Raymond Wieczorek
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Short description|American politician (1928–2022)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Raymond Wieczorek
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Mayor Raymond.jpg
| caption = Wieczorek in 2012
| office = Member of the Executive Council of New Hampshire from the 4th district
| term_start = 2002
| term_end = 2012
| predecessor = Thomas P. Colantuono
| successor = Chris Pappas
| office2 = 52nd Mayor of Manchester
| term_start2 = 1990
| term_end2 = 2000
| predecessor2 = Emile Beaulieu
| successor2 = Robert A. Baines
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|12|9}}{{cite web |title=The records of Raymond J. Wieczorek |work=City of Manchester |date=April 3, 2008|url=http://www.manchesternh.gov/website/Departments/CityClerk/MunicipalArchivesandRecordsCenter/TheMayorsofManchester/TherecordsofRaymondJWieczorek19901999/tabid/518/Default.aspx }}
| birth_place = New Britain, Connecticut, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|11|22|1928|12|9}}
| party = Republican
| death_place = Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S.
| spouse = {{ubl|Catherine Connare|{{marriage|Susan Kramas||2008|end=died}}}}
| children = 3
| website =
}}
Raymond Joseph Wieczorek (December 9, 1928 – November 22, 2022) was an American businessman and politician from Manchester, New Hampshire. A Republican, he was mayor of the city from 1990 to 2000, and represented District 4 on the Executive Council of New Hampshire from 2002 to 2012.
Career
Wieczorek was the director and president of the Manchester Scholarship Foundation between 1973 and 1976. He became commissioner of the Manchester Housing and Redevelopment Authority in 1984, and was its chairman from 1986 to 1989.
He served five terms as mayor of Manchester in the 1990s. He won his first term in 1989 when he defeated incumbent Democrat Emile Beaulieu, who was seeking re-election.{{cite news|first=Mark |last=Hayward |title=Two-time Manchester mayor Emile Beaulieu dies |url=http://www.unionleader.com/politics/Two-time-Manchester-mayor-Emile-Beaulieu-dies-01032017 |work=New Hampshire Union Leader |date=January 3, 2017 |access-date=January 30, 2017}}
Wieczorek was defeated in the 1999 election by his Democratic challenger, Robert A. Baines.{{cite news|url = https://manchesterinklink.com/the-wonderful-wiz-city-mourns-former-mayor-ray-wieczorek-funny-and-focused-a-gentleman-and-friend/|title = The Wonderful Wiz: City mourns former mayor Ray Wieczorek – funny and focused, 'a gentleman and friend'|newspaper = Manchester Ink Link|date = November 23, 2022|access-date = November 23, 2022|last = Robidoux|first = Carol}}
Wieczorek ran for Council to replace Republican Thomas Colantuono, who had resigned after being appointed United States Attorney for New Hampshire.{{cite news |title=Benson, Wieczorek should put contributions questions to rest |work=Portsmouth Herald |date=January 20, 2002 |url=http://archive.seacoastonline.com/2002news/1_20_e1.htm }} Wieczorek defeated the Democratic nominee, state Rep. John Kacavas, and was elected to the Council in 2002.
He is best known for the redevelopment of the Amoskeag Millyard, the development of the Manchester–Boston Regional Airport, the conversion of the city budget to fiscal year from a calendar year, and the creation of a downtown Manchester civic center. The access road to the airport, Raymond Wieczorek Drive, is named after him.
Personal life and death
Wieczorek was a Korean War veteran, having served in the U.S. Army.{{cite web|url = https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/unionleader/name/raymond-wieczorek-obituary?id=38219201|title = Raymond J. Wieczorek|website = Legacy.com|access-date = November 25, 2022}} He was a member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, and owner of the Wieczorek Insurance Agency. He was married twice, first to Catherine Connare and then to Susan Kramas, who died in 2008.{{cite news |title=Wife of former mayor succumbs to cancer |first=Dan |last=Tuohy |work=New Hampshire Union Leader |date=June 7, 2008 |url=http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=c9f969b2-dad8-4ca3-a7d5-98b7600566e5&headline=Wife+of+former+mayor+succumbs+to+cancer }} He had three children.
In 2001, Wieczorek was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law from New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire University).{{cite web|url=https://www.manchesternh.gov/Departments/City-Clerk/Municipal-Archives-and-Records/Collection-Guides/Mayor-Office-of-the/Raymond-J-Wieczorek|title=The Records of Raymond J. Wieczorek, 1990-1999|publisher=City of Manchester, NH|access-date=July 21, 2017}}
Wieczorek died at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester on November 22, 2022, aged 93, after a period of declining health.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.raywiz.com/ Campaign website]
- [http://www.nh.gov/council/district4/index.html Page on NH.gov]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wieczorek, Raymond}}
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:20th-century mayors of places in New Hampshire
Category:21st-century New Hampshire politicians
Category:American businesspeople in insurance
Category:Businesspeople from New Hampshire
Category:Mayors of Manchester, New Hampshire
Category:Members of the Executive Council of New Hampshire
Category:Military personnel from Connecticut
Category:New Hampshire Republicans
Category:Politicians from New Britain, Connecticut
Category:Southern New Hampshire University alumni
Category:United States Army personnel of the Korean War
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