John Culver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Culver
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| United States Senator from Iowa |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1981 |
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| Preceded by | Harold Hughes |
| Succeeded by | Chuck Grassley |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1975 |
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| Preceded by | James E. Bromwell |
| Succeeded by | Mike Blouin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Chester Culver
August 8, 1932 Rochester, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | December 26, 2018 (aged 86) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Ann Cooper (Divorced) Mary Jane Checchi |
| Children | 5, including Chet |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, JD) Emmanuel College, Cambridge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1955–1958 |
| Rank |  Captain |
John Chester Culver (born August 8, 1932 – died December 26, 2018) was an American politician, writer, and lawyer. He served in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, representing the state of Iowa. He was a member of the Democratic Party. His son, Chet Culver, later became the 41st Governor of Iowa.
Early Life and Education
John Culver was born in Rochester, Minnesota. When he was a child, his family moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Culver attended Harvard University and later Harvard Law School. While studying at Harvard, he played football as a fullback. One of his teammates was Ted Kennedy, who would also become a U.S. Senator. After college, John Culver was drafted by a professional football team, the Chicago Cardinals. However, he chose to continue his studies instead. He went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge in England.
After returning to the U.S., Culver joined the United States Marine Corps. He served as a captain from 1955 to 1958. In 1978, he was honored for his football achievements and was inducted into the Harvard Football Hall of Fame.
Political Career and Public Service
John Culver became involved in politics in 1962. He worked as an assistant for Senator Ted Kennedy. A year later, he started his own law practice in Iowa.
In 1964, Culver ran for the United States House of Representatives. He won the election, becoming a U.S. Representative for Iowa. He served in the House for ten years, from 1965 to 1975.
In 1974, Culver decided to run for the United States Senate. He won this election by a very small margin. He served one term as a U.S. Senator, from 1975 to 1981. In 1980, he ran for re-election but was defeated by Chuck Grassley.
After leaving the Senate, Culver continued to be active. In 2000, he helped write a book called American Dreamer. This book was a detailed story about the life of Henry A. Wallace, another important American politician.
Culver was also a speaker at a memorial service for his friend, Senator Ted Kennedy, in 2009. He spoke about their friendship and time together at Harvard and in the Senate. From 2009 to 2011, Culver served as the interim director of the Harvard Institute of Politics at Harvard University. He later became a director emeritus on their board of advisers.
Family Life
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John Culver and his wife had five children. One of their children, Chet Culver, followed in his father's footsteps in politics. Chet Culver served as the Governor of Iowa from 2007 to 2011.
Before he passed away, John Culver had recently retired from a law firm in Washington, D.C. He had lived and worked in Washington with his wife, Mary Jane Checchi, after his time in the Senate. John Culver died on December 26, 2018, in Washington, D.C..
See also
- List of members of the House Un-American Activities Committee
