STEPHEN C. DAVENPORT
August 22, 2011|By Talia Whyte, Globe Correspondent
Stephen C. Davenport of Jamaica Plain, a former Massachusetts senator, state representative, and Boston mayoral candidate, died Wednesday of heart failure at the Elizabeth Seton Residence in Wellesley. He was 87.
“Steve was not only a great colleague, but also a champion for all Bostonians as well as a great friend,’’ said former Boston mayor Raymond Flynn. “He will be missed by many in this town.’’
Born in Roslindale, Mr. Davenport was an avid baseball fan as a child and played first base on the Roslindale Royals under-16 team, which won many championships throughout Boston, including one in Fenway Park.
He graduated from the now-defunct Boston High School of Commerce in 1941 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s degree in taxation from Boston University. Mr. Davenport also earned his law degree from BU in 1948.
Before he graduated from BU, Mr. Davenport enlisted in the Navy, went to preflight training in Pensacola, Fla., and earned his wings in 1944.
Mr. Davenport was a fighter pilot during the Second World War and the Korean War. He flew the F6F Hellcat, F8F Bearcat, and F4U Corsair during World War II and the F9F Panther jet during the Korean War.
He had more than 147 aircraft carrier landings on at least five carriers and was one of the first to land on the Navy’s first angled-deck carrier, the USS Antietam. He served in the Navy for 32 years on active and reserve duty.
Mr. Davenport began his career as a lawyer with the City of Boston Corporation Counsel under Mayor John B. Hynes in the 1950s. He later was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, serving from 1961 to 1965, and to the Massachusetts Senate, serving from 1965 to 1969, representing Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, and West Roxbury.
During his tenure, Mr. Davenport was involved in several landmark legislative decisions. Notably, he joined several Boston legislators in sponsoring a bill that established the University of Massachusetts Boston in 1964.
At the time, this was a controversial measure, as many other politicians wanted the school to be located outside of the city. Mr. Davenport not only advocated for the current Dorchester location, but also made sure the money was there to help build the campus.
“A lot of us wanted the school to be in the city because we felt that there should be accessible education for lower-income people who can’t travel to the suburbs,’’ said former House speaker Robert Quinn. “He will be remembered for making education affordable for those right here in Boston.’’
Mr. Davenport also sponsored legislation that would establish UMass Medical School in Worcester in 1962.
Mr. Davenport ran for mayor of Boston in 1967 but was defeated by Kevin White.
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http://articles.boston.com/2011-08-22/y ... mond-flynn
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