital in North Africa and Italy during World War II.[4]

In 1947, Lucey was a candidate for mayor of Brockton, but lost to incumbent Joseph H. Downey.[5] In 1951, he again ran for mayor. This time he was successful, defeating incumbent Melvin B. Clifford 14,667 votes to 14,232.[6] During his tenure as mayor, Brockton built four junior high schools and Lucey was credited with attracting a Veterans Administration medical center to the city. Lucey was elected to a second term as mayor in 1953. He defeated Republican Paul Keith 13,958 votes to 11,911. Sticker candidate George F. Rodenbush received 2,183 votes.[7] In 1955, Lucey was defeated in his bid for reelection by Hjalmar Peterson 17,120 votes to 12,323.[8]

In 1963, Lucey once again ran for mayor, but was unsuccessful.[9]

Massachusetts House of Representatives

In 1946, Lucey was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In 1952, Lucey was drafted to run for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts by fifty of his House colleagues.[10] He finished a distant second place in the Democratic primary behind incumbent Charles F. Sullivan.[11]

Later life and death

After leaving office, Lucey worked as executive vice president of Peerless Transportation of Holbrook, Massachusetts. He eventually left Brockton and moved to Orange, Connecticut. Lucey died on October 20, 1989, at St. Raphael's Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut.

Lucey's niece, Claire D. Cronin, is the United States Ambassador to Ireland.[12]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1951-1952. March 15, 2017.
  2. News: Chas. Lucey, Was Alderman In Brockton. The Boston Globe. May 12, 1966.
  3. News: Rowe, McCaffrey Named for Mayor in Brockton. The Boston Daily Globe. November 17, 1937.
  4. News: C. Gerald Lucey, 76; Was Brockton Mayor, Legislator. The Boston Globe. October 21, 1989.
  5. News: Nominated for Mayor. The Boston Globe. October 8, 1947.
  6. News: City Police Watch State Police Watching Ballots in Brockton. The Boston Daily Globe. November 8, 1951.
  7. News: Mayor Lucey Leads Vote in Brockton. The Boston Daily Globe. November 4, 1953.
  8. News: Peterson Upsets Lucey for Mayor. The Boston Daily Globe. November 9, 1955.
  9. News: Powers. Richard. 6 Seeking Brockton Mayoral Nomination. The Boston Globe. September 29, 1963.
  10. News: 50 Democrats in Bid to Draft Lucey Into Lt. Governor Race. The Boston Daily Globe. July 4, 1952.
  11. Book: Election Statistics; The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1952 .
  12. Web site: Ambassador Claire D. Cronin. 2022-02-13. U.S. Embassy in Ireland. en-US. 2022-02-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20220210225104/https://ie.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/our-ambassador/. dead.