Lockport Union-Sun & Journal Online

Local News

July 8, 2009

GASPORT: Niagarans mourn passing of Lucille Britt

GASPORT — Lucille L. Britt, a woman of many “firsts” in local political and community circles, died Tuesday.

Britt, 71, was well known around Niagara County for the years she served the Republican Party — and voters of all stripes.

In 1987, she became the first, and still is the only, woman GOP commissioner of the Niagara County Board of Elections. She served in the post through 1999.

That appointment topped a list of groundbreaking achievements by a woman in local politics. Britt also was the first chairwoman of the Niagara County GOP committee, on an interim basis, in 1985-86; as well as the first woman chair of the Hartland GOP and Republican Towns committees.

In the mid-1970s, the mother of two girls and two boys organized the first Gasport girls’ softball league. She said at the time she was inspired by the belief girls should have the same opportunities as boys.

According to Britt’s daughter, Pamela Moriarty, she got involved in politics out of desire to see all people treated equally and well.

Britt was a teacher’s aide at Gasport Elementary School in the mid-1970s and early ’80s when her son, Christopher, was a student and was classified as “learning disabled.” She was determined to see her son treated like any other student, and see him graduate with his class and a standard diploma; she butted heads with the education bureaucracy to make it happen — and she prevailed.

“My mother treated everybody well, treated everybody like they’re special,” Moriarty said. “She was very concerned about people with handicaps of all kinds — physical, emotional, financial. ... She was an advocate for anybody who was having a hard time. That’s why she got involved in politics.”

Britt’s stint as an election commissioner cemented her reputation as a hard-working, fair-minded person with high standards, according to those who knew her. She worked for the Republican party but served every voter, official and candidate with equal commitment, said Jerald Wolfgang, a former county GOP chairman. In her regime, outreach to local schools about the elections process was the norm; and after her departure from the board, Britt remained in the game on election nights, providing expert commentary about polling results on WLVL-AM.

“Lucille was a spectacular, energetic individual who was always concerned about her family and the people of Niagara County. She was very gracious,” Wolfgang said. “She was a woman of her word, too. You always knew what side she was on, because she always told the truth.”

Definitely, concurred veteran county Legislator Dennis Virtuoso, D-Niagara Falls.

“Lucille was an excellent election commissioner. She was always fair with both sides, very knowledgeable, honest and respectable.”

Britt’s friend, Margie Swan, said, “Niagara County has lost one of their best citizens. ... She was everybody’s person. A super person, a super friend, always there to help people, whether she knew them or not. ‘Well loved’ is how I’d describe her.”

Text Only
Local News
  • LPT 120528 Parade 2 Paying Respect

    May 28, 2012 4 Photos

  • Sense of resignation escorts AES tax pact

    May 24, 2012

  • Town considering WNYLC's request

    May 23, 2012

  • Palace, Hartland get Greenway funding

    The Historic Palace Theatre and the Town of Hartland both were cleared Tuesday to receive Niagara River Greenway funding for improvement projects.

    The eight-member Host Communities Standing Committee voted unanimously to approve funding requests of $151,000 for the Palace and $244,000 for Hartland, which is planning a multi-phase town park enhancement project.

    May 22, 2012

  • Erie Canal photo contest underway

    The seventh annual Erie Canalway photo contest is under way.

    Entries are being accepted now through Sept. 7. Winning photos will be published in the 2013 Erie Canalway calendar.

    May 22, 2012

  • Jobless totals drop slightly

    Unemployment in the Lockport area decreased slightly last month, but it wasn't because more people are going back to work.

    The New York State Department of Labor reported Tuesday about 1,000 city residents were without a job in April, the fifth straight month with over 1,000 unemployed. That was down from the 1,100 it reported in March, however, the number of employed stayed the same at about 9,700 people.

    May 22, 2012 4 Stories

  • 070_Salmon_Kid.jpg Fishing for 'Ultimate' perks

    Olcott teaming up with Ontario town in running for Canadian equivalent.

    May 22, 2012 2 Photos

  • Sprinkler work coming

    Piping in high school fire sprinkler system will be addressed in July.

    May 22, 2012

  • Willow Street victim identified

    The victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Willow Street  on Saturday was identified by Lockport Police as Richard Boye, 46.

    May 22, 2012

  • 120517travelagencies2jpg.jpg Cutting the travel time

    For the most part, there is a lot of planning that goes into traveling. Some like to handle the details on their own, making arrangements on the phone or using travel websites to book hotels, planes, vehicles and so on.

    But lately, working with a travel agent is becoming more popular.

    May 21, 2012 1 Photo

Featured Ads
Front page
AP Video
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Seasonal Content
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
AP Video
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Twitter Updates
Follow me on Twitter
Seasonal Content
Helium debate
Helium
Section Teases
Royal Wedding Live