eres New housing lasting tribute to BHA’s | John Kickham By Robert Weisman _ A wet and dreary. moriing could not dampen the spirits af 4ome 75 people, including Many Joral offitiais-and for: mer Gov. Michael Dukalis, who gathered lost Friday for “groundbreaking ceremonies at the new John W. Kickham jelderty housitig development abi Harvard st. ~The 29-tinit camplex, named in nor af the lite Brookline Housing Authority (BHA) hoard merber, will be admin- istered bytheBHA and will mect the needs of some of thé more than 9M kenior citizen Applicants seeking public hal in Brovkiine, Kickham, who bad sirungly tupported more public hows- ing and had helped to plan the tew apartments toward ihe end of his 18 years of service onthe BHA bard, succumbed to @ heart attack in his Cool- idge Corner Law office in Deto- ber, Speaking at last week's prounilbreaking were assis- sanl BHA Executive Director Wiliam Vacca, BHA bord chairman Stanley Rabinovitz, Selectman Edward Novakoff and Ugjcekis. as well se the late board member's tiether Charles Kiekharn and son Wil- Mim 1). Kickham / Among tiv others. attending the ceremonies were Evecu- ‘tive Secretary Richard Leary, Stote Sen, Jack Backman, state Rep, John Businger, Rev. Leonard Coppenrath, Pastor of St. Aidin's Church, former BHA Executive Direc- tor Thomas Connelly, BHA hoard meribers Sumner Cher- tok and Thomas Condon, BHA Tenants Association Presi- dent Agnes (Rogers, HHA ad- Ministrators Marguerite Brothers and Rayhael Schroe- der and: #tudolph Bedar, the ‘chief architect for the naw tipartments. S—S—— AL 10 of Joh Ri¢kham's eiidren and many reiatives iid: (rendy alvo attended the etonnibrealing for the trew apartments; which will be joined structurally to the existing G-unit Colonel Floyd development fronting on Mar- jonStrent. ‘Former Gov, Dukakis noted the Kiekham family has played an important part in Brookline fife for more tan a century. “They area very spe- lal and very respectod fami- ly. whose dedination to public serview mins Jong and deep,’ Dukakis said, Dukaki-atsy said John and Chartie Kiekham wore tn- Strumental in helping jis launch his own career in pub- Ne service “Although thare will probably never be another John Kickham, we: hope ‘that there will be many more like him,” said Dukakis. "I know his name and his lepacy will hever be forgotten,” Attormey Charles Kickham, brother and law partner of John Kitkham, stressed the Pout-Civil War roots of the Kitkham family and spoke of his brother's 6 years of tire less. service to the BHA, “How fitting it 1 that this building shonld be named for himrl and eretted in this place, only a few hundred yards away from where he suddenly possad away in his office,” said Charles Kickkam, Speaking for the late bourd member's chiltiran, Willian, D_ Kickhlim remarked “How difficult it 18,47 the space of a few ahort moments, to speale af the countless: acts of kind: ness. fenerosity and: com pulision my father bestowed on others, He never cared Whila person's last name was or who'they were, He was only concerned ihal there were those who hud lex than he and that they nesied help.*'