Delco power broker's viewing draws a throng

He never was elected to Congress, never served in the state House or Senate. He never held any public office.

But as longtime Republican leader of Upper Darby - one of a small handful of men who ran the Delaware County GOP for decades - John F. McNichol helped elect people to those offices, along with governors, U.S. senators, and countless officials at the local level.

Many of the people he helped - and even some of the Democrats he battled - turned out Thursday night for his viewing in Upper Darby, a massive affair that jammed the four-lane West Chester Pike and forced police to close lanes of traffic. McNichol, 75, died Sunday after a months-long illness.

Cars were parked on side streets for blocks, and hundreds of people stood in the 37-degree chill outside the Donahue Funeral Home, waiting for the chance to pay their respects to McNichol's family. The bundled line curled around the building and down the block, not just with officials but also with people McNichol had befriended or done favors for in four decades as a deal-maker and problem-solver.

"He was the ultimate behind-the-scenes politician. He was the go-to guy," said U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, a Democrat who regularly met with McNichol for breakfast to gossip about politics, sports, and growing up in Catholic school.

Also among the officials who were whisked into the funeral home ahead of most of the public were U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, also a Democrat, and U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, a Republican.

Upper Darby may be the suburbs, but it's mainly a rowhouse-and-twin-house suburb. Although nearly as urban as neighboring West Philadelphia, it was until recent years almost wholly Republican.

McNichol had a lot to to do with that. He was the grandson of a state legislator, and his father-in-law was Sam Dickey, a leader of the old War Board, which controlled political decisions in Media, the county seat.

Thomas Judge Sr., former county Republican chairman, recalled that McNichol was highly influential in the county's mid-1970s move to change its form of government.

Delaware County used to have a provision that permitted one minority-party member - a Democrat - on the county commissioners. Since the move to a five-member council, "we've never had a Democrat on the board," Judge said proudly. He gave McNichol a large measure of the political credit.

Thomas M. Micozzie, mayor of Upper Darby, said McNichol recognized the importance of backing candidates who were active in their neighborhoods. "He moved them forward and held them to high standards," he said, "making sure they served the people."

Philadelphia City Councilman Dennis O'Brien, former speaker of the state House, likened McNichol's amiable personality and personal style of politics to those of the late William A. Meehan, GOP boss of Philadelphia.

"He was for people, not against people, and that is a model for all of us to live by," O'Brien said. "We need leaders today who stand up for the little guy."