LYNN – Former Senate President William Bulger said Wednesday afternoon one of things he will be grateful for this Thanksgiving weekend is the professional and personal relationship he has had for years with Lynn’s Walter Boverini.
?Walter was in the senate to do his job for the constituents,” Bulger said. “Walter always looked at his public service as something that was always worth giving his best shot. Walter did his job when he was in the senate and it was never important for him to make sure everyone knew what he accomplished. His attitude was always to make sure he knew he had done what he could to help the people.”
Boverini’s wife, Chris, said Wednesday morning that the former state senator is seriously ill.
?We all know that Walter is seriously ill, but the outpouring of concern, letters and cards we have received has all been a big support for Walter and our entire family,” she said.
Lynn Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr., who visited Boverini Wednesday afternoon, said he realizes Boverini is seriously ill, “but we all hope and pray he will recover.”
Boverini, 83, was elected to the senate in 1973, only after he had a distinguished military career, had served as a public schoolteacher, high school coach and served as a state representative in 1971-72.
Boverini flew 35 combat missions over Europe in World War II and received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He coached at St. Mary’s and English High and taught English and physical education at English before becoming the school’s vice principal.
In 1970, he ran for state representative in the former 9th Essex District at a time when the Massachusetts House had 240 instead of the current 160 members.
He topped a seven-candidate ticket along with attorney James Carrigan and the pair went to the State House where Carrigan went on to win a special election to fill the 1st Essex Senate seat.
Boverini ran for the seat in 1972 and fought the toughest battle of his political career against Carrigan. He won 11,776 to 11,290.
Bulger, who visited Boverini this week with Judge Paul Mahoney, said, “Walter is a very earthy person and there is no doubt he got that way because of his upbringing and the fact that his world had been tempered by war,” Bulger said. “Because he understood how brief life is, he was always able to keep things in their proper perspective.”
Bulger, who was the longest serving senate president in the state, said he could not have had that longevity without Boverini as the majority leader.
?Year in and year out, Walter has always been faithful to me, and not a blind faith,” Bulger said. “One of the reasons I was able to be the longest serving senate president (1978-1996) was because Walter was a great majority leader. If I had to use one word to describe Walter it would, without a doubt, be judgment.”
Boverini became the senate’s second assistant majority leader in 1979 and became majority leader in 1985.
Boverini announced in 1994 he would not seek re-election.
?What made Walter a great senator and great majority leader is that he knew we all had to worry about the substance of things at hand and not appearances,” Bulger said. “Too many people get wrapped up in appearances, but not Walter.”
Boverini’s tenure as a teacher, coach and vice principal steered him during his legislative years to education issues. He was chairman of the joint committee on education for six years and led commissions studying unequal education opportunities and higher education reform.
?Walter was always so concerned about his former players, students and education as a whole, that he once told me he never would have a drink in his district,” Bulger said. “He always told me that the waiter or waitress serving him could be a former student or player and he did not want to set a bad example.”
Eighteenth century English author Samuel Johnson wrote, “Example is always more efficacious than precept.”
?That is exactly how Walter Boverini has lived every day of his life,” Bulger said