City honors former Mayor Kevin White

A memorial service for former Boston Mayor Kevin White, who died Friday at age 82, is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, according to a press release.

A City of Boston press release stated a public viewing will be held on Tuesday at the Parkman House in Beacon Hill. Most of the memorial, however, is set for Wednesday.

The procession is expected to run at 10 a.m. from the Parkman House to Saint Cecilia’s Church, where a mass will be said for White.

The Parkman house is a city-owned mansion next to the State House where White spent a significant amount of time while he was mayor, according to an Associated Press article published on Jan. 28.

White was mayor from 1968 to 1984 and helped lead Boston through the racially charged 1970s, the AP reported.  White was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2003.

The City of Boston home page featured a slide entitled “In Memoriam” for the former mayor.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the White family during this difficult time,” said Mayor Thomas Menino in the slide. “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 will be sorely missed.”

In an AP article, Congressman Barney Frank described White as a pioneer who enabled African-Americans, women and gays to participate more in city government. Frank also said it was White who encouraged him to pursue politics.

Other notable policy decisions include vetoing an initiative that hoped to put Interstate 95 through the heart of the city.  According the AP article, White didn’t want to disturb low-income homes.

Frank worked in the City Hall with White for three years, according to the AP. Frank said White was Boston’s “first modern mayor.”

The City of Boston website warns that there will be traffic restrictions on both Tuesday and Wednesday. There will be a no-stopping tow zone both days next to the Parkman House, as well as many other downtown locations.