Massachusetts political figures and other luminaries on Tuesday mourned the death of former state Attorney General Francis X. Bellotti, a towering public servant who fought for civil rights. For decades a major presence on the city and state’s legal and political scenes, Bellotti was 101.

Frank Bellotti, the lieutenant governor and state attorney general who lived to be 101, has died, his family announced Tuesday. Bellotti served as a Navy SEAL during World War II and went on to make an impact throughout his life in the worlds of law, politics and business. His wife, Maggie Bellotti, died less than a year ago at the age of 98.

Frank Bellotti, a political heavyweight in Massachusetts heralded as the man who transformed the state’s Attorney General’s Office, died Tuesday at 101, his family said in a statement.

Official statement of the Bellotti family regarding the passing of Frank G. Bellotti, former Massachusetts Lt. Governor and Attorney General: We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dad, Frank Bellotti,

A fierce, powerful Democrat who fell short in his three bids for governor, Bellotti nevertheless wielded broad influence in three terms as attorney general.

Frank Bellotti, the lieutenant governor and state attorney general who lived to be 101, has died, his family announced.

"Frank's legacy lives on through his 11 surviving children, his 25 grandchildren, and his 15 great-grandchildren, who continue to honor his memory through their own acts of service," a statement from the family says.