The mood of much of the evening, however, was humorous, as friends and colleagues shared their memories of Duehay.
State Rep. Michael E. Capuano (D-Somerville) noted Duehay's tenacity.
"I have always found him to be a real pain in the neck," Capuano quipped. "We'll give you whatever you want, just to shut you up," he added.
Brennan also shared an anecdote that dated from his days on the campaign trail with Duehay in the late '80s. Brennan sent Duehay canvassing through Cambridge with a volunteer named Jane Lewis.
It turned out that Brennan had the wrong person--Lewis had never signed up for the campaign--but she and Duehay hit it off. Usually, Brennan said, Duehay would "bitch and moan" about his door-knocking excursions.
This time, however, Duehay came "bounding through the door. 'My God, he's got a crush on a volunteer!'" Brennan remembers thinking.
Today, Lewis and Duehay are married.
With the retirements of Duehay and Sheila Doyle Russell, the council is losing two councillors with a combined 42 years of council experience. Russell had her own goodbye party Wednesday night.