Merwin Coad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Merwin Coad
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 6th district |
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| In office January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1963 |
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| Preceded by | James I. Dolliver |
| Succeeded by | Neal Smith (redistricting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Doyle Merwin Coad
September 28, 1924 Mitchell County, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | September 5, 2025 (aged 100) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Delores Hale
(m. 1944; div. 1961)Carol Faye Farnsworth
(m. 1961, divorced)Georgette Hill
(m. 1991; div. 1998) |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | Texas Christian University |
| Profession | Minister; later, Lender and Speaker |
Doyle Merwin Coad (September 28, 1924 – September 5, 2025) was an American minister and politician from Iowa. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for three terms, from 1957 to 1963. His election was notable because it ended a fourteen-year period where the Republican Party held every U.S. House seat from Iowa. Coad was a member of the Democratic Party.
After the passing of John Dingell in February 2019, Coad became the earliest-serving former member of the House. He was also the last former U.S. representative who first took office in the 1950s. Additionally, he was the last former member of either chamber of the United States Congress who served during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Contents
Merwin Coad: A Life in Public Service
Merwin Coad had a long and interesting life, serving his community and country in different ways. He was a minister, a politician, and later a speaker and real estate professional.
Early Life and Education
Doyle Merwin Coad was born on a farm in Mitchell County, Kansas, near Cawker City, Kansas. His family later moved to a farm in Nemaha County, Nebraska, near Auburn, Nebraska. He completed high school in Auburn in 1941.
Coad attended several colleges to further his education. He studied at Peru State Teachers College in Peru, Nebraska, from 1941 to 1942. He then went to Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, from 1942 to 1944. In 1945, he graduated from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He also continued his studies at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
From Minister to Congressman
In 1945, Merwin Coad was ordained as a minister in the Disciples of Christ Church in Boone, Iowa. He served as an associate minister in St. Joseph, Missouri, from 1948 to 1949. Later, he was a minister in Lenox, Iowa, from 1949 to 1951. He then returned to Boone, Iowa, serving as a minister there from 1951 until 1956.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
A Close Election Victory
In 1956, Merwin Coad decided to run for Congress as a Democrat. He challenged the Republican Congressman James I. Dolliver, who had already served six terms. The election was very close! Coad initially won by only 83 votes out of more than 129,000 votes. This led to a recount, which confirmed his victory with a slightly larger margin of 198 votes. Congressman Dolliver tried to challenge the election results in the U.S. House, but he was unsuccessful. Coad was re-elected two more times, serving a total of three terms.
Leaving Congress
After the 1960 census, Iowa lost one of its seats in Congress. This meant that the state's legislative body had to redraw the boundaries of the congressional districts. Parts of Coad's old district were moved into other districts. His home county, Boone, became part of Iowa's 5th congressional district. This district was already represented by a popular fellow Democrat, Neal Smith.
Coad considered running for other political offices, like the Senate or for governor of Iowa. However, on June 8, 1961, when he was 36 years old, Coad announced he would leave politics at the end of his term in 1962. At the time, there were some personal challenges and financial difficulties reported in the news.
In 1962, Coad voted to approve the Communications Satellite Act of 1962. This important law helped create a global satellite communication system. Before his term ended, Coad thought about moving to Carroll County, Iowa, to run for another congressional seat. However, he ultimately decided not to run in the 1962 election. His time in Congress officially ended on January 3, 1963.
Life After Congress
Real Estate and Public Speaking
In July 1963, Coad began working for the Kennedy Administration as a consultant for the Agency for International Development. However, his appointment faced objections from a Senator, and he resigned shortly after.
Coad then started working in real estate lending in the Washington D.C. area. By the early 1980s, he became known for giving free seminars. These seminars were advertised in newspapers with exciting headlines like, "You Can Buy Real Estate with $10 Down and Become Wealthy in your Spare Time." The ads described Coad as "America's most effective and dynamic instructor on real estate." He was also called the "foremost consultant on no money down purchasing techniques."
A Centenarian's Legacy
By the 1990s, Coad lived in Washington, D.C., and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. He later resided in Florida after his divorce in April 1998. Merwin Coad reached a remarkable milestone, celebrating his 100th birthday on September 28, 2024. He was one of only a few former U.S. Representatives to live to be a centenarian. He passed away on September 5, 2025, at the age of 100.
