John Culver

{{short description|United States Senator from Iowa (1975–1981)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = John Culver

|image = John Culver.jpg

|jr/sr = United States Senator

|state = Iowa

|term_start = January 3, 1975

|term_end = January 3, 1981

|predecessor = Harold Hughes

|successor = Chuck Grassley

|state1 = Iowa

|district1 = {{ushr|IA|2|2nd}}

|term_start1 = January 3, 1965

|term_end1 = January 3, 1975

|predecessor1 = James E. Bromwell

|successor1 = Mike Blouin

|birth_name = John Chester Culver

|birth_date = {{birth date|1932|8|8}}

|birth_place = Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.

|death_date = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|2018|12|26|1932|8|8}}}}

|death_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.

|party = Democratic

|spouse = Ann Cooper (Divorced)
Mary Jane Checchi

|children = 5, including Chet

|education = Harvard University (BA, JD)
Emmanuel College, Cambridge

|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

|branch = {{flag|United States Marine Corps}}

|serviceyears = 1955–1958

| rank = 25px Captain

}}

John Chester Culver (August 8, 1932 – December 26, 2018) was an American politician, writer, and lawyer who was elected to both the United States House of Representatives (1965–1975) and United States Senate (1975–1981) from Iowa. He was a member of the Democratic Party. His son Chet Culver served as the 41st governor of Iowa (2007–2011).

Early life and education

Culver was born in Rochester, Minnesota, the son of Mary C. (Miller) and William C. Culver. He moved as a child with his family to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Culver graduated from both Harvard University and Harvard Law School. As an undergraduate, he played fullback on the Harvard football team with future U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy. He was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the 27th round of the 1954 NFL draft.{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2018/12/29/john-culver-iowa-lawmaker-kennedy-confidant-harvard-football-star/E8MDpCrpWmAmfehmU6ZGEO/story.html |title=John C. Culver, 86, Iowa lawmaker, Kennedy confidant, Harvard football star | publisher=Boston Globe |date=December 29, 2018}} Rather than try out for professional football after graduating, Culver attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge, as the Lionel de Jersey Harvard Scholar.

After his return to the U.S., he served in the military as a captain in the United States Marine Corps from 1955 to 1958.

In 1978 Culver was inducted into the Harvard Football Hall of Fame.

Career

Culver became active in politics, working as a legislative assistant for Senator Edward Kennedy in 1962. He began his law practice in Iowa a year later. In 1964, he ran against Republican U.S. Representative James E. Bromwell. With President Lyndon Johnson's landslide victory, many Democrats, including Culver, were carried to victory.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/obituaries/john-culver-dead.html |title=John Culver, Liberal Congressman From Iowa, Is Dead at 86 | work=New York Times |date=December 28, 2018}}

In 1974, Culver ran for the U.S. Senate, narrowly defeating Davis Stanley with 52% of the vote for the seat left open by the retirement of Harold E. Hughes. Culver served one term in the Senate, from 1975 until 1981. With Ronald Reagan's national victory as president, Culver was defeated in 1980 by Republican Chuck Grassley, taking 46% of the vote to Grassley's 53%.

In 2000, Culver co-wrote American Dreamer, the first comprehensive biography of Henry A. Wallace.

Culver was a featured speaker at the August 28, 2009, memorial service for Edward Kennedy, speaking as his Harvard classmate and teammate, Senate colleague, and longtime friend.{{YouTube|eWrBPefWtbQ|Culver's eulogy at Sen. Kennedy's memorial service}}

Until January 31, 2011, Culver was the interim director of the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He was succeeded by former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson. Culver remained on the board of advisers as director emeritus.{{Cite web|date=11 May 2010|title=John Culver Named Interim Director of Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics|url=http://www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/news/press-releases/john-culver|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712173631/http://www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/news/press-releases/john-culver|archive-date=12 July 2012|website=Harvard Kennedy School}}

Personal life and death

File:Harkin and Culver at state fair (4885723391).jpg in 2010]]

John Culver and his wife had five children, including Chet, who served as governor of Iowa from 2007 to 2011.

At the time of his death, Culver was recently retired from the firm of Arent Fox in Washington, D.C., where he had established the government affairs practice.{{Cite web |url=http://www.arentfox.com/people/index.cfm?fa=profile&id=61 |title=Culver's firm bio at Arent Fox |access-date=August 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010221752/http://www.arentfox.com/people/index.cfm?fa=profile&id=61 |archive-date=October 10, 2007 |url-status=dead }} After leaving the Senate, he lived and worked in the capital with his wife, Mary Jane Checchi.

Culver died on December 26, 2018, at age 86.{{Cite web|last=Belmont|first=Sara|date=2018-12-27|title=Former U.S. Senator, John Culver, dead at 86|url=https://kwwl.com/2018/12/27/former-u-s-senator-john-culver-dead-at-86/|access-date=2020-07-08|website=KWWL|language=en-US}}

References

External links

The [http://lib.uiowa.edu/collguides/?MSC0810 John Culver Papers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130182945/http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/collguides/?MSC0810 |date=November 30, 2012 }} are housed at the University of Iowa Special Collections & University Archives.
[https://aspace.lib.uiowa.edu/repositories/2/resources/717 John Culvers papers] are housed at University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections & Archives

{{s-bef

| before = James E. Bromwell

}}

{{s-ttl

| title = Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Iowa's 2nd congressional district

| years = 1965–1975

}}

{{s-aft

| after = Mike Blouin

}}

{{s-bef

| before = Harold Hughes