Alexander Whiteside, 78, of Hillside St. passed away peacefully, surrounded by his beloved family.

He is survived by daughter Margaret Whiteside of Boston and son Alexander Whiteside Jr, of Milton, as well as sister Haidee Flinders, nephews Matthew and Andrew Flinders, and his constant companion, Gremlin.

Alex spent his childhood in Milton with his two sisters, Haidee, and Lisa (who predeceased Alex in 1999) and their parents Howard Whiteside and Elizabeth (Swift) Whiteside. Alex graduated from Harvard University with a degree in history before receiving his law degree at Fordham University and eventually earning a Masters in Law from Boston University.

After years of private practice, including working alongside his father Howard Whiteside with the firm of Putnum, Bell, and Russell, Alex entered the public sector. He was appointed by Governor William Weld to the position of Chief Counsel to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, where he remained for 16 years. Though his contributions to State government were significant, it is to the town of Milton that Alex made his most indelible mark during his life of public service.

A Town Meeting member of long standing, Alex’s greatest contribution to the town certainly came as a member of the Milton Planning Board, of which he was an integral member and frequent chairman for over 30 years. With his mastery of the forms and peculiar linguistics of zoning law, and deep attention both to the details and coherency of legal writing, Alex almost always had a hand (more often both hands and a foot or two) in the drafting of any zoning of note. One could say that he shaped the town itself by defining the parameters on which its myriad constructions were built. Even after his tenure as Chairman of the Planning Board ended, he continued to provide time, energy, and legal knowledge to the town, using his influence as a Town Meeting member and private citizen to make vital contributions to issues ranging from the new high school to senior housing, about which he penned the recent successful ballot initiative.

A man of honesty, integrity, and indefatigability, Alex reached the apex of his political influence when most would have left town politics behind. At the time of his death, he had just finished a proposal to ameliorate the carnage and confusion wreaked by RT 28’s infamous traffic light.

With a wry wit and an unflagging loyalty to friends and loved ones, Alex will always be fondly remembered by those who knew him not only for his keen sense of justice, but the compassionate and loving nature barely concealed beneath a stoic façade. He was active until his last day, running with his dog, Gremlin, chopping brush, performing acts of household maintenance better left to professionals, never losing the strength and endurance for which he was so widely admired.

Visiting hours at Dolan Funeral Home, 460 Granite Avenue, EAST MILTON SQUARE, Thursday June 1st from 2-4 PM. Family and friends invited. Burial will be private.

A memorial service will be held at St Michael’s Episcopal Church, 112 Randolph Avenue, Milton, MA 02186 at a later date.