Richard Voke, who served as Chelsea’s state representative from 1976 to 1996, died on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, at Massachusetts General Hospital Boston. He was 76.
Voke was first elected in Chelsea to the House of Representatives in 1976 when it consisted of 240 members. When the governmental body was reduced to 160 members and the Chelsea and Charlestown districts were merged, Voke ran for the seat and defeated Rep. James P. Collins of Charlestown in a hard-fought election.
Voke rose through the ranks and served as Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and as House Majority Leader. Voke lost a battle for the House speakership to Thomas Finneran in 1996 and decided to step down from his position as state representative.
Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, Jan. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, at Carafa Funeral Home, 389 Washington Ave., Chelsea. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow the visitation at 12:30 p.m. at the Our Lady of Grace Church, 59 Nichols St., Chelsea.
The following are remarks from local leaders and friends on the passing of Richard Voke:
Jay Ash on Richie Voke: A Legacy to Remember
The year was 1993; we were sitting around the strategy table thinking about the best way to frame a campaign ad for his upcoming re-election bid. It became clear to those of us who wanted to see Chelsea State Representative Richard Voke secure his 10th election day victory that all we had to do was let his actions speak for themselves. The resulting ad featured a star on the map of Chelsea for every place Rep. Voke had “delivered” on something, like the new school buildings that were being planned because of his historic legislation to get them all built. There wasn’t a neighborhood in the city that had not seen the “results” of Rep. Voke’s advocacy, in fact there were so many stars on the ad it looked like the field from an American flag. No matter that he didn’t have an opponent; what a great ad it was in that it represented one person’s impact on the community he was dedicated to serving.
Reflecting on my 11 years of working for and with the leader people simply called “Richie,” there is more than the physical signs of his stewardship that are important to remember now that Chelsea has lost one of our greatest champions. When Chelsea had its greatest needs, it was Richie Voke who came to the rescue, time and again. The tumult of those days only made his resolve even more resolute. He was the protagonist who refused to let Chelsea succumb, the leader who took it upon himself to fight for better for his beloved city and his fellow residents.
Chelsea’s schools were failing in the ‘70’s & ‘80’s; Richie Voke stood tall and, in the face of national teachers union opposition, led the effort to initiate a controversial plan to allow John Silber and Boston University to “takeover” the Chelsea School System. We did not realize then that an even more ominous takeover would be on the horizon, but, with Chelsea city government in chaos and teetering on bankruptcy in 1991, Richie spearheaded the legislation that put the city into “state ordered receivership.” That, despite the political angst that swirled from those who had a vested interest in the “status quo” – even if that status quo meant city government would continue to fail its constituents.
I sat in the room as he made those difficult yet courageous decisions. Those rooms were previously taken up by less drastic attempts to head off the dysfunction, but once such widespread “rot” set in, the only way to avoid total collapse was to ultimately go in and carve out that which was eating away at Chelsea’s very foundation. The BU/Chelsea Partnership produced major gains in public education; no, not everything was perfect, but the school system has been better equipped and has provided quality education since. Chelsea city government since the four years of receivership? A string of nearly 30 balanced budgets; capable management that has spun-off leadership elsewhere, like our current lieutenant government, and two All-America City national titles and more, are all highlights of the progress Richie Voke enabled Chelsea to later enjoy by his refusal to leave bad enough alone.
Oh, and back to the physical, a renovated library, new police station, new court house, a state data center, rehabilitated public housing, parks that were updated or built new, a Boys & Girls Club, the stopping of the commuter rail (yes, for 25 years, the train didn’t stop in Chelsea until then House Ways & Means Chairman Voke threatened to hold up state transportation funding for other projects until it did), and other critical projects came to Chelsea in frequencies that made others envious. For those who remember the Burma Road projects flooding during bad rain storms, you haven’t seen people taken out of their units by boat in decades because Richie Voke fought for a $10 million project to widen the culvert under Route 1. Like so many of the nagging problems that Chelsea faced because of decay or disregard for decades, it was Richie who made those problems go away.
It was my first “real” job out of college, working for Rep. Voke, yet little did I know that my “real” education was just beginning. I learned so much about governing from the stateman who continued his elevation of importance in the Mass House, going from Chairman of Health Care, to the Chairman of Ways & Means, and eventually the House Majority Leader. One of his lines I heard the most had to do with Chelsea’s school kids; “I wish I had a big yellow bus to put all our kids in it and drive them around to see the rest of the world,” he frequently said. He was talking about helping Chelsea’s students to imagine the opportunities to which they had not been exposed, but he was also talking more broadly about helping Chelsea to unlock its fullest potential. Maybe he even knew that a future Chelsea City Manager was listening and learning, and might some day take Chelsea to even greater successes.
When Richie Voke died this past New Year’s Eve, those of us who had such a great mentor and role model began reflecting on all we had learned from him and how much he impacted more than just our lives. So many people, in Chelsea, in his entire district, and throughout the state, benefitted from his fierce and effective advocacy.
A funny thing happened during one of those other re-election campaigns – by the way, Richie won that re-election with the largest number of votes of any of the other 159 state representatives that were on the ballot that year. We were door knocking in Prattville when one of the residents responded to greet the man who had become the second most powerful man in the Massachusetts House. “Richie,” he said, “we’re all proud of you, but do you think you’ll ever be able to become mayor some day?” That was a classic Chelsea encounter; in a world that revolved around Chelsea, being mayor then was the most prestigious post. (At that point, Chelsea’s budget was probably $40 million, and Ways & Means Chairman Voke was responsible for crafting the Mass House’s $25 BILLION budget.) As mayor after mayor found it impossible to live up to that standard, they called upon Chelsea’s greatest benefactor, Richie, to produce, and produce he continually did. As the man closed his door, I joked to Richie “doesn’t he realize how much more than a local politician you’ve become.” “Jay,” he said, “I’m nothing without his vote and not much more with his vote if I don’t keep on using the power I’ve achieved to continue to deliver for Chelsea!”
I learned a lot from him that day and every day that I worked with him. Many of us are still striving to be equal to the courage, wisdom, devotion, and delivery Richie Voke dedicated every day to the position he cherished so much, being a public official representing his beloved Chelsea. We lost a great one, but the great ones leave legacies that make it impossible to forget them. Richie Voke will never be forgotten.
Jay Ash started as an assistant legislative aide with Rep. Voke and rose through the ranks with him to become his staff director in the Office of the House Majority Leader. He left legislative service shortly before Rep. Voke to serve as Planning & Development Director and then Chelsea City Manage. Following a 4-year stint as a member of the cabinet of Governor Charlie Baker as Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Developments, Ash went on to his present position, CEO of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, a business association of 19 of the state’s largest businesses focused on the competitiveness of the Massachusetts economy.
House adjourns in memory of Richard Voke
Tuesday during the conclusion of the first year of the annual session, the House members accepted a motion placed by House Speaker Ron Mariano and State Representative Judith Garcia that the house adjourn in respect to the memory of former State Representative Richard Voke of Chelsea.
“The passing of Richard Voke leaves a void that resonates across the Commonwealth. His wealth of leadership, marked by a decades-long tenure in the Massachusetts House where he held distinguished roles, like Majority Leader, has shaped the state’s political landscape. As we mourn the loss of Mr. Voke, we reflect on the enduring impact of a man whose dedication to service and bipartisanship has become a beacon for myself and future public servants,” said State Rep. Judith Garcia.
Speaker of the House Ron Mariano reflects on the passing of Richie Voke
“I knew Richie Voke for over 30 years, and while we were close friends, I was also fortunate enough to work with him on a number of issues and see firsthand how he approached difficult problems. Richie’s ability to wade through complicated issues, listen to folks with different perspectives, and ultimately make a sound decision that benefited his constituents, and the Commonwealth as a whole, was unmatched. Throughout my career, especially during challenging moments, I often leaned on lessons that I learned from Richie. On behalf of the entire House, I offer my condolences to Richie’s family, and to all those mourning this tragic loss.”
Rep. Dan Ryan on the passing of Richard Voke:
“Richie was one of the first elected officials I got to know as an impressionable young voter. His legacy in Chelsea and Charlestown, during pivotal years for both communities, is enormous. Even after leaving office, Richie remained quietly active in helping his former constituency through his involvement with the Boys and Girls Clubs and other endeavors that were near and dear to him. It is truly an honor to have served in the same seat he once represented. His presence is still felt on Beacon Hill and in the neighborhoods for which he staunchly advocated.”
Former state representative Gene O’Flaherty on the passing of Richie Voke:
“When I succeeded Richie in the House in 1996, it was very evident of how effective a legislator he was for the district and the Commonwealth. His years of exemplary service improved the quality of life of so many and not just in Charlestown and Chelsea but throughout Massachusetts. His colleagues held him in high esteem, his constituents re-elected him year after year and it’s easy to understand why. He was a model public servant. May God rest his soul.”
Josh Kraft, former Jordan Boys and Girls Club executive director, on the passing of Richie Voke:
“There would no Jordan Boys and Club in Chelsea without Richie Voke. Thousands of kids and families have been impacted by the club. He’s touched all of them because of his passion and commitment to getting that building built and making a difference for so many. Personally, he was a great mentor to me. I learned so much from him. He’s a mentor and a friend, and I will miss him dearly.”