Former Massachusetts Gov. Argeo Paul Cellucci has died of complications from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was 65.
His death Saturday was announced by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where Cellucci spearheaded an effort to raise funds for ALS research after publicly revealing his diagnosis in 2011.
Cellucci was elected lieutenant governor in 1990 and became acting governor in 1997 when his predecessor, William Weld, resigned to pursue an ambassadorship. Cellucci won election as governor in his own right in 1998. He later served as U.S. ambassador to Canada.
He was a typically moderate New England Republican, fiscally conservative yet middle of the road on many social issues.
The university says the UMass ALS Champion Fund raised nearly $2 million under Cellucci’s leadership.
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