Patrick Lucey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrick Lucey
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| United States Ambassador to Mexico | |
| In office July 19, 1977 – October 31, 1979 |
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| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Joseph Jova |
| Succeeded by | Julian Nava |
| 38th Governor of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 4, 1971 – July 6, 1977 |
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| Lieutenant | Martin Schreiber |
| Preceded by | Warren Knowles |
| Succeeded by | Martin Schreiber |
| 36th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin | |
| In office January 4, 1965 – January 2, 1967 |
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| Governor | Warren Knowles |
| Preceded by | Jack Olson |
| Succeeded by | Jack Olson |
| Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party | |
| In office 1957–1963 |
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| Preceded by | Philleo Nash |
| Succeeded by | Louis Hanson |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Crawford County |
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| In office 1949–1951 |
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| Preceded by | Donald C. McDowell |
| Succeeded by | Rodney J. Satter |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Patrick Joseph Lucey
March 21, 1918 La Crosse, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | May 10, 2014 (aged 96) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (before 1979; 1980–2014) Independent (1979–1980) |
| Spouse | Jean Lucey (died 2011) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of St. Thomas, Minnesota University of Wisconsin, Madison (BA) |
Patrick Joseph Lucey (born March 21, 1918 – died May 10, 2014) was an important American politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Lucey served as the 38th Governor of Wisconsin from 1971 to 1977.
He also ran for Vice President of the United States in 1980. He was the running mate for independent candidate John B. Anderson.
Patrick Lucey was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin. After college, he worked in different government jobs. He served in the United States Army during World War II. From 1965 to 1967, he was the Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin.
In 1970, Lucey became the Governor of Wisconsin. As governor, he helped combine the state's two university systems. This created the University of Wisconsin System we know today. After being governor, he became the United States Ambassador to Mexico.
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Early Life and Education
Patrick Lucey was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on March 21, 1918. His parents were Ella and Gregory Lucey. He grew up in a small village called Ferryville, Wisconsin.
He finished high school at Campion High School in 1935. Later, he went to St. Thomas College in Minnesota. During World War II, he joined the United States Army. He served in the Caribbean until 1945.
After the war, Lucey went to the University of Wisconsin. He earned a degree in philosophy in 1946.
Political Career Highlights
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Patrick Lucey started his political career in Ferryville, Wisconsin. In 1946, he worked as a justice of the peace. He also served on the De Soto School Board.
From 1949 to 1951, Lucey was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. He then became the state chairman for the Democratic Party from 1957 to 1963. He helped John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign in Wisconsin in 1960.
In 1964, Lucey was elected Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin. He served from 1965 to 1967. At that time, the governor and lieutenant governor were elected separately. So, Lucey, a Democrat, served with Republican Governor Warren P. Knowles.
Lucey ran for governor in 1966 but did not win. In 1970, he ran again and was elected governor. He won with 54 percent of the votes. He was the first Wisconsin governor to serve a four-year term. This was because of a change to the state's constitution.
He started his term on January 4, 1971. Lucey was re-elected in 1974. He resigned in 1977 to become the United States Ambassador to Mexico. President Jimmy Carter appointed him to this role.
Merging Wisconsin's Universities
One of Governor Lucey's biggest projects was combining Wisconsin's university systems. Before him, there were two main systems. These were the Wisconsin State University (WSU) system and the University of Wisconsin System.
Lucey believed merging them would save money. It would also help control how higher education grew in the state. He wanted to stop programs from being duplicated. He also wanted one strong voice for all state universities.
Many professors and leaders at the University of Wisconsin–Madison did not like the idea. They worried it would make their university less special. But most WSU faculty liked the merger. They thought it would give their schools more respect and funding.
The plan to merge the universities passed easily in the Assembly. It passed the Senate by just one vote. The new system was fully in place by 1974. Lucey later said he had to be very firm to make it happen.
Other Achievements as Governor
Governor Lucey also helped Wisconsin's tourism industry. He added more money for tourism, which helped new businesses grow. For example, he expanded the state's park system. He also supported the Mt. Telemark Resort in Cable, Wisconsin.
Since 1974, Mt. Telemark has hosted the American Birkebeiner. This is the largest cross-country ski race in North America.
Lucey also created groups to help minority communities. One group looked at problems for Spanish-speaking people in Wisconsin. They found that many Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans struggled to get education, health care, and jobs. At the time, there were over 30,000 Mexican Americans in Wisconsin. But very few were enrolled at UW-Milwaukee.
1980 Vice Presidential Campaign
In the 1980 United States presidential election, Patrick Lucey ran for Vice President. He was the running mate for John B. Anderson. Anderson was a former Republican congressman running as an independent.
The Anderson-Lucey ticket received about 5.7 million votes. This was 6.6 percent of all votes cast. This election saw Ronald Reagan defeat President Jimmy Carter.
Death and Legacy
Patrick Lucey passed away on May 10, 2014. He was 96 years old. He died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In September 2009, Lucey was honored with a special marker. It was placed in Ferryville by the Wisconsin Historical Society. In October 2013, a part of Wisconsin Highway 35 was renamed after him. It is now called the "Governor Patrick Lucey Highway." A book was also written about his political life.
Images for kids
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Patrick Lucey
