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Funeral Arrangements Set For Former Boston Mayor Kevin White

BOSTON (CBS/AP) -  Funeral arrangements have been set for former four-term Boston mayor Kevin White, who passed away Friday night at the age of 82.

A public wake is scheduled for Tuesday January 31, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the city-owned Parkman House at 33 Beacon Street.

Mayor White's Funeral Mass, which is also open to the public, is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 1 at Saint Cecilia Roman Catholic Church, 18 Belvidere Street in Back Bay. His burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Mayor Kevin Hagan White Statue Preservation Committee, c/o Suite 718, One Design Center Place, Boston, MA 02210.

A number of local political leaders are already paying respects to White.

WBZ-TV's Jim Smith reports

Saturday morning, current Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Boston Redevelopment Authority Director Peter Meade left flowers by a statue of White in Faneuil Hall.

Meade held a number of positions in White's administration.

"He was as bright a human being as I ever met. Loved challenging people who worked for him intellectually and forcing you to think about issues in very different ways," Meade said.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports

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Menino praised White for his contributions to the city.

Mayor Kevin White Statue
Mayor Menino, on behalf of the city of Boston, left flowers at the statue of former Mayor Kevin White. (Photo by Kim Tunnicliffe)

"Mayor Kevin White was a great friend and a great leader who left a lasting mark of hope and inspiration on the City of Boston," he said in a statement. "He will be sorely missed."

Several others who knew White politically and personally weighed in on White's legacy.

City Council President Steve Murphy says White will be remembered as a giant in Boston politics.

"In his gut, he got politics, he got life, he got Boston," Murphy said.

Former Mayor Ray Flynn says even though he and White were rivals for many years, there was a mutual respect there and the two shared a deep love for the city.

"It's no secret that Kevin and I were rivals for many years," Flynn said in a statement. "But underneath that sometimes heated rivalry, rooted in different priorities, was a mutual respect. Kevin and I shared a deep love for this complex, fascinating city of Boston."

Governor Patrick said recognized White's stewardship as creating "a path to prosperity for the city."

U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, a fellow Democrat, said White "knew how to wisely wield the power of the mayor's office for the public good."

"For 16 years," Kerry said in a statement, "the mayor shepherded the city through the turbulence of the late '60s and mid-'70s and in the process ushered in the remarkable city we know today."

Senator Scott Brown issued a statement Saturday remembering White as a hands-on mayor with a big vision for Boston.

"He was a class act and his impact on the city of Boston will never be forgotten," Brown said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers are with his family."

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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