[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 10, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2101-E2102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      EULOGY FOR EDWARD J. MAHONEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 10, 2007

  Mr. HIGGINS. Madam Speaker, Friday September 28, 2007, was a sad day 
for south Buffalo, where we lost one of our proudest sons--former Erie 
County Elections Commissioner Edward J. Mahoney. A political and 
personal contemporary of my father and so many of our friends, Ed 
Mahoney personified south Buffalo, and personified all that is honest 
and good about public service. Ed taught many of us many life lessons, 
and I was proud to call him my friend.
  Ed's family honored me by asking that I deliver a eulogy at his 
funeral mass, which I did proudly on October 3, 2007. Below is the 
eulogy that I delivered that day. Although mere words cannot truly 
express the man that Ed Mahoney was to all of us, it is my hope that 
they can serve as a lasting tribute to Ed's life, his family, his 
public service and to the great impact his service had on our community 
and our region as a whole.

                      Eulogy for Edward J. Mahoney

       Good Morning. On behalf of Barbara Mahoney, and Eddie's 
     children Debbie, Mary Jo, Kevin, Eileen and Christopher and 
     Robert, thank you all for your extraordinary friendship and 
     generosity over the past several days.
       In times of grief and sorrow, you again remind the Mahoney 
     family and all of us that we are a community; a family that 
     supports and loves one other in the most difficult of times.
       I really shouldn't be here delivering this eulogy. So many 
     others are more worthy than I. Dennis Dargavel, who shared a 
     most special bond of friendship with Eddie, and Michael 
     Millitello, who remains one of Eddie's closest and dearest 
     friends, are two most worthy candidates. I am honored to have 
     been asked, and am humbled by the charge that I have been 
     given.
       To Father Greg Dobson, Eddie's loving nephew and devoted 
     priest, thank you for leading us this morning in this 
     celebration of Eddie's life. Your beautiful words of 
     introspection provide context to the meaning of his life and 
     through scripture his new and everlasting life.
       Thank you Monsignor Bill Gallagher for welcoming all of us 
     and making us feel at home here at St. John Vianney Church, 
     otherwise known as the southtowns campus of St. Teresa's 
     parish. This is a beautiful and welcoming place of 
     worship, and our hearts are here with you today, as is our 
     hope.
       I am convinced that Ed Mahoney would have loved St. John 
     Vianney--because John Vianney was a wonderworker who was 
     loved by the crowds, but who maintained a childlike 
     simplicity. We all know that St. John

[[Page E2102]]

     Vianney experienced great difficulty as a student studying 
     for the priesthood, but through humility and hard work 
     overcame adversity, eventually becoming a priest and the 
     patron saint of parish priests in the Catholic Church. His 
     days were filled with works of love and charity, he became a 
     ward heeler of sorts, and, if you will, a great leader of 
     small democratic institutions.
       In fact, I am certain, that had St. John Vianney--no doubt 
     a good Democrat--lived in our time, while studying for the 
     priesthood, he would have worked his way through seminary at 
     the Erie County Board of Elections for Commissioner Ed 
     Mahoney.
       A review of Ed's life shows an unparalleled dedication to 
     public service. A decorated veteran of the United States 
     Marine Corps, a Detective Sergeant in the Buffalo Police 
     Department, South District Councilman, Buffalo Recreation 
     Director, membership on the Buffalo Civil Service Commission 
     and 25 years of service as Commissioner of the Erie County 
     Board of Elections. What a record.
       Ed served as an active Democratic committeeman for an 
     incredible 54 years, as a city zone leader for 40 years, 
     serving in that capacity with distinction under four Buffalo 
     Mayoral administrations, and serving in other capacities 
     within the administrations of Buffalo's two most recent 
     Mayors, incumbent Mayor Byron W. Brown and the immediate past 
     incumbent, Anthony M. Masiello, both of whom honor Ed with 
     their presence here today. Thank you, Your Honors, for 
     joining us in paying tribute to Ed here this morning.
       A proud graduate of South Park High School and Empire State 
     College, Ed Mahoney's life and influence transcended 
     generations, reaching far beyond every conceivable boundary.
       Ed loved young people and they loved him. Throughout his 
     career, Ed Mahoney dispensed more patronage and put more 
     young people to work than virtually anyone else.
       Kids from South Buffalo's working class families--
     particularly kids from Seneca Street--would work in the city 
     parks and pools throughout the summer. Ed's influence helped 
     thousands of kids reach their potential and go beyond--
     helping families pay for school and other expenses that 
     turned their generations into doctors, lawyers, and business 
     leaders that remain active today.
       Ed's lifelong friend, retired Assemblyman Dick Keane once 
     speculated that after Mercy Hospital and Sorrento Cheese, Ed 
     Mahoney was the third largest employer in South Buffalo. My 
     father--one of Ed's successors as South District Councilman--
     would often say publicly that Ed Mahoney helped more young 
     men and women get to and through college than anyone else.
       And Ed's willingness to help wasn't confined to kids from 
     South Buffalo. According to his friend, former Erie County 
     Democratic Chairman Joe Crangle, Ed broke the color barrier 
     at the Erie County Board of Elections by hiring its first 
     African American employee--our friend George Campbell. George 
     is here today and he along with dozens of current and former 
     BOE employees join with us to mourn Ed's passing.
       Ed Mahoney was many things to many people; a colorful and 
     lively character to be sure. A loving husband to Barbara, Ed 
     was crazy about his kids, his fourteen grandchildren, his 
     brothers and sisters, and many nieces and nephews. But more 
     than anything else, Ed Mahoney was the Commissioner--``The 
     Commish''--always and forever, the Commissioner. This was his 
     public title and what came through his public identity was 
     his great personal qualities, personal qualities that defined 
     the public person. For you see, it wasn't the title of 
     Commissioner that defined Eddie; in reality he would forever 
     define the title.
       Our dear friend Assemblyman Mark Schroeder talked often of 
     Ed Mahoney's humility. The word humility is derived from the 
     Latin word, humilis, meaning ``from the earth.'' St. 
     Augustine taught us that humility is the foundation of all 
     other human virtues. Ed knew that well.
       Dick Keane's statement over the past several days about 
     Eddie's generosity was the shortest and most defining, most 
     revealing. Dick said that ``whatever Eddie had, you had half 
     of it.'' What a testament to friendship, what a testament to 
     love and loyalty, the characteristics that defined Eddie's 
     life.
       Dick Keane and Don Kane--spelled ``K-A-N-E''--shared a 
     special friendship and bond with Eddie. Don Kane coached Dick 
     and Eddie in the Catholic Youth Council baseball league many 
     years ago.
       The scouting report on Eddie was that he could hit the ball 
     but didn't field very well. So, solid coach that Don Kane 
     was, Don put Ed in right field.
       Halfway through the game Eddie missed a couple of fly 
     balls. Sensing a problem, Don Kane went out to right field 
     and suggested that Eddie needed to better position himself. 
     He placed a stick on the ground to show Eddie where 
     approximately he should be standing. Well, sure enough, the 
     next inning comes and a fly ball goes out to right. Eddie 
     misses it.
       Don Kane goes back out tells Ed that the pop up was a 
     catchable ball and asks, ``Why didn't you go after it?'' 
     Eddie looked at him and said, ``You're the one who told me to 
     stand next to the stick.''
       Ed Mahoney loved his friends and they loved him. As kids, 
     his social engagement began on Seneca Street and Mineral 
     Springs with Dick Keane, Don Kane, Jack Fahey, Jimmy Morgan 
     and many others.
       At DiTondo's with Dick and his son, Judge Kevin Keane, with 
     Dennis Dargavel, Al Roloff, Jack Fahey and his sons Chris and 
     Mike, Johnny Hannon and a variety of special guests like Ray 
     Gallagher, Alan Lewis, and a cast of many others, depending 
     upon the day.
       Eddie Mahoney was all about loyalty and friendship. In the 
     Democratic Party, Eddie stated consistently and clearly that 
     he was with the candidate that the Chairman was supporting. 
     The tone and tenor of his voice made the implication clear: 
     that was where he expected you to be as well.
       Asked about a hotly contested neighborhood campaign that 
     took place thirty, forty or fifty years ago, Eddie remembered 
     vividly who was with him and who was against him. Eddie he 
     could be forgiving, but he never forgot.
       Ed Mahoney was all about loyalty and friendship, but he was 
     a learned man as well. Eddie knew and loved the great Irish 
     poet William Butler Yeats. It was Yeats who wrote that ``The 
     lover pleads with his friends for old friends, though you are 
     in your shining days and voices among the crowd and new 
     friends busy with your praise. Be not unkind or proud, but 
     remember old friends the most. For times bitter flood will 
     rise; your beauty perishes and be lost, for all eyes but 
     these eyes.''
       Alas, Butler Park in South Buffalo--Seneca Street, of 
     course--situated as it is the shadow of the elms bounded by 
     Pawnee and Roanoke Parkways, was not named for Yeats but was 
     instead named for the family who owned the Buffalo News. But 
     Eddie Mahoney had many friends, and kept the old ones from 
     that historic neighborhood particularly close. Pat and Don 
     Kane, Dick and Mary Keane, Dick and Nancy Kreiger, Jack and 
     Mickey Fahey, and many, many others.
       Ed's life was not without tragedy and loss, as we all know. 
     Ed and Clare, the loving and devoted mother of his six 
     children, Debbie, Michael, Timothy, Mary Jo, Kevin and 
     Eileen, suffered the staggering loss of two of their boys, 
     each killed during their teenaged years. That Eddie is now 
     reunited at long last with his sons, Michael and Timmy allows 
     us to accept our loss of him just a bit easier.
       As I said, Ed Mahoney was a learned man, and as a good 
     Democrat he had a particular fondness for Robert Kennedy. 
     Eddie campaigned for Bobby Kennedy when he ran for the Senate 
     and for President. They shared a love of politics and they 
     shared the loss of those they each loved dearly.
       Triumph and tragedy. The scriptures say that your old men 
     shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. And 
     where there is no vision, life shall perish from the earth.
       One of Kennedy's favorite poets--the Greek tragic poet 
     Aeschylus, reminded us that God's law commands that he who 
     learns must suffer. And even in our sleep, pain that cannot 
     forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own 
     despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful 
     grace of God.
       Ed Mahoney knew deep pain and boundless joy. He gave and 
     received joy from family, friends and fellow patriots who 
     loved their community and their country. Rest in peace, 
     Commish. Your work on earth is done but your life and the 
     lessons you taught us will live on.

                          ____________________