Berkley Bedell
Berkley Warren Bedell (March 5, 1921 – December 7, 2019) was an American Democratic Party politician and businessman who served as the U.S. representative for Iowa's 6th congressional district from 1975 to 1987. After starting a successful business in his youth, Berkley Fly Co., he ran for Congress in 1972, but was defeated by incumbent Wiley Mayne. In 1974 however, Bedell beat Mayne and was elected to the U.S. House.
Berkley Bedell | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 6th district | |
| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1987 | |
| Preceded by | Wiley Mayne |
| Succeeded by | Fred Grandy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Berkley Warren Bedell March 5, 1921 Spirit Lake, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | December 7, 2019 (aged 98) Naples, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Elinor Healy
(m. 1943; died 2017) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Iowa State University |
| Profession | Businessman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | First lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
He was known for his support of representative democracy and his populist style. For example, he would hold town halls and let constituents vote on motions to decide what he would do in Congress on their behalf and these meetings helped Bedell understand the problems of his constituents; as a result, he backed issues that were important to his farming constituency, such as waterway usage fees and production constraints.
Bedell did not seek reelection in 1986 after contracting Lyme disease from a tick bite. Though no longer serving in Congress, he remained active in Iowa politics, strongly supporting Howard Dean in 2004 over John Kerry. In the 2008 presidential election, he met several times with Chris Dodd, but ultimately endorsed Barack Obama.