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The Political Graveyard: A Database of American History
Christian Reformed Politicians in Iowa
(Christian Reformed Church;
Reformed Church in America;
Dutch Reformed Church)

  Bert Andrew Bandstra (1922-1995) — also known as Bert Bandstra — of Marion County, Iowa. Born in Monroe County, Iowa, January 25, 1922. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; lawyer; Marion County Attorney, 1955-59; U.S. Representative from Iowa 4th District, 1965-67; defeated, 1966, 1968. Christian Reformed. Dutch ancestry. Member, American Legion. Died in Pella, Marion County, Iowa, October 23, 1995 (age 73 years, 271 days). Interment at Oakwood Cemetery, Pella, Iowa.
  Relatives: Son of Andrew Bandstra and Adriana 'Jennie' (De Jong) Bandstra.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Henry Beets (b. 1869) — of Sioux Center, Sioux County, Iowa; Grand Rapids, Kent County, Mich. Born in Koedyk, Netherlands, January 5, 1869. Republican. Pastor; Dry candidate for delegate to Michigan convention to ratify 21st amendment from Kent County 1st District, 1933. Christian Reformed. Dutch ancestry. Member, Rotary. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Jasper Beets and Margaret (Smit) Beets; married, September 11, 1895, to Clara Poel.
  Lucas James DeKoster (1918-2000) — also known as Lucas J. DeKoster — of Hull, Sioux County, Iowa. Born in Hull, Sioux County, Iowa, June 18, 1918. Lawyer; member of Iowa state senate 1st District, 1965-83. Christian Reformed. Member, American Bar Association. Died in Hull, Sioux County, Iowa, February 23, 2000 (age 81 years, 250 days). Interment at Hope Cemetery, Hull, Iowa.
  Melvin J. De Stigter (1928-2003) — of Hudsonville, Ottawa County, Mich. Born in Sioux Center, Sioux County, Iowa, November 21, 1928. Republican. School teacher; sales manager; member of Michigan state house of representatives 95th District, 1965-78; candidate for Michigan state senate 23rd District, 1978; candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 2nd District, 1992. Christian Reformed. Member, Jaycees. Died August 7, 2003 (age 74 years, 259 days). Interment at Georgetown Cemetery, Georgetown Township, Ottawa County, Mich.
  Relatives: Married 1950 to Carol Jean Schultze.
  Stephen V. Monsma (1936-2017) — of Grand Rapids, Kent County, Mich. Born in Pella, Marion County, Iowa, September 22, 1936. Democrat. College professor; writer; member of Michigan state senate 32nd District, 1979-82; defeated, 1970, 1985; member of Michigan state house of representatives 93rd District, 1975-78; Democratic candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 5th District, 1980 (primary), 1982. Christian Reformed. Member, Urban League. Died February 18, 2017 (age 80 years, 149 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Rev. Martin Monsma and Marie (Vos) Monsma; married to Mary Carlisle.
Melvin D. Synhorst Melvin D. Synhorst (b. 1914) — of Orange City, Sioux County, Iowa. Born in Orange City, Sioux County, Iowa, January 21, 1914. Republican. Lawyer; served in the U.S. Army during World War II; secretary of state of Iowa, 1949-65, 1967-80; resigned 1980. American Reformed Church. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Amvets; Freemasons; Alpha Tau Omega; Gamma Eta Gamma. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Hugo Synhorst and Ethel Synhorst; married 1941 to Alice Rossing.
  Image source: Iowa Official Register 1951-52
"Enjoy the hospitable entertainment of a political graveyard."
Henry L. Clinton, Apollo Hall, New York City, February 3, 1872
The Political Graveyard

The Political Graveyard is a web site about U.S. political history and cemeteries. Founded in 1996, it is the Internet's most comprehensive free source for American political biography, listing 320,919 politicians, living and dead.
 
  The coverage of this site includes (1) the President, Vice President, members of Congress, elected state and territorial officeholders in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories; and the chief elected official, typically the mayor, of qualifying municipalities; (2) candidates at election, including primaries, for any of the above; (3) all federal judges and all state appellate judges; (4) certain federal officials, including the federal cabinet, diplomatic chiefs of mission, consuls, U.S. district attorneys, collectors of customs and internal revenue, members of major federal commissions; and political appointee (pre-1969) postmasters of qualifying communities; (5) state and national political party officials, including delegates, alternate delegates, and other participants in national party nominating conventions; (6) Americans who served as "honorary" consuls for other nations before 1950. Note: municipalities or communities "qualify", for Political Graveyard purposes, if they have at least half a million person-years of history, inclusive of predecessor, successor, and merged entities.  
  The listings are incomplete; development of the database is a continually ongoing project.  
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