Chester C. Gorski

Chester Charles Gorski (June 22, 1906 – April 25, 1975) was an American politician from Buffalo, New York. A Democrat, he served one term in the United States House of Representatives from 1949 to 1951, and was the longtime president of the Buffalo Common Council.

Chester C. Gorski
Gorski as a U.S. Congressman in 1949
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 44th district
In office January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1951
Preceded by	John C. Butler
Succeeded by	John C. Butler
President of the Buffalo Common Council
In office 1960–1974
Preceded by	William B. Lawless Jr.
Succeeded by	Delmar L. Mitchell
Member of the New York State Building Code Commission
In office 1956–1959
Preceded by	Walker S. Lee
Succeeded by	None (commission abolished)
Member of the Buffalo Common Council
In office 1954–1956
Preceded by	Stephen B. Moskal
Succeeded by	Peter A. Zawadzki
Constituency	Lovejoy District
In office 1946–1948
Preceded by	John S. Rusek
Succeeded by	Thaddeus S. Balicki
Constituency	Lovejoy District
Member of the Erie County Board of Supervisors from Buffalo's 6th Ward
In office 1941–1945
Preceded by	Philip A. Baczkowski
Succeeded by	Julian C. Kozlowski
Personal details
Born	Chester Charles Gorski (1906-06-22)June 22, 1906 Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Died	April 25, 1975(1975-04-25) (aged 68) Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Resting place	Saint Stanislaus Roman Catholic Cemetery, Cheektowaga, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Helen T. Pieprzny
Children	2 (including Dennis Gorski)
Occupation	Assistant foreman, Buffalo Streets Department Liquor store owner

Life and career

Memorial located at Erie Basin Marina near Observation Tower in Buffalo. "Chester C. Gorski, Statesman, Community Leader, Humanitarian. Born June 22, 1906. Died April 25, 1975. President of the Common Council, 1959 to 1973, member of the United States Congress, Erie County Board of Supervisors, Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader, Four Decades of Devoted Public Service."

Gorski was born June 22, 1906, in Buffalo, New York, to a Polish immigrant family.^[1] He attended Saints Peter and Paul Parochial School and Technical High School.^[1] After his high school graduation, Gorski was employed a laborer and assistant foreman in Buffalo's Streets Department,^[2] and also owned a liquor store.^[3]

Early political career

Closeup of Gorski memorial located at Erie Basin Marina near Observation Tower, Buffalo, New York.

Gorski became active in politics as a Democrat; he was a member of the Erie County Board of Supervisors from 1941 to 1945, and minority leader beginning in 1942.^[1] He served on the Buffalo Common Council from 1946 to 1948.^[1] He was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions of 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1968.^[4]

Congress

In 1948 Gorski was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat.^[1] He served one term, January 3, 1949, to January 3, 1951, and was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1950.^[1]

Later career and death

After leaving Congress Gorski was employed by the U.S. Department of Commerce as an industrial analyst from 1951 to 1952.^[1] He served on the Buffalo Common Council again from 1954 to 1956.^[1] From 1956 to 1959 he was a member of the New York State Building Code Commission.^[1] In 1960 Gorski returned to the Buffalo Common Council as its president, and he served until resigning in 1974 because of ill health.^[4]

He died in Buffalo on April 25, 1975.^[4] He was buried at Saint Stanislaus Roman Catholic Cemetery in Cheektowaga, New York.^[4]

Family

Gorski was married to Helen T. Pieprzny.^[5] They were the parents of two sons, Erie County Executive Dennis Gorski and New York State Supreme Court Justice Jerome Gorski.^[5]