Statement from Mayor Donald Shaw on the Passing of Lt. Governor Oliver

“Sometimes we are lucky enough to cross paths with people whose brilliance shines so brightly, whose compassion runs so deeply and whose spirit is so infectious that we recognize instantly our good fortune. And if we are smart, we seize that opportunity and use it to absorb all we can.

And then, on rare occasions, we find ourselves not merely crossing paths but actually being able to spend considerable time learning under the wings of greatness. It is then that we know we are blessed.

Over the past 20 years, beginning with my tenure in Newark and continuing as a public servant, I had the honor of being able to regularly confer with the esteemed Sheila Y. Oliver, Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey. I know for certain that her counsel, her words of encouragement and her shining example of leadership has shaped and inspired me.

My heart is heavy at the sudden loss of this trailblazer, yet I am immensely grateful to have known her. May she rest easy and may we continue to march along the pathways that she established for us.”