State Sen. Lou D’Allesandro spent 30 years in the State House

The last column in this space noted the pending retirements of several noted office holders. Shortly thereafter, another major announcement was made in the Legislative office building’s lobby, where so many significant news conferences have been held over the years.

State Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester, announced that after 30 years in the NH Senate, he was retiring. Noting several things about his decision, and with tears in his eyes, D’Allesandro said the time comes when one realizes there are some things that are never going to be accomplished, and also that there is a time to leave the stage.

Lou D’Allessandro came to New Hampshire from outside Boston to go to the University of New Hampshire to play football. He used his UNH education to become an educator himself, and taught and coached all over the state, from Conway to Manchester, going on to coaching and administrative positions at New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire University). Along the way, the joke went, it seemed he had everyone as a student, from former House Speaker Gene Chandler to former Secretary of State William Gardner.

In his professional career, he went from New Hampshire College to become president of Daniel Webster College, where he served until 1982. Later, he worked at Nasson College and then joined former Gov. Walter Peterson at Franklin Pierce College, where Peterson was president and D’Allesandro was vice president.

In politics, he started as one of the moderate Republicans during the Peterson Administration, first as a state representative, then as the executive councilor from Manchester. When Peterson was replaced by Gov. Meldrim Thomson, D’Allesandro became his nemesis on the council, and their disagreements were fodder for a number of William Loeb editorials in the Union Leader, and the nickname “Liberal Lou.”

In 1982, D’Allesandro ran for the Republican nomination for governor, in a three-way primary with Senate President Bob Monier and John H. Sununu. The result was a very tight margin of victory for the first Gov. Sununu, who went on to serve three terms.

As the Republican Party drifted to the right, D’Allesandro realized it had left him, and he became a Democrat, returning to Concord to serve again in the Legislature, from which he now is retiring.

D’Allesandro was known for his advocacy of a gambling casino at the site of the former Rockingham Park, which he advocated for during many legislative sessions, only to see it defeated each time. At his retirement announcement, he noted that his biggest disappointment — and what he said people had not wanted — was the proliferation of casinos all over the state. What he claimed would not have happened under his plan has occurred with the present “charity casinos” that dot our landscape, he said.

D’Allesandro became an expert on the state budget, and chaired or served as vice chair of the budget committee in the Senate repeatedly. He knew how to negotiate what was possible, with Republicans and Democrats alike. He also served seemingly as a full-time senator, with his first-floor office in the State House lighted and active when others were dark since the Legislature was not in session.

Lou D’Allesandro was a friend to almost all he met, and he remembered them, their families, their colleagues, and consistently offered a helping hand to those trying to maneuver their way around state government. In later years, his campaign signs on the West Side of Manchester showed smiling Lou and Pat D’Allesandro, appropriately, since that team was required to have the D’Allesandro family raised successfully while a political career was ongoing.

On a personal note, I always shall remember that, on about the second day, I was working as a summer associate at Sheehan, Phinney, Bass & Green, in May of 1972, I was called to the reception desk since a young man was there who wanted to meet me. It was young Lou D’Allesandro, of whom I had never heard and whom I had never met.

It seems his family had a summer home in the Berkshires near one owned by two teachers from the high school I had attended, and where my mother also taught, and they had told Lou that I was working in Manchester that summer.

He took the time to come by and introduce himself, to be sure I was comfortable in the new city, and to offer his help if there was anything I needed.

That story is typical of Lou D’Allesandro.

Doing the unnecessary. Being kind. Making a new friend. Caring about others. Mine is one of thousands of such stories about this very fine man.

So, as Lou D’Allesandro retires, we say, as he repeatedly did, Lou, “have a great American Day!” All of them. And thanks.

Brad Cook is a Manchester attorney. The views expressed in this column are his own. He can be reached at bradfordcook01@gmail.com.