Patricia K. "Pat" McGee (October 12, 1934 – April 2, 2005) was a longtime New York State Assemblywoman and Senator from Franklinville, New York.

Political career

McGee was a registered Republican for her entire political career, and was frequently cross-endorsed by the Conservative Party of New York

Conservative Party of New York

The Conservative Party of New York State is an American political party active in the state of New York. It is not part of any nationwide party, nor is it affiliated with the American Conservative Party, which it predates by over 40 years....

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Prior to her foray into politics, McGee worked as a secretary and administrative assistant at Franklinville Central School and the Olean campus of Jamestown Community College

Jamestown Community College

Jamestown Community College is a two-year college in the SUNY system. JCC has two campuses in Chautauqua County, New York, located in Dunkirk and Jamestown. A third campus serves Cattaraugus County in Olean. A fourth site is located in Warren, Pennsylvania...

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McGee's political career began in 1978 as she was elected to the Cattaraugus County Legislature, where she served for 10 years, and served as that county's first female majority leader.

McGee was elected in 1987 in a special election to fill the 149th Assembly District seat caused by the resignation of long time incumbent Daniel B. Walsh of Olean. Walsh had resigned in early 1987 to accept a policy position with the Business Council of New York State. In the assembly, McGee served on many committees. In 1998, she was tapped to replace Jess Present

Jess Present

Jess J. Present was a New York State Senator from Jamestown, New York.He joined the New York State Assembly in 1966 but only stayed two terms, moving to the New York State Senate in 1968 after James F. Hastings left for the U.S...

, who had recently died, in the New York State Senate

New York State Senate

The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...

. Moving to the Republican-dominated Senate led to McGee earning the title of chairperson on the Agriculture Committee, the Commission on Rural Resources and the Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, as well as serving prominently on numerous other committees. She was often seen as a conservative maverick; she was one of only seven Senate votes who opposed an increase in the state's minimum wage, on the principle that it would put her Southern Tier district at a competitive disadvantage with neighboring counties in Pennsylvania.

McGee was instrumental in helping her longtime associate in the State Senate, Randy Kuhl

Randy Kuhl

John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. is an American Republican politician, and former member of the United States House of Representatives from New York. He represented New York's 29th congressional district for two terms before being defeated for reelection by Eric Massa on November 4, 2008 by margin of...

, get elected to Congress in 2004. Kuhl had served as State Senator in a neighboring district to McGee's.

In addition to her legislative work, McGee was also a frequent columnist. Her columns, more than simply press releases, were published in the Cattaraugus County Chronicle and later on her own Web site.

Death and legacy

On April 2, 2005, McGee died at Kenmore Mercy Hospital in Kenmore, New York

Kenmore, New York

Village of Kenmore is a village in Erie County, New York, in the United States. The population was 16,426 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area....

 due to pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is the formation or development of excess fibrous connective tissue in the lungs. It is also described as "scarring of the lung".-Symptoms:Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are mainly:...

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To this day, McGee is seen in a high regard as a New York State politician, and her status in Cattaraugus County borders on legendary. The Pat McGee Trail, the cornerstone of Cattaraugus County's trail system built on 12 miles of abandoned railbed from Cattaraugus, New York

Cattaraugus, New York

Cattaraugus is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,075 at the 2000 census.The Village of Cattaraugus lies in the northeast part of the Town of New Albion, north of Salamanca, New York.- History :...

 to Salamanca, New York

Salamanca (city), New York

Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...

, bears her name.

McGee was succeeded in the State Senate by Catharine Young

Catharine Young

Catharine M. "Cathy" Young is an American legislator on the state level who, as a member of the Republican Party, has represented New York's 149th State Assembly district from 1999 to 2005 and, since May 2005, the 57th State Senate district, which includes all of Chautauqua County, Cattaraugus...

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External links

• Article from the Olean Times Herald on McGee's passing
• Senator McGee's Web site, right after her death via the Internet Archive