Jim Morrissey (politician)

James Henry Morrissey (May 10, 1930 – November 5, 2023) was an American politician who served as a Republican Assemblyman from California's 69th State Assembly district from 1994 to 1998.[1][2]

Jim Morrissey
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 69th district
In office
December 5, 1994 – November 30, 1998
Preceded byTom Umberg
Succeeded byLou Correa
Personal details
Born(1930-05-10)May 10, 1930
New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
DiedNovember 5, 2023(2023-11-05) (aged 93)
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMargaret Morrissey
Children6
Military service
Branch/service United States Air Force
 United States Army

Early life

edit

Born May 10, 1930 in New Rochelle, New York. His family moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1943. Morrissey joined the Air Force in 1947 where he served for three years. He later joined the Army Reserve.

Small businessman

edit

Morrissey's first occupation was tool and die manufacturing. Later, he moved into management where he became the president of Superior Jig, Inc., a producer of precision aerospace parts.[3]

Political career

edit

Morrissey got into politics several years ago after his wife saw him yelling at a politician on the TV screen and suggested he stop complaining and try to make a change. The couple volunteered their time for Republican Party. Jim founded the Irish Republican Club and the Republican Small Business Association. Jim Morrissey served on the executive board of the Republican Central Committee of Orange County.[1]

In 1995, the Legislature passed a Morrissey resolution calling for the release of Jimmy Tran, an American citizen being held as a political prisoner in Vietnam. Jim later traveled to Vietnam at his own expense to try and win Tran's political freedom and that of nine other Vietnamese Americans. Morrissey said though the trip did not achieve its ultimate goal, but it brought attention to the cases of the Vietnamese-American prisoners. [4][5]

Personal life and death

edit

In 1956, Morrissey and his young family moved to Los Angeles, California. From 1960, he was a resident of Orange County, and a resident of Anaheim from 1978. Morrissey and his wife (Margaret) had six children and fourteen grandchildren.[6][7]

Jim Morrissey died on November 5, 2023, at the age of 93.[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "GOP Stalwart Takes Over Old Umberg District : Politics: Conservative businessman and party activist Jim Morrissey, a firm backer of Prop. 187, pledges to battle crime and unemployment". Articles.latimes.com. 1995-01-15. Retrieved 2016-11-12.
  2. ^ "Full Biography for Jim Morrissey". www.smartvoter.org. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  3. ^ "Full Biography for Jim Morrissey".
  4. ^ "Google Groups". Groups.google.com. Retrieved 2016-11-12.
  5. ^ Morrissey. "AJR 45 Assembly Joint Resolution - CHAPTERED". Leginfo.ca.gov. Retrieved 2016-11-12.
  6. ^ "The Smell of Summer Time Metal". 22 August 2016.
  7. ^ "JoinCalifornia - Jim Morrissey".
  8. ^ "James Henry Morrissey". Legacy. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
edit
California Assembly
Preceded by California State Assemblyman
69th District
December 5, 1994 – November 30, 1998
Succeeded by