# Mike Purzycki

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Purzycki
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Purzycki.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Purzycki
> Source revision: 1357079659
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|American politician (1945–2026)}}
{{about|the mayor of Wilmington, Delaware|his son|Mick Purzycki}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name        = Mike Purzycki
|image       = Mike Purzycki.jpg
|caption     = Purzycki in 2020
|office      = 56th [Mayor of Wilmington](/source/List_of_mayors_of_Wilmington%2C_Delaware)
|term_start  = January 3, 2017
|term_end    = January 7, 2025
|predecessor = [Dennis P. Williams](/source/Dennis_P._Williams)
|successor   = [John Carney](/source/John_Carney_(Delaware_politician))
|birth_date  = {{birth year|1945}}
|birth_place = [Newark, New Jersey](/source/Newark%2C_New_Jersey), U.S.
|death_date  = {{death date and given age|2026|5|19|80}}
|death_place = 
|party       = [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States))
|spouse      = Bette Richitelli 
|children    = 3, including [Mick](/source/Mick_Purzycki)
|education   = [University of Delaware](/source/University_of_Delaware) ([BA](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts))<br>[Delaware Law School](/source/Widener_University_Delaware_Law_School) ([JD](/source/Juris_Doctor))
}}

'''Michael S. Purzycki''' (1945 – May 19, 2026) was an American businessman and politician who served as the [56th mayor](/source/List_of_mayors_of_Wilmington%2C_Delaware) of [Wilmington](/source/Wilmington%2C_Delaware), [Delaware](/source/Delaware), from 2017 to 2025. He previously served as the executive director of the Riverfront Development Corporation and briefly played in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) for the [New York Giants](/source/New_York_Giants) in the 1967–1968 season.

==Early life and education==
Purzycki was born in [Newark, New Jersey](/source/Newark%2C_New_Jersey), in 1945. He graduated from [Seton Hall Preparatory School](/source/Seton_Hall_Preparatory_School) in 1963 and received a football scholarship to the [University of Delaware](/source/University_of_Delaware). While at the university, he played football for four years and set every [Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football](/source/Delaware_Fightin'_Blue_Hens_football) receiving record. Purzycki graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in history. After college, he signed a contract to play for the [New York Giants](/source/New_York_Giants) in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) for the 1967–1968 season; however, his football career was cut short by injury.

In 1968, Purzycki moved to [Delaware](/source/Delaware).<ref name="mayor">{{cite web|title=Mayor Michael S. Purzycki|publisher=The City of Wilmington, Delaware|url=https://www.wilmingtonde.gov/government/office-of-the-mayor/about-mayor-purzycki|accessdate=August 29, 2018}}</ref> He worked in real estate and attended [Delaware Law School](/source/Widener_University_Delaware_Law_School) at night. He graduated from law school and was admitted to the [Delaware bar](/source/Delaware_State_Bar_Association). He served as an attorney for the [Delaware Senate](/source/Delaware_Senate) and continued to practice law for more than a decade.<ref name=mayor/>

==Political career==
In 1982, Purzycki was elected to the [New Castle Council](/source/New_Castle_County%2C_Delaware). He spent nine years as chairman of the council's finance committee and wrote the legislation that would become Delaware's first ethics law.<ref name=mayor/>

Purzycki was chosen as the executive director of the Riverfront Development Corporation in 1996. In this role, he was responsible for helping redevelop the blighted [Riverfront](/source/Wilmington_Riverfront) area of Wilmington.<ref name=mayor/> Under his tenure, the former industrial Riverfront became a destination for recreation and dining. He turned $350 million in public funding into a $1 billion private investment and brought over 1,400 residents and 6,000 employees to the Riverfront.<ref name=newsjournal11816/> Purzycki later served as chairman of the Wilmington Hope Commission, where he oversaw the opening of the Achievement Center in 2014. The Achievement Center helps former prisoners transition back into the community.<ref name=mayor/>
 
In 2016, Purzycki ran for Mayor of Wilmington. On September 13, 2016, he won the [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) primary with 23.6% of the vote, defeating incumbent Mayor [Dennis P. Williams](/source/Dennis_P._Williams) and six other candidates. His was vote was particularly strong in his neighborhood in the northwest part of the city. Former [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) Representative and Governor [Mike Castle](/source/Mike_Castle) helped Purzycki campaign to Republicans and Independents, with over 1,200 voters in Wilmington switching their voter registration from Republican to Democratic.<ref name=newsjournal91416>{{cite news|last1=Jedra|first1=Christina|last2=Baker|first2=Karl|title=Purzycki finds strength in neighborhood voters|work=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, DE|date=September 14, 2016|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2016/09/14/wilmington-residents-cautiously-hopeful-after-election/90265014/|accessdate=August 29, 2018}}</ref> Purzycki won the [general election](/source/2016_Wilmington_mayoral_election) on November 8, 2016 with 82% of the vote, defeating Republican real estate professional Robert Martin and Independent Democrat teacher Steven Washington.<ref name=newsjournal11816>{{cite news|last=Jedra|first=Christina|title=Wilmington mayor-elect Purzycki: 'Let's get to work'|work=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, DE|date=November 8, 2016|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2016/11/08/purzycki-voted-mayor-wilmington/93110380/|accessdate=August 29, 2018}}</ref> Purzycki was inaugurated as Mayor on January 3, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|last=Read|first=Zoë|title=Mike Purzycki sworn in as mayor of Wilmington|publisher=WHYY|location=Philadelphia, PA|date=January 4, 2017|url=https://whyy.org/articles/mike-purzycki-sworn-in-as-mayor-of-wilmington/|accessdate=August 29, 2018}}</ref> He was re-elected in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-09-16 |title=Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki is Elected to a Second Term |url=https://www.witn22.org/2020/09/16/wilmington-mayor-mike-purzycki-is-elected-to-a-second-term/ |access-date=2023-07-24 |website=WITN Channel 22 Wilmington, Delaware |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Purzycki lived in the Highlands neighborhood of Wilmington. He married Bette Richitelli in 1984. They have three children together: Gage, Adriane, and [Mick](/source/Mick_Purzycki). Gage lives at home in Wilmington while Adriane and Mick live in [New York City](/source/New_York_City).<ref name=mayor/>

Purzycki died on May 19, 2026, from cancer at the age of 80.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wdel.com/news/former-wilmington-mayor-mike-purzycki-has-died/article_56adb68e-1a95-4122-9042-afdf274c066c.html|title=Former Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki has died|date=May 19, 2026|website=WDEL 101.7FM}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2026/05/19/former-wilmington-mayor-mike-purzycki-dies-at-80/74036079007/#|title=Former Wilmington mayor and Riverfront architect Mike Purzycki dies|publisher=Delaware Online|date=May 19, 2026|accessdate=May 20, 2026}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
==External Links==
*{{IMDb name| 14116380}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[Dennis P. Williams](/source/Dennis_P._Williams)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Mayor of Wilmington](/source/Mayor_of_Wilmington%2C_Delaware)|years=2017–2025}}
{{s-aft|after=[John Carney](/source/John_Carney_(Delaware_politician))}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Purzycki, Mike}}
Category:1945 births
Category:2026 deaths
Category:Mayors of Wilmington, Delaware
Category:Members of the New Castle County Council
Category:21st-century mayors of places in Delaware
Category:American athlete-politicians
Category:American people of Polish descent
Category:Delaware Democrats
Category:Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:Players of American football from Newark, New Jersey
Category:Politicians from Newark, New Jersey
Category:Seton Hall Preparatory School alumni
Category:University of Delaware alumni
Category:Deaths from cancer in Delaware

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mike Purzycki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Purzycki) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Purzycki?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.