John S. Wold facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John S. Wold
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming's At-large district |
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| In office January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1971 |
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| Preceded by | William H. Harrison |
| Succeeded by | Teno Roncalio |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Schiller Wold
August 31, 1916 East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | February 19, 2017 (aged 100) Casper, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Jane Wold
(m. 1946; died 2015) |
| Alma mater | Union College, Cornell University |
John Schiller Wold (born August 31, 1916 – died February 19, 2017) was an American businessman and a kind person who gave money to good causes. He was also a veteran of World War II and a Republican politician from Wyoming. He served one term in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1971. He was special because he was the very first professional geologist to work in the U.S. Congress.
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John Wold's Early Life and Education
John Wold was born on August 31, 1916, in East Orange, New Jersey. His father, Peter Irving Wold, was a physics professor at Union College in Schenectady, New York. Many of his family members, including his father and five aunts, had studied at the University of Oregon.
John Wold himself went to college and earned degrees in geology. He graduated from Union College in 1938 and then from Cornell University in 1939. During World War II, he worked as a science expert and a gunnery officer for the U.S. Navy.
John Wold's Career in Business and Politics
In 1949, John Wold moved to Wyoming to work for an oil company. Just one year later, in 1950, he started his own business called Wold Oil Properties, Inc. This company was based in Casper, Wyoming.
He began his political career in 1956. He won a seat in the Wyoming House of Representatives and served there from 1957 to 1959. He also led the Republican Party in Wyoming from 1960 to 1964.
In 1964, he tried to become a U.S. Senator but lost the election. Later, in 1968, he won a tough election to become a U.S. Congressman. He served in the United States House of Representatives for one term. In 1970, he ran for the U.S. Senate again but lost. After that, he went back to working in his private businesses. He also continued to support the Republican Party by donating money.
John Wold's Philanthropy and Giving Back
John Wold was known for his generous donations to different organizations. In 2002, he gave $20 million to his old college, Union College. This was the largest gift the university had ever received at that time.
In 1999, the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming honored him. They called him the "Wyoming Citizen of the Century" for his work in the oil and gas industries. He also donated $2 million to Cornell University.
John Wold and his foundation also gave $7.5 million to the Casey Eye Institute at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. This money helped create a new center to fight adult blindness. John Wold himself had suffered from a serious eye disease for 20 years.
John Wold's Personal Life
John Wold lived a long life and passed away on February 19, 2017, in Casper, Wyoming. He was 100 years old. Today, his son, Peter, runs the Wold Oil Company. Another son, Jack, is the CEO of an energy company in Denver, Colorado.
