U.S. Rep. Joseph Moakley, an old-time Boston Democrat who served Massachusetts for 15 terms on Capitol Hill, died yesterday of complications from leukemia. He was 74.
Moakley, who announced in February that he was suffering from an incurable form of the disease, entered Bethesda Naval Hospital a week ago for a routine blood transfusion.
His condition deteriorated, however, and he was described as being in grave condition over the weekend. When he died at 3:30 p.m., he was surrounded by friends and family.
“Joe Moakley not only taught us how to live . . . he taught us how to die with great class and with great dignity and even with a little humor,” said Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.).
Moakley, who was first elected to Congress in 1972, lived in South Boston his entire life.
“He was a lunch-pail, neighborhood, stand-up, go-to kind of guy,” said former Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn. “He was somebody who never forgot where he came from.”
Earlier this year, Congress passed legislation to name the federal courthouse in Boston after Moakley – who jokingly expressed surprise at the signing ceremony.
“I always thought, growing up, that my name would be on some federal building,” he said.
“But I thought it might be written in chalk with some political expletive right behind it.”