Cornelius "Neil" Gallagher, the former U.S. congressman who represented Hudson County for nearly 15 years, died Wednesday morning. He was 97.
Born and raised in Bayonne, Gallagher moved from chapter to chapter of his life with a unique charm -- from a shoeshine boy on the early 20th-century streets of Bayonne, to a World War II hero, a one-time ranking Democratic member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a personal friend to President John F. Kennedy.
"He had dignity until the day he died; he was of sound mind until the day he died; and he believed in this country," said Patrice Maillete, one of his surviving daughters. "He was an amazing man."
A living Hudson County institution, his knowledge of political happenings in the county ranged over the good portion of a century.
"He could give you the walking history of Hudson County politics from World War II through the mid-'70s," said Hudson County Freeholder Bill O'Dea. "He knew everything about Hudson County politics."
But his influence was certainly not confined to this part of the country. He held high-ranking positions during his tenure in congress that helped shape foreign policy decisions, and was -- as the story goes -- "in the on-deck circle" to be Lyndon Johnson's candidate for vice president, O'Dea said.
Gallagher, born in the Peninsula City in 1921, was a product of Bayonne dating back several generations. He later left college and enlisted in the U.S. Army and served under Gen. George Patton until his discharge in 1946.
After the war, he moved through several local political positions in Hudson County -- as a county Democratic Committeeman, and then as the New Jersey Turnpike Authority Commissioner.
He later ascended to the U.S. Congress in 1959, and would serve for nearly 15 years until 1973. During his tenure, he received seats on the House Government Operations committee and the House Foreign Affairs committee.
Gallagher is known for his personal friendship with the Kennedy family, and was close with both John and Robert Kennedy. According to New Jersey Globe, he was with former President John F. Kennedy in the White House during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
And if things had gone differently, he may have even been vice president to President Lyndon Johnson -- falling short of securing the nomination.
But he weathered bad times as well, and in 1973 was indicted on tax evasion charges. The accusations proved costly to his political career. He pleaded guilty and served 17 months in prison.
Despite his time served, he remained a strong influence on Hudson County up until his death.
"He was charming, he was funny, he was amazingly intelligent," O'Dea said. "He was very open and honest to talk about his life and the things that happened, all of the good things and the tough things he had to deal with (and) he did a lot of great things for the City of Bayonne, as well as Hudson County in general."
He is survived by three of his four daughters: Maillete, Christine Forte, and Bridget Davis. (His daughter Diane Brennan died in 2013). His wife Claire Jane Richter -- who went by "Rick" -- died in 2004.
"Bayonne always stood by my father, through the good days and the bad, and until the day he died he considered Bayonne his home and the people in it his friends," Maillete said.
Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.