Anna Buckley

Buckley was born Anna Hernan on March 21, 1924 in Brockton, Massachusetts. She was orphaned at the age of 7 and went to live with her mother's cousin. After attending St. Patrick's High School and the Williams School of Business, Buckley joined the Women's Army Corps, where she served as a stenographer until the end of World War II. After the war she returned to Brockton, where she married Daniel Buckley and worked at an insurance agency.[1][2]

Buckley's first political involvement came as a volunteer for Joseph H. Downey mayoral campaign in Brockton. During the 1960s she served as an administrative assistant to Francis X. Bellotti and Thaddeus Buczko.[1]

In 1971, Buckley was elected to the Brockton city council. She was the first woman elected to the city council. The following year she was a candidate for state senate. She defeated state representative Robert Creedon in the Democratic primary by 84 votes. During her tenure in the Senate, Buckley was a supporter of subsidized day care and veterans' issues and worked to secure funding for Massasoit Community College. The college named its performing arts center after Buckley.[1] She served as vice-chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and from 1985 to 1989 was the second assistant majority floor leader.[1][2]

Anna and Daniel Buckley had three sons and two daughters. Daniel Buckley died in 1989. Anna Buckley died on May 3, 2003 from complications of cancer and pneumonia.[1]