Patricia McGee

Infobox_Politician


name = Patricia K. "Pat" McGee
width =
height =
caption =
residence = Franklinville, New York
office = New York State Assemblywoman
term_start = 1987
term_end = 1998
predecessor = Daniel B. Walsh
successor = Catharine Young
constituency = 149th District
majority =
office2 = New York State Senator
term_start2 = 1999
term_end2 = 2005
predecessor2 = Jess Present
successor2 = Catharine Young
constituency2 = 56th District (1999-2002)
57th District (2003-2005 "following redistricting")
majority2 =
birth_date = October 12, 1934
birth_place = Cattaraugus County, New York
death_date = April 2, 2005
death_place = Kenmore, New York
party = Republican, Conservative
religion =
spouse = Maurice "Mike" McGee
children = None
website = [http://web.archive.org/web/20050410073809/http://www.senatormcgee.com/ SenatorMcGee.com] (archive)

Patricia K. "Pat" McGee (October 12, 1934 – April 2, 2005) was a longtime New York State Assemblywoman and Senator from Franklinville, New York.

Political career

McGee was a registered Republican for her entire political career, and was frequently cross-endorsed by the Conservative Party of New York.

Prior to her foray into politics, McGee worked as a secretary and administrative assistant at Franklinville Central School and the Olean campus of Jamestown Community College.

McGee's political career began in 1978 as she was elected to the Cattaraugus County Legislature, where she served for 10 years, and served as that county's first female majority leader.

McGee was elected in 1987 to the New York State Assembly, where she served on many committees. In 1998, she was tapped to replace Jess Present, who had recently died, in the New York State Senate. Moving to the Republican-dominated Senate led to McGee earning the title of chairperson on the Agriculture Committee, the Commission on Rural Resources and the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, as well as serving prominently on numerous other committees.

McGee was instrumental in helping her longtime associate in the State Senate, Randy Kuhl, get elected to Congress in 2004. Kuhl had served as State Senator in a neighboring district to McGee's.

In addition to her legislative work, McGee was also a frequent columnist. Her columns, more than simply press releases, were published in the "Cattaraugus County Chronicle" and later on her own Web site.

Death and legacy

On April 2, 2005, McGee died at Kenmore Mercy Hospital in Kenmore, New York due to pulmonary fibrosis.

To this day, McGee is seen in a high regard as a New York State politician, and her status in Cattaraugus County borders on legendary. The Pat McGee Trail, the cornerstone of Cattaraugus County's trail system built on 12 miles of abandoned railbed from Cattaraugus, New York to Salamanca, New York, bears her name.

McGee was succeeded in the State Senate by Catharine Young.

External links

* [http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=14285676&BRD=2725&PAG=461&dept_id=562746&rfi=8 Article from the Olean Times Herald on McGee's passing]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20050410073809/http://www.senatormcgee.com/ Senator McGee's Web site, right after her death] via the "Internet Archive"