Joseph Daniel Early

Joseph Early, a former United States congressman, died on November 9, 2012. He earned a B.S. from the College of the Holy Cross in 1955, where he was captain of the basketball team and part of the squad that won the National Invitational Tournament in 1954. After earning his degree he joined the U.S. Navy for two years, following which he taught high school in Spencer and Shrewsbury, Mass. In 1963, Joseph Early was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he served six terms. In 1975, he began his service in the United States House of Representatives, which lasted for nine terms until 1993. During his time in office he was known for being a champion of the working class, an attentive public servant to his constituents, and an avid advocate for medical research. With his high-ranking positions on the House Appropriations Committee, he was able to secure federal funds for a biotechnology park, civic center, and airport in his hometown of Worcester, Mass., as well as funds for the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Grafton, Mass. With his intense interest in medical research, the University of Massachusetts Medical School was a project particularly close to his heart. During his time as a state representative and vice chairman of the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee, his leadership was key in obtaining state financing for the school and locating it in Worcester.