Richard W. DeKorte
Encyclopedia
Richard W. DeKorte was a New Jersey
Republican
member of the New Jersey General Assembly
.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey
to John I. and Henrietta DeKorte, Richard W. DeKorte was educated at Amherst College
and the University of Chicago Law School
. DeKorte specialized in Estate Law at the Paterson law firm of Jeffer, Walter, Tierney, DeKorte, Hopkinson & Vogel. He served as a mayor and councilman in his hometown of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
.
DeKorte was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly
in 1967 and later elected majority leader with Thomas Kean
as speaker. In 1970, DeKorte was appointed counsel to Governor of New Jersey
William T. Cahill
When Cahill lost his bid for re-election as Governor (due to the Watergate scandal's nation-wide impact on Republicans), there were "Transition Meetings" where DeKorte assisted in bringing the governor-elect, Brendan Byrne
up to speed. It is said that Byrne was so impressed with the DeKorte during those meetings he made DeKorte Head of the New Jersey State Energy Office (or "Energy Czar
" as he was called). DeKorte chaired the New Jersey's United States Bicentennial
Commission.
On March 16, 1975, DeKorte died of cancer at his home in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
. During the time between DeKorte being diagnosed, and the time of his death he was visited by former-Governor Cahill, Governor Byrne, (via helicopter landing on nearby McBride Field, amazing neighborhood children) and many other respected members of the New Jersey political community.
The funeral in the gymnasium at the Most Blessed Sacrament School in Franklin Lakes drew an enormous crowd. (Please note that although his funeral was held at Most Blessed Sacrament School he was not Roman Catholic) In addition to the state police escorting former Governor William Cahill and Governor Byrne, the Franklin Lakes Police Department was called to handle the colossal crowd.
DeKorte's widow Paulette Ramsey (She has remarried, but at the time of the funeral she was still Paulette DeKorte. She now serves on the Franklin Lakes Borough Council) received an overwhelming number of sympathy cards, flowers, and boxes full of letters from people she never even met.
After DeKorte's death in 1975, the headquarters of the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission (renamed as the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
in 2000), which DeKorte created by sponsoring a piece of legislation, was named Richard W. DeKorte Park in his honor.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
to John I. and Henrietta DeKorte, Richard W. DeKorte was educated at Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
and the University of Chicago Law School
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
. DeKorte specialized in Estate Law at the Paterson law firm of Jeffer, Walter, Tierney, DeKorte, Hopkinson & Vogel. He served as a mayor and councilman in his hometown of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the...
.
DeKorte was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
in 1967 and later elected majority leader with Thomas Kean
Thomas Kean
Thomas Howard Kean is an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 48th Governor of New Jersey from 1982 to 1990. Kean is best known globally, however, for his 2002 appointment as Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, widely known as the...
as speaker. In 1970, DeKorte was appointed counsel to Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
William T. Cahill
William T. Cahill
William Thomas Cahill was an American Republican Party politician who served as the 46th Governor of New Jersey, from 1970 to 1974, and who represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the U.S...
When Cahill lost his bid for re-election as Governor (due to the Watergate scandal's nation-wide impact on Republicans), there were "Transition Meetings" where DeKorte assisted in bringing the governor-elect, Brendan Byrne
Brendan Byrne
Brendan Thomas Byrne is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served as the 47th Governor of New Jersey, from 1974 to 1982.-Early life and education:...
up to speed. It is said that Byrne was so impressed with the DeKorte during those meetings he made DeKorte Head of the New Jersey State Energy Office (or "Energy Czar
Energy Czar
Energy Czar is a nickname, using the political term "czar", for the person in the Government of the United States given authority over energy policy within the executive branch...
" as he was called). DeKorte chaired the New Jersey's United States Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
Commission.
On March 16, 1975, DeKorte died of cancer at his home in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the...
. During the time between DeKorte being diagnosed, and the time of his death he was visited by former-Governor Cahill, Governor Byrne, (via helicopter landing on nearby McBride Field, amazing neighborhood children) and many other respected members of the New Jersey political community.
The funeral in the gymnasium at the Most Blessed Sacrament School in Franklin Lakes drew an enormous crowd. (Please note that although his funeral was held at Most Blessed Sacrament School he was not Roman Catholic) In addition to the state police escorting former Governor William Cahill and Governor Byrne, the Franklin Lakes Police Department was called to handle the colossal crowd.
DeKorte's widow Paulette Ramsey (She has remarried, but at the time of the funeral she was still Paulette DeKorte. She now serves on the Franklin Lakes Borough Council) received an overwhelming number of sympathy cards, flowers, and boxes full of letters from people she never even met.
After DeKorte's death in 1975, the headquarters of the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission (renamed as the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission is a regional zoning, planning and regulatory agency established by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature in 1969...
in 2000), which DeKorte created by sponsoring a piece of legislation, was named Richard W. DeKorte Park in his honor.