Cecil Andrus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cecil Andrus
26th and 28th Governor of Idaho
In office January 5, 1987 – January 2, 1995
Lieutenant	Butch Otter
Preceded by	John V. Evans
Succeeded by	Phil Batt
In office January 4, 1971 – January 23, 1977
Lieutenant	Jack M. Murphy John V. Evans
Preceded by	Don Samuelson
Succeeded by	John V. Evans
42nd United States Secretary of the Interior
In office January 23, 1977 – January 20, 1981
President	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Thomas S. Kleppe
Succeeded by	James G. Watt
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office July 4, 1976 – January 23, 1977
Preceded by	Robert D. Ray
Succeeded by	Reubin Askew
Personal details
Born	Cecil Dale Andrus (1931-08-25)August 25, 1931 Hood River, Oregon, U.S.
Died	August 24, 2017(2017-08-24) (aged 85) Boise, Idaho, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Carol May ​ (m. 1949)​
Children	3
Education	Oregon State University
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1951–1955
Rank	Petty officer, second class
Unit	U.S. Naval Reserve
Battles/wars	Korean War Cold War

Cecil Dale Andrus (born August 25, 1931 – died August 24, 2017) was an American politician. He served as the governor of Idaho for a total of 14 years. This is the longest time anyone has served as governor in Idaho's history! He was a member of the Democratic Party.

Andrus also worked as the U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1977 to 1981. This was during President Jimmy Carter's time in office. He was well-known for his strong beliefs in protecting nature and the environment. Because of his efforts, a wildlife area in Idaho was named the Cecil D. Andrus Wildlife Management Area in his honor. Later, a wilderness area was also named after him. He believed that protecting the environment and having a strong economy could happen at the same time.

Early Life and Family

Cecil Andrus was born in Hood River, Oregon, on August 25, 1931. He was the middle child of Hal and Dorothy Andrus. His family lived on a farm in Oregon that didn't have electricity. When he was 11, his family moved to Eugene, Oregon. His father and uncle opened a shop to fix sawmill equipment.

Cecil graduated from high school in 1948 when he was 16. He then went to Oregon State University to study engineering. In 1949, when he was 18, he married his high school sweetheart, Carol Mae May. They had a very happy marriage. Instead of going back to college, he decided to keep working.

In 1951, during the Korean War, he joined the U.S. Naval Reserves. He worked as an electronics technician until 1955. After leaving the Navy, Andrus moved to Orofino, Idaho. There, he worked in the timber industry at a sawmill his father partly owned. In 1963, he started working in insurance. He moved his family to Lewiston, Idaho in 1966.

Political Career

Starting in the State Senate

In 1960, at 28 years old, Cecil Andrus decided to run for office. He was concerned about how schools were being supported in Idaho. He ran as a Democrat for the state senate and won! He was re-elected in 1962 and 1964.

Running for Governor

Andrus first ran for governor in 1966. He lost in the Democratic primary election. However, the person who won the primary, Charles Herndon, sadly died in a plane crash before the main election. Cecil Andrus was then chosen to take his place on the ballot. He lost the general election to Republican Don Samuelson. This meant he had the unusual experience of losing both the primary and general elections for the same job in the same year! He returned to the state senate in 1968.

Governor of Idaho (1971–1977)

Not giving up, Andrus ran for governor again in 1970. This time, he defeated Don Samuelson. Many people believe he won because he strongly opposed plans to mine in Idaho's beautiful White Cloud Mountains. Samuelson had supported the mining plans.

During his first time as governor, Andrus helped protect the environment. He played a big part in getting the U.S. Congress to create the Sawtooth Wilderness Area in Idaho. This protected a large area of wild land. He was easily re-elected in 1974, winning by a very large margin.

Alice Lake in Idaho's Sawtooth Wilderness

Serving as Secretary of the Interior (1977–1981)

In January 1977, Cecil Andrus left his job as governor. President Jimmy Carter asked him to become the Secretary of the Interior. This was a very important job, as he was in charge of managing most of the U.S. government's land and natural resources. Andrus was the first person from Idaho to serve in a President's Cabinet.

As Secretary, he helped expand Redwood National Park in California. This added a huge amount of land to protect the giant redwood forests. When President Carter asked all his Cabinet members to resign in 1979, Andrus was one of the few whose resignation was not accepted. He stayed on until Carter's term ended in 1981.

Governor of Idaho Again (1987–1995)

After a few years away from politics, Andrus decided to run for governor of Idaho again in 1986. Many people were surprised when he won! He defeated Republican David Leroy in a close election.

During this second time as governor, Andrus strongly opposed federal plans to store nuclear waste in Idaho. He even closed Idaho's border to nuclear waste shipments from a federal site in Colorado. He also worked to protect Idaho's rivers and streams from pollution.

In 1990, Andrus was easily re-elected for his fourth term as governor. He continued his work protecting Idaho's natural resources. He focused on saving Snake River salmon species, which were becoming endangered. He sued the federal government because dams on the river were harming the salmon. His actions led to changes in how the dams were operated.

The Snake River's Shoshone Falls near Twin Falls, Idaho

Cecil Andrus did not run for a fifth term in 1994. At the time of his death, he was one of the longest-serving governors in U.S. history. He was followed by Phil Batt, the first Republican governor in Idaho since 1966.

Later Life and Legacy

Spring at Boise State University

In 1993, a wildlife area in Idaho was named the Cecil D. Andrus Wildlife Management Area in his honor. This shows how important his conservation work was.

In 1995, Andrus started the Andrus Center for Public Policy at Boise State University. This center helps people learn about public policy and leadership. In 1998, he wrote a book about his life called Politics Western Style.

An elementary school in Boise, Idaho, was also named the Cecil D. Andrus Elementary School in 1997. He remained active in the Idaho Democratic Party and continued to support other politicians. In 2008, he introduced Barack Obama at a large political rally in Boise.

Cecil Andrus believed strongly in protecting the environment for future generations. He once said, "I remain hopeful that I will be able to pass on to my grandchildren all the pleasures of life in an unspoiled West. Perhaps hope should be replaced by a stronger word. It is a matter of obligation." Many people consider him to be "Idaho's greatest governor."

Death

Cecil Andrus passed away on August 24, 2017, in Boise, Idaho. He died just one day before his 86th birthday, due to complications from lung cancer.