We recently interviewed Paulette Ramsey, who talks about her late husband, Richard W. DeKorte, and his foresight and contributions to the Meadowlands.
As a state assemblyman in the late 1960s, DeKorte was instrumental in crafting the legislation that created the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. DeKorte Park is named in his honor.
DeKorte also laid out the foundation for the region’s environmental restoration and economic development over the past four decades.
He also laid out the foundation for the region’s environmental restoration and economic development over the past four decades.
In the interviews, Mrs. Ramsey talks about her late husband’s foresight and contributions to the Meadowlands, as well as NJMC’s collaboration with Ramapo College and the district today.
A plaque (above) in the lobby of the NJMC Administration Building at DeKorte Park honors his memory.
In this audio interview, Paulette Ramsey talks about the contributions to the Meadowlands and foresight of her late husband, Richard W. DeKorte.
As a state assemblyman in the late 1960s, DeKorte was instrumental in crafting the legislation that created the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.
He also laid out the foundation for the region’s environmental restoration and economic development over the past four decades.
A plaque in his honor hangs in the lobby of the NJMC Administration Building in DeKorte Park.
A Franklin Lakes resident, DeKorte was a well-respected legislator and former head of the state energy office who many thought would become governor someday.
DeKorte died of cancer at age 38 in 1975. DeKorte Park, the home of the NJMC, is named in his honor.
Click “Continue reading …” below to hear the interviews with Paulette Ramsey and to see some archival photos.
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip One
In the above audio clip, Paulette discusses Richard DeKorte’s concern about development in North Jersey and the future of the Meadowlands.
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip Two
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip Three
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip Four
In the above audio clips, Paulette talks about Richard DeKorte and his colleagues’ vision for the Meadowlands.
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip Five
In the above audio clip, Paulette recalls attending the DeKorte Park groundbreaking in 1981.
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip Six
In the above audio clip, Paulette discusses the NJMC’s collaboration with Ramapo College.
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip Seven
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip Eight
In the above clips, Paulette talks about Richard DeKorte’s legacy as a legislator.
Paulette Ramsey Audio Clip Nine
In the above clip, Paulette talks about the Meadowlands today.
My name is Dave Harding and my family owned and operated a luncheonette in Franklin Lakes NJ from 1959 to 1965. My father, Dave Sr. was a good friend of Dick’s, and the reason Dick ran for the council along with Bill McCabe and Chris Steeves as mayor. They beat the incumbents by a 3 to 1 majority. My father was their campaign manager and the new administration was so impressed with how he managed the campaign they made him the president of the Republican Club.
I don’t know if they ever knew how my father decided to become involved in Franklin Lakes politics, but it had everything to do with a real estate law called nonconforming use. Nonconforming use means that if something untoward should happen to a building, the owner would not be allowed to rebuild it. When my father discovered that our store was in nonconforming use, he told me that this would not happen and started on his quest to construct a team to defeat the current administration at the time.
When he told some of our customers what he planned to do almost everyone told him you can’t mix business with politics and his stock answer became the hell I can’t. I did say almost everyone was against him getting involved in politics, that is everyone but Dick, Bill, and Steve. That was also how our ‘little store’ became the hub of Franklin Lakes politics until we sold it in 1965 because of the failing health of both parents. My mother recovered from her bleeding ulcer and my father died of cancer two years later.
I would just like to add, that I saw Dick in the store virtually every morning serving him his coffee and roll while he read the New York Times, smoked his Parliament cigarettes, and discussed town issues with dear old Dad when my father had time. Dick was like one of the older big kids that I always admired, and I followed his career until he died. His death devastated me and I still say that if he had lived this state and possibly the country wouldn’t be in the mess that it is in today.