Jack Reardon; Former Mayor of Kansas City, Kan.

Former Mayor Jack Reardon, who underwent a heart transplant nearly two years ago, died Friday of heart failure. He was 45.

Reardon was serving as mayor when he received a new heart in February, 1987. He had suffered from cardiomyopathy, which results in inadequate pumping ability.

Reardon, a Democrat, served 12 years as mayor before losing the general election in April, 1987, to Joseph Steineger. Reardon said he believed his health was a factor in his loss.

Earlier this month, Reardon was elected to the Wyandotte County Commission after being unopposed in the general election. Except for the 1987 mayoral election, Reardon’s only election defeat occurred during an ill-fated bid for Congress in 1984. He lost to Jan Meyers.

As mayor, the often-controversial Reardon worked diligently to bring new economic development to Kansas City, Kan., a largely blue-collar town with an aging and declining industrial base. One of Reardon’s biggest accomplishments was years of negotiations he held with General Motors, which eventually led to the car maker’s commitment to build a new auto plant in the city.

Reardon is survived by his wife, Helen, and a son and a daughter.