Memorial planned for late politician

Friends and family of Frank McCloskey will gather this weekend to celebrate his life. \nThe former mayor of Bloomington and U.S. Congressman died Nov. 2 after battling bladder cancer since September 2002. He was 64.\nA remembrance, open to the public, will be held at 1 p.m. at St. Paul 's Catholic Center, 1413 E. 17th Street, Saturday. Following the mass, supporters, friends and staff will congregate at 3 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater to "celebrate the life of Frank McCloskey." \nDuring the celebration, a documentary film on Frank McCloskey, "Recounting the Years," will be shown. Speakers include former Congresswoman Jill Long Thompson, and highlights of McCloskey's career will be presented by friends and staff. \nThe documentary video and event should be humorous and lively, said Matt Weber, McCloskey's former co-worker with the Monroe County Democratic Party. \n"Oddly enough (the celebration) will be more upbeat than one might expect," he said.\nBorn in 1939 in Pennsylvania, McCloskey served as a newspaper reporter from 1961 to 1968, when he graduated from IU. He obtained his law degree from the IU Law School in 1971, and then held the mayoral office in Bloomington from 1972 to 1982. During that time, he implemented an ambulance service, a mass transportation service, civil rights service and a housing inspection program. Also during his time in office, McCloskey lobbied for federal funding to rehabilitate sub-standard housing. Elected in 1983 to Congress, McCloskey continued his fight to help and educate Americans until 1995.\nCity council member-at-large Anthony Pizzo said he has known McCloskey for almost 30 years. \n"When he was elected mayor he became the leader of the Democratic Party," he said. "He fought for the traditional kind of working man, and he is the reason why I am a Democrat."\nCity Clerk Regina Moore, a long time friend of McCloskey's, said she worked with him for years. Moore said McCloskey was the one who encouraged her to run for public office. \n"When he was here, he was just Frank, your friend," she said. \n-- Contact staff writer Mike Malik at mjmalik@indiana.edu.