LOWELL - John J. Desmond, 72, a former city councilor and state representative for Lowell who played a leading Statehouse role in welfare and banking reform legislation, died Sunday afternoon, Aug. 18, at Tewksbury Hospital. He was the husband of Gloria (Winn) Desmond, to whom he was married for 52 years. He was a son of the late William J. and Mary (Lynch) Desmond and graduated from Lowell High School. He was a lifelong resident of the city's Belvidere section.
He was a member of a prominent Lowell political family, and first served as a city councilor from 1960 to 1965. He then was elected as a state representative and served in the House from 1965 until 1972.
During his tenure as a state representative, he was chairman of the powerful Welfare Investigation Committee. The committee's report called for massive welfare reform; it was initially set aside, but years later was used as the basis for modern welfare reform in the commonwealth.
He also wrote and introduced the bill entitled "The Truth-in-Lending Act," which forced banks and other state lending institutions to give people access to information concerning actual percentage rates, fees and hidden costs of their loans. This law became the model for the Truth-in-Lending Law passed by the federal government.
He helped establish low-income housing for veterans, the elderly, and young families. He worked to distribute funds across the city for parks, playgrounds and programs for the city's youth. He ended his career in state government in 1972, after he was defeated in his campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
From 1973 until his retirement in 1988, he served at the West Roxbury District Court, first as assistant clerk magistrate and later as clerk magistrate.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children and their spouses, John Desmond Jr. and his wife Cynthia (Abodeely) Desmond Jr. of Andover, Bruce and Barbara (Terry) Desmond of Somerville, Gary and Donna (Byrne) Desmond, David and Donna (Dubuque) Desmond, all of Lowell, Kevin and Barbara (Chouinard) Desmond of Hudson; 15 grandchildren, John and Jeff of Andover, Matthew, Caitlin, Seamus and Joseph of Somerville, Kara and Sean of Lowell, Kevin, Rachael and Jillian of Hudson, and Molly, Emily, Daniel and Thomas of Lowell; two brothers and a sister-in-law, William J. Desmond, and Cornelius and Dorothy Desmond; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Mary, and Patricia and Frank. He also leaves his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Campbell, Joan Kouble, Joyce and James Molloy, Deborah and John Taylor, Buddy and Norma Winn, and John Taylor; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was also the brother of the late Lucille Taylor. (Published in Lowell Sun on August 20, 2002)
He was a member of a prominent Lowell political family, and first served as a city councilor from 1960 to 1965. He then was elected as a state representative and served in the House from 1965 until 1972.
During his tenure as a state representative, he was chairman of the powerful Welfare Investigation Committee. The committee's report called for massive welfare reform; it was initially set aside, but years later was used as the basis for modern welfare reform in the commonwealth.
He also wrote and introduced the bill entitled "The Truth-in-Lending Act," which forced banks and other state lending institutions to give people access to information concerning actual percentage rates, fees and hidden costs of their loans. This law became the model for the Truth-in-Lending Law passed by the federal government.
He helped establish low-income housing for veterans, the elderly, and young families. He worked to distribute funds across the city for parks, playgrounds and programs for the city's youth. He ended his career in state government in 1972, after he was defeated in his campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
From 1973 until his retirement in 1988, he served at the West Roxbury District Court, first as assistant clerk magistrate and later as clerk magistrate.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children and their spouses, John Desmond Jr. and his wife Cynthia (Abodeely) Desmond Jr. of Andover, Bruce and Barbara (Terry) Desmond of Somerville, Gary and Donna (Byrne) Desmond, David and Donna (Dubuque) Desmond, all of Lowell, Kevin and Barbara (Chouinard) Desmond of Hudson; 15 grandchildren, John and Jeff of Andover, Matthew, Caitlin, Seamus and Joseph of Somerville, Kara and Sean of Lowell, Kevin, Rachael and Jillian of Hudson, and Molly, Emily, Daniel and Thomas of Lowell; two brothers and a sister-in-law, William J. Desmond, and Cornelius and Dorothy Desmond; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Mary, and Patricia and Frank. He also leaves his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Campbell, Joan Kouble, Joyce and James Molloy, Deborah and John Taylor, Buddy and Norma Winn, and John Taylor; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was also the brother of the late Lucille Taylor. (Published in Lowell Sun on August 20, 2002)
LOWELL - John J. Desmond, 72, a former city councilor and state representative for Lowell who played a leading Statehouse role in welfare and banking reform legislation, died Sunday afternoon, Aug. 18, at Tewksbury Hospital. He was the husband of Gloria (Winn) Desmond, to whom he was married for 52 years. He was a son of the late William J. and Mary (Lynch) Desmond and graduated from Lowell High School. He was a lifelong resident of the city's Belvidere section.
He was a member of a prominent Lowell political family, and first served as a city councilor from 1960 to 1965. He then was elected as a state representative and served in the House from 1965 until 1972.
During his tenure as a state representative, he was chairman of the powerful Welfare Investigation Committee. The committee's report called for massive welfare reform; it was initially set aside, but years later was used as the basis for modern welfare reform in the commonwealth.
He also wrote and introduced the bill entitled "The Truth-in-Lending Act," which forced banks and other state lending institutions to give people access to information concerning actual percentage rates, fees and hidden costs of their loans. This law became the model for the Truth-in-Lending Law passed by the federal government.
He helped establish low-income housing for veterans, the elderly, and young families. He worked to distribute funds across the city for parks, playgrounds and programs for the city's youth. He ended his career in state government in 1972, after he was defeated in his campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
From 1973 until his retirement in 1988, he served at the West Roxbury District Court, first as assistant clerk magistrate and later as clerk magistrate.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children and their spouses, John Desmond Jr. and his wife Cynthia (Abodeely) Desmond Jr. of Andover, Bruce and Barbara (Terry) Desmond of Somerville, Gary and Donna (Byrne) Desmond, David and Donna (Dubuque) Desmond, all of Lowell, Kevin and Barbara (Chouinard) Desmond of Hudson; 15 grandchildren, John and Jeff of Andover, Matthew, Caitlin, Seamus and Joseph of Somerville, Kara and Sean of Lowell, Kevin, Rachael and Jillian of Hudson, and Molly, Emily, Daniel and Thomas of Lowell; two brothers and a sister-in-law, William J. Desmond, and Cornelius and Dorothy Desmond; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Mary, and Patricia and Frank. He also leaves his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Campbell, Joan Kouble, Joyce and James Molloy, Deborah and John Taylor, Buddy and Norma Winn, and John Taylor; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was also the brother of the late Lucille Taylor. (Published in Lowell Sun on August 20, 2002)
He was a member of a prominent Lowell political family, and first served as a city councilor from 1960 to 1965. He then was elected as a state representative and served in the House from 1965 until 1972.
During his tenure as a state representative, he was chairman of the powerful Welfare Investigation Committee. The committee's report called for massive welfare reform; it was initially set aside, but years later was used as the basis for modern welfare reform in the commonwealth.
He also wrote and introduced the bill entitled "The Truth-in-Lending Act," which forced banks and other state lending institutions to give people access to information concerning actual percentage rates, fees and hidden costs of their loans. This law became the model for the Truth-in-Lending Law passed by the federal government.
He helped establish low-income housing for veterans, the elderly, and young families. He worked to distribute funds across the city for parks, playgrounds and programs for the city's youth. He ended his career in state government in 1972, after he was defeated in his campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
From 1973 until his retirement in 1988, he served at the West Roxbury District Court, first as assistant clerk magistrate and later as clerk magistrate.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children and their spouses, John Desmond Jr. and his wife Cynthia (Abodeely) Desmond Jr. of Andover, Bruce and Barbara (Terry) Desmond of Somerville, Gary and Donna (Byrne) Desmond, David and Donna (Dubuque) Desmond, all of Lowell, Kevin and Barbara (Chouinard) Desmond of Hudson; 15 grandchildren, John and Jeff of Andover, Matthew, Caitlin, Seamus and Joseph of Somerville, Kara and Sean of Lowell, Kevin, Rachael and Jillian of Hudson, and Molly, Emily, Daniel and Thomas of Lowell; two brothers and a sister-in-law, William J. Desmond, and Cornelius and Dorothy Desmond; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Mary, and Patricia and Frank. He also leaves his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Campbell, Joan Kouble, Joyce and James Molloy, Deborah and John Taylor, Buddy and Norma Winn, and John Taylor; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was also the brother of the late Lucille Taylor. (Published in Lowell Sun on August 20, 2002)
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