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Veterans of Foreign Wars
Politician members in Iowa

C. B. Akers Charles Booth Akers (b. 1888) — also known as C. B. Akers — of Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa. Born in Frederic, Monroe County, Iowa, August 22, 1888. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; coal dealer; Iowa state auditor, 1939-65. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Forty and Eight; Elks; Freemasons. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Charles A. Akers and Margaret T. (Falls) Akers; married, September 16, 1922, to Bessie M. Roten.
  Image source: Iowa Official Register 1951-52
  Don A. Allen Sr. — of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Calif. Born in Iowa. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War I; member of California state assembly, 1938-46, 1956-66; candidate for Presidential Elector for California. Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Elks; Order of Ahepa; Optimist Club; United Commercial Travelers. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Quentin V. Anderson (b. 1932) — of Ellston, Ringgold County, Iowa. Born in Ringgold County, Iowa, May 7, 1932. Served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict; member of Iowa state house of representatives, 1963-65; member of Iowa state senate, 1969-. Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Lions; Jaycees; Farm Bureau. Still living as of 1971.
  Richard Dean Arbuckle (b. 1926) — also known as R. Dean Arbuckle — of Jefferson, Greene County, Iowa. Born in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, April 2, 1926. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; member of Iowa state senate, 1971. Christian. Member, Lions; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Odd Fellows; Elks; Jaycees. Still living as of 1973.
  Relatives: Son of Charles Martin Arbuckle and Winifred (Pettit) Arbuckle.
  Charles Shirk Arthur Jr. (1917-2011) — also known as Charles Arthur — of Manhattan, Riley County, Kan. Born in Spirit Lake, Dickinson County, Iowa, July 16, 1917. Republican. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; Riley County Attorney, 1949-53; chair of Riley County Republican Party, 1953-55; mayor of Manhattan, Kan., 1956-57; member of Kansas state house of representatives, 1957-65; Speaker of the Kansas State House of Representatives, 1963-64; member of Kansas state senate, 1965-69. Methodist. Member, Phi Delta Phi; Alpha Tau Omega; Freemasons; Shriners; Rotary; Elks; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died in Manhattan, Riley County, Kan., February 16, 2011 (age 93 years, 215 days). Interment at Sunset Cemetery, Manhattan, Kan.
  Relatives: Son of Charles Shirk Arthur and Anna (Pearson) Arthur; married, March 29, 1944, to Mary Ann Bowen.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  George J. Baker (1898-1964) — of Denver, Colo. Born in Missouri Valley, Harrison County, Iowa, March 17, 1898. Democrat. Member of Colorado state house of representatives, 1934-47; secretary of state of Colorado, 1949-53, 1955-63. Protestant. Member, Freemasons; Shriners; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died in May, 1964 (age 66 years, 0 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Married, July 5, 1935, to Kathryn Fry.
  Grenville Beardsley (1898-1960) — of Chicago, Cook County, Ill. Born in Salem, Henry County, Iowa, January 12, 1898. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; lawyer; candidate for Illinois state senate 13th District, 1934, 1938; colonel in the U.S. Army during World War II; Illinois state attorney general, 1959-60; appointed 1959; died in office 1960. Member, American Bar Association; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Elks. Died in 1960 (age about 62 years). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Frank Grenville Beardsley and Mary Elizabeth (Riddell) Beardsley; married, April 16, 1927, to Leona Marian Murray.
  Ralph Frederick Beermann (1912-1977) — of Dakota City, Dakota County, Neb. Born near Dakota City, Dakota County, Neb., August 13, 1912. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; U.S. Representative from Nebraska, 1961-65 (3rd District 1961-63, 1st District 1963-65). Lutheran. Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars; American Legion; Farm Bureau; Kiwanis. Died in an airplane crash at the Municipal Airport in Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa, February 17, 1977 (age 64 years, 188 days). Interment at Dakota City Cemetery, Dakota City, Neb.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Frederick Elliott Biermann (1884-1968) — also known as Fred Biermann — of Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa. Born in Rochester, Olmsted County, Minn., March 20, 1884. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; newspaper editor and publisher; postmaster; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1928, 1940; U.S. Representative from Iowa 4th District, 1933-39; defeated, 1938. Agnostic. Member, Freemasons; Elks; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died in La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wis., July 1, 1968 (age 84 years, 103 days). His body was donated to the Iowa Medical School. Interment at Phelps Cemetery, Decorah, Iowa.
  Relatives: Son of E. E. Biermann and Martha Biermann; married, January 25, 1930, to Adel Rygg.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  James Edward Bromwell (1920-2009) — also known as James E. Bromwell — of Center Point, Linn County, Iowa. Born in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, March 26, 1920. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; lawyer; farmer; U.S. Representative from Iowa 2nd District, 1961-65; defeated, 1964; candidate for U.S. Senator from Iowa, 1968. Member, American Bar Association; Farm Bureau; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Freemasons; Elks; Kiwanis; Phi Kappa Psi; Phi Delta Phi; Omicron Delta Kappa. Died in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa, September 11, 2009 (age 89 years, 169 days). Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Maxwell Thomas Bromwell and Olive Marguerite (MacDuff) Bromwell; married, September 10, 1946, to Dorothy Bennett.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Charles Edward Chapel (1904-1967) — of Inglewood, Los Angeles County, Calif.; Palos Verdes Estates, Los Angeles County, Calif.; Redondo Beach, Los Angeles County, Calif. Born in Manchester, Delaware County, Iowa, May 26, 1904. Republican. Member of California state assembly, 1950-66; candidate for Presidential Elector for California; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1964. Methodist. Member, National Rifle Association; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Freemasons; Shriners; Elks; Odd Fellows; Moose. Died in Palos Verdes, Los Angeles County, Calif., February 20, 1967 (age 62 years, 270 days). Interment at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, Calif.
  Robert Vernon Denney (1916-1981) — also known as Robert V. Denney — of Fairbury, Jefferson County, Neb.; Omaha, Douglas County, Neb. Born in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, April 11, 1916. Republican. Lawyer; served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II; Nebraska Republican state chair, 1961-64; U.S. Representative from Nebraska 1st District, 1967-71. Presbyterian. Member, American Bar Association; Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners; Lions; Veterans of Foreign Wars; American Legion. Died in Omaha, Douglas County, Neb., June 26, 1981 (age 65 years, 76 days). Interment at Fairbury Cemetery, Fairbury, Neb.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Guy Mark Gillette (1879-1973) — also known as Guy M. Gillette — of Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa. Born in Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa, February 3, 1879. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War; farmer; lawyer; Cherokee County Prosecuting Attorney, 1907-09; member of Iowa state senate, 1912-16; served in the U.S. Army during World War I; U.S. Representative from Iowa 9th District, 1933-36; defeated, 1922; U.S. Senator from Iowa, 1936-45, 1949-55; defeated, 1944; delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952. Presbyterian. Member, Freemasons; Knights of Pythias; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Rotary. Actor in cameo role in the 1962 movie Advise & Consent. Died in Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa, March 3, 1973 (age 94 years, 28 days). Interment at Oak Hill Cemetery, Cherokee, Iowa.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Internet Movie Database profile — Find-A-Grave memorial
  Harold Royce Gross (1899-1987) — also known as H. R. Gross — of Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa. Born in Arispe, Union County, Iowa, June 30, 1899. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; U.S. Representative from Iowa 3rd District, 1949-75. Presbyterian. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Freemasons; Shriners; Elks. Died in Washington, D.C., September 22, 1987 (age 88 years, 84 days). Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  Boyd G. Hayes (b. 1915) — of Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa. Born in Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa, September 13, 1915. Republican. Lawyer; served in the U.S. Army during World War II; chair of Floyd County Republican Party, 1946-48; member of Iowa Republican State Central Committee, 1949; delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1952 (member, Committee on Rules and Order of Business). Congregationalist. Member, Lions; Elks; Moose; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Freemasons. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Bourke Blakemore Hickenlooper (1896-1971) — also known as Bourke B. Hickenlooper — of Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa. Born in Blockton, Taylor County, Iowa, July 21, 1896. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; lawyer; member of Iowa state house of representatives, 1934-38; Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, 1939-43; Governor of Iowa, 1943-45; delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1944, 1952, 1956 (speaker), 1960; U.S. Senator from Iowa, 1945-69. Methodist. Member, Freemasons; Knights Templar; Shriners; Elks; Odd Fellows; Moose; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died in Shelter Island, Suffolk County, N.Y., September 4, 1971 (age 75 years, 45 days). Entombed at Cedar Memorial Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
  Relatives: Married to Verna Eileen Bensch.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — National Governors Association biography — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Find-A-Grave memorial — OurCampaigns candidate detail
  Loren H. Laughlin (1896-1966) — of Beatrice, Gage County, Neb.; Lincoln, Lancaster County, Neb. Born in Mt. Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, August 13, 1896. Republican. Lawyer; served in the U.S. Army during World War I; member of Nebraska state senate 16th District, 1925-29; delegate to Republican National Convention from Nebraska, 1928, 1936; candidate for U.S. Representative from Nebraska 1st District, 1940; served in the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II; senior claims commissioner, Manila, Philippines, 1947-48; hearing examiner, Federal Trade Commission, 1953-66. Scotch-Irish and German ancestry. Member, American Bar Association; American Legion; Forty and Eight; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Modern Woodmen of America; Knights of Pythias; Freemasons; Shriners; Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Died in Chevy Chase, Montgomery County, Md., June 21, 1966 (age 69 years, 312 days). Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Eugene A. Leahy (1929-2000) — also known as Gene Leahy — of Omaha, Douglas County, Neb. Born in Imogene, Fremont County, Iowa, May 8, 1929. Democrat. Served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict; lawyer; municipal judge in Nebraska, 1964-68; mayor of Omaha, Neb., 1969-73. Catholic. Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died, from complications of lung cancer, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Omaha, Douglas County, Neb., January 18, 2000 (age 70 years, 255 days). Interment at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Omaha, Neb.
  Gene Leahy Mall, a downtown park (created 1977 as "Central Park Mall", renamed 1992, closed and demolished 2019), in Omaha, Nebraska, was named for him.
  Jack Richard Miller (1916-1994) — also known as Jack Miller — of Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa; Temple Terrace, Hillsborough County, Fla. Born in Chicago, Cook County, Ill., June 6, 1916. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II; lawyer; member of Iowa state house of representatives, 1955-56; member of Iowa state senate, 1957-60; U.S. Senator from Iowa, 1961-73; defeated, 1972; Associate Judge of U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, 1973-82; Judge of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 1982-85; took senior status 1985. Catholic. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Reserve Officers Association; Izaak Walton League; Rotary; Moose; Eagles; Elks; Knights of Columbus; United Commercial Travelers. Died in Temple Terrace, Hillsborough County, Fla., August 29, 1994 (age 78 years, 84 days). Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page — federal judicial profile — Wikipedia article — NNDB dossier — Biographical Directory of Federal Judges
  John E. Mulroney (b. 1896) — of Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa. Born in Ruthven, Palo Alto County, Iowa, February 15, 1896. Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; lawyer; justice of Iowa state supreme court, 1943-55. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Burial location unknown.
  John Frederick Raper Jr. (1913-1993) — also known as John F. Raper, Jr. — of Sheridan, Sheridan County, Wyo.; Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyo. Born in Mapleton, Monona County, Iowa, June 13, 1913. Republican. Lawyer; served in the U.S. Army during World War II; served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict; U.S. Attorney for Wyoming, 1953-61; Wyoming state attorney general, 1963-66; district judge in Wyoming, 1966-67. Presbyterian. Member, Sigma Nu; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Rotary; Freemasons; Scottish Rite Masons; Order of the Eastern Star; Shriners. Died in Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyo., June 10, 1993 (age 79 years, 362 days). Interment at Sheridan Municipal Cemetery, Sheridan, Wyo.
  Relatives: Son of John Frederick Raper and Anna Selma (Peterson) Raper; married, August 4, 1939, to Nell Marie Chesler.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
  Walter Ward Reynoldson (b. 1920) — also known as W. Ward Reynoldson — of Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa. Born in St. Edward, Boone County, Neb., May 17, 1920. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; lawyer; Clarke County Attorney, 1953-57; justice of Iowa state supreme court, 1971-87; chief justice of Iowa state supreme court, 1978-87; law professor. Member, Rotary; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; American Bar Association; American Judicature Society. Presumed deceased. Burial location unknown.
  Relatives: Son of Walter Scorer Reynoldson and Mabel Matilda (Sallach) Reynoldson; married, December 24, 1942, to Janet Aline Mills; married, June 3, 1989, to Patricia A. Frey.
  William Joseph Scherle (1923-2003) — also known as William J. Scherle — of Henderson, Mills County, Iowa. Born in Little Falls, Herkimer County, N.Y., March 14, 1923. Republican. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; farmer; chair of Mills County Republican Party, 1956-64; member of Iowa state house of representatives, 1960-66; U.S. Representative from Iowa, 1967-75 (7th District 1967-73, 5th District 1973-75); defeated, 1974. Catholic. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Farm Bureau. Died in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, August 27, 2003 (age 80 years, 166 days). Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
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
  Henry Oscar Talle (1892-1969) — also known as Henry O. Talle — of Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa. Born near Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minn., January 12, 1892. Republican. Served in the U.S. Navy during World War I; school teacher; superintendent of schools; college professor; U.S. Representative from Iowa, 1939-59 (4th District 1939-43, 2nd District 1943-59); defeated, 1936 (4th District), 1958 (2nd District). Lutheran. Member, American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Died in Washington, D.C., March 14, 1969 (age 77 years, 61 days). Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
  Relatives: Son of John Talle and Anna (Ovri) Talle; married 1920 to Edith Margaret Huset.
  See also congressional biography — Govtrack.us page
  John C. Torgerson (b. 1947) — of Kasilof, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. Born in Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa, October 21, 1947. Republican. Member of Alaska state senate District D, 1995-. Member, Eagles; Elks; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars. Still living as of 2001.
  Daniel Webster Turner (1877-1969) — also known as Dan W. Turner — of Corning, Adams County, Iowa. Born in Corning, Adams County, Iowa, March 17, 1877. Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War; merchant; farmer; member of Iowa state senate, 1904; delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1916 (alternate), 1928 (speaker), 1932, 1936; Governor of Iowa, 1931-33. Presbyterian. Member, United Spanish War Veterans; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Freemasons. Died April 15, 1969 (age 92 years, 29 days). Interment somewhere in Corning, Iowa.
  Presumably named for: Daniel Webster
  Relatives: Son of Austin B. Turner and Almira (Baker) Turner; married, September 27, 1900, to Alice Sample.
  See also National Governors Association biography
  John Kalbach Valentine (1904-1950) — also known as John K. Valentine — of Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa. Born in Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, February 5, 1904. Democrat. Lawyer; member of Iowa state senate 3rd District, 1933-35; Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, 1937-39; defeated, 1938; U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, 1939-40; candidate for Governor of Iowa, 1940; served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; vice-president, Iowa Southern Utilities Company, 1948. Episcopalian. Member, Elks; Eagles; American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; Lions; Rotary; Sigma Chi; Phi Alpha Delta. Died in Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, October 12, 1950 (age 46 years, 249 days). Interment at Oakland Cemetery, Centerville, Iowa.
  Relatives: Son of Hosford Edwin Valentine and Annetta (Kalbach) Valentine; married, November 30, 1932, to Billie Armstrong.
  See also Find-A-Grave memorial
"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.  
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