Setti David Warren, Newton’s 30th mayor, died unexpectedly on Sunday, November 2nd at the family’s Beaumont Avenue home. He was fifty-five years old. There has been no official determination of the cause of his death.
At the time of his death, Mr. Warren was the Director of the Institute of Politics and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Before his appointment to the Institute of Politics, he was Executive Director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. The Harvard Kennedy School said in a statement:
“Here at Harvard, Setti served as Director of the Institute of Politics and, before that, as Executive Director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. In these roles, he will be remembered as a visionary and tireless leader who helped steer these institutions as they hosted prominent speakers and fellows from across the political divide, conducted groundbreaking research, and fostered debate and engagement on the most challenging issues of our time. Most of all, he will be remembered at Harvard by the many students he helped to teach, nurture, and mentor. Setti’s students loved him, and their impact –– like his –– will reverberate for generations to come.”
Mr. Warren served two terms as Mayor of Newton, first elected in 2009, the first African American mayor in Massachusetts. While in his first term, he briefly ran for Senate, but then withdrew in favor of Elizabeth Warren. Similarly, he entered the Governor’s race in 2017, but withdrew in 2018.
Even before his campaign for Mayor, Mr. Warren led a life of public service, working as New England Director of the Federal Office of Emergency Management and as deputy director of Senator John Kerry’s Boston office. Prior to his mayoral campaign, Mr. Warren, who was in the Naval Reserve, served in Iraq as a Naval Intelligence specialist.
A life-long Newton resident, Mr. Warren demonstrated his predilection for elected office at Newton North High School, serving all four years as class president, and then as class body president at Boston College, class of 1993.
Mr. Warren is survived by his wife Elizabeth, known as “Tassy,” their daughter Abigail, their son John, and Mr. Warren’s twin sister, Makeda. His younger sister, Kara, died of chronic asthma in 2005. His father, Joseph Warren, an advisor to then presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, passed away in 2010.
Mayor Ruthanne Fuller, in her statement announcing Mr. Warren’s passing, said:
“Setti often spoke of his father, Joe, and thanked him for giving him an enduring belief in public service and the positive potential of government. He brought to his Mayoral duties the values and lessons he learned while serving President Bill Clinton and John Kerry, as well as FEMA and the U.S. Naval Reserve (including a tour in Iraq). He paid this forward to young people at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics.”
State Representative Amy Sangiolo, who served on Newton’s City Council for twenty years, said of Mr. Warren: “Setti was a great mayor who led us through a number of fiscal challenges. He understood the importance of bringing the community together by reaching out and listening to different perspectives. He loved public service and serving the City of Newton, but most of all, he loved his family.”
City Council President Marc Laredo said of Mr. Warren, “Roberta and I are so saddened to learn of the passing of former Mayor Setti Warren and want to express our deepest sympathy to his family, especially his wife Tassy and their two children. Many of us on the City Council served with Setti during his eight years in office and appreciate everything he did for our city. I will always remember his many accomplishments, his love for his family, and his ready smile, warmth, and enthusiasm. He will be greatly missed.”
UPDATE: Setti Warren’s obituary notes that a wake will be held at Newton City Hall in the War Memorial (1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton) on Thursday, November 6, 4PM-7:30PM, and a Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, November 7 at 10:30AM in Our Lady Help of Christians Church (573 Washington Street, Newton). His family wishes his burial to be private, and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Newton Food Pantry or Soldier On.
Ed. Note: This article was updated with information from the obituary.
