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The city also wallowed in a financial crisis in the later years of his tenure that led to layoffs of police officers and firefighters and the shutdown of some stations. The crises were exploited by his critics, who called him King Kevin, and he dropped out of the 1983 mayoral race, eventually won by Raymond Flynn. "It's no secret that Kevin and I were rivals for many years," Flynn said in a statement. "But underneath that sometimes heated rivalry, rooted in different priorities, was a mutual respect. Kevin and I shared a deep love for this complex, fascinating city of Boston." A liberal reformer, White appealed to a cross-section of society, including the young. Once, when the Rolling Stones were arrested on the way to Boston, the mayor released them into his own custody. "The Stones have been busted, but I have sprung them!" he told an audience at Boston Garden. While the busing crisis stained Boston's image, White was also credited with revitalizing the city's downtown, especially the shops and restaurants of Quincy Market, which remains one of the city's top tourist attractions. He thought the downtown renaissance would make Boston a "world-class city." A statue of White was unveiled near Quincy Market in 2006. Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, said White's stewardship created "a path to prosperity for the city." White's father and maternal grandfather had been Boston City Council presidents. In 1956, he married Kathryn Galvin, the daughter of another City Council president. He was educated at Tabor Academy, Williams College, Boston College Law School and the Harvard Graduate School of Public Administration. After handing over the office to Flynn in 1984, White accepted a position at Boston University as a professor of communications and public management. While mayor in 1970, White had major surgery to remove two-thirds of his stomach. He suffered a heart attack in 2001 while at a Florida restaurant and spent several days in a hospital when he had a pacemaker implanted. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Kathyrn Galvin White, five children and several grandchildren.
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