Thomas S. Kleppe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Kleppe
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Official portrait of Kleppe as Interior Secretary, 1975
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| 41st United States Secretary of the Interior | |
| In office October 17, 1975 – January 20, 1977 |
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| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Stanley K. Hathaway |
| Succeeded by | Cecil Andrus |
| 10th Administrator of the Small Business Administration | |
| In office January 18, 1971 – October 12, 1975 |
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| President | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Hilary J. Sandoval Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Mitchell P. Kobelinski |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1971 |
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| Preceded by | Rolland W. Redlin |
| Succeeded by | Art Link |
| Mayor of Bismarck | |
| In office April 1950 – April 1954 |
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| Preceded by | Amil Lenhart |
| Succeeded by | Evan Lips |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 1, 1919 Kintyre, North Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | March 2, 2007 (aged 87) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Glen Loew Gompf |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Valley City State University (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Thomas Savig Kleppe (born July 1, 1919 – died March 2, 2007) was an American politician. He held several important roles in the United States government. He served as a Representative for North Dakota. He was also in charge of the Small Business Administration and later became the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Kleppe was born on July 1, 1919, in Kintyre, North Dakota. His parents were Lars O. Kleppe and Hannah Savig Kleppe. He finished high school in Valley City, North Dakota in 1936. Later, he went to Valley City State University, which was then called Valley City Teachers College.
Military Service in World War II
During World War II, Thomas Kleppe served in the military. He was a Warrant Officer from 1942 to 1946.
Public Service and Career
Thomas Kleppe had a long career in both business and government. He started his public service in his home state.
Mayor of Bismarck
From 1950 to 1954, Kleppe served as the Mayor of Bismarck, North Dakota. This was an important local leadership role.
Business Leadership
Before and during his time in politics, Kleppe was also a business leader. From 1946 to 1964, he was the president and treasurer of the Gold Seal Company.
Serving in Congress
In 1966, Thomas Kleppe was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented North Dakota in Congress. He was reelected in 1968 and served until January 3, 1971. While in Congress, he supported the Civil Rights Act of 1968. This law helped protect people's rights and prevent discrimination.
National Government Roles
After his time in Congress, Kleppe took on two more big jobs in the national government.
Leading the Small Business Administration
He became the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA helps small businesses grow and succeed. He worked under both President Richard Nixon and President Gerald Ford in this role.
Secretary of the Interior
Later, President Gerald Ford chose Thomas Kleppe to be the United States Secretary of the Interior. He served in this position from 1975 to 1977. The Secretary of the Interior is in charge of managing most of the federal lands and natural resources in the United States. This includes national parks, wildlife refuges, and public lands.
Personal Life
Thomas Kleppe was married twice. His first wife, Frieda K. Kleppe, passed away in 1957. He married his second wife, Glendora Loew Gompf, in 1958. He had two children from his first marriage and two daughters from his second marriage, making him a father of four. He lived in Bismarck, North Dakota for many years.
Thomas Kleppe passed away on March 2, 2007, in Bethesda, Maryland. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
See also
- North Dakota United States Senate election, 1970
- North Dakota United States Senate election, 1964
- Sagebrush Rebellion
- Kleppe v. New Mexico
