Clair Burgener
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Clair Burgener | |
---|---|
76th district | |
In office January 7, 1963 – January 2, 1967 | |
Preceded by | Leverette D. House |
Succeeded by | Pete Wilson |
Personal details | |
Born | Clair Walter Burgener December 5, 1921 Vernal, Utah, U.S. |
Died | September 9, 2006 Encinitas, California, U.S. | (aged 84)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Marvia Hobusch (m. 1941) |
Children | 3 |
Education | San Diego State College |
Military service | |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Clair Walter Burgener (December 5, 1921 – September 9, 2006) was an American politician who served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1973 to 1983.
Early life
Clair Burgener was born in
Burgener graduated from San Diego State College with a BA in liberal arts. He was a realtor in the early 1950s with his brother. In 1951 Burgener was on the stage of the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park, playing Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey for a 33-day run.
Burgener was a Latter-day Saint.[2]
Political life
At a cocktail party one evening, as related by Lionel Van Deerlin, an oilman from Texas said, "I like the cut of your jib, young fella." He continued, "If you do go into politics, I'd like to help. Here's a check for five thousand dollars. Cash it whenever you decide to run." A few months later, Burgener ran for a city council vacancy, but returned the check, writing, "Thank you very much, but I feel it would be improper to accept so large an amount from a single out-of-state contributor." [citation needed]
Burgener was elected to the
Burgener was then elected to the California State Assembly 1963–1967 and California State Senate, 1967–1973. Burgener later said his time in the State Capitol constituted his most productive and rewarding years. He was most proud of state legislation he pushed through in 1963 that mandated classroom training for the intellectually disabled.
Burgener was elected to five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1973 to 1983. He had a mostly conservative voting record, but often crossed party lines to work with Van Deerlin, a Democrat, to further San Diego interests.
In 1980,
Post-political life
Burgener remained active in civic and political affairs after his retirement. He was a Regent of the
After his retirement, Congressman Burgener lived at Rancho Santa Fe, California with his wife Marvia when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Burgener died in 2006 in Encinitas, California. He and his wife were survived by two sons, John and Greg.[4]
Legacy
Named for Burgener are the Clair Burgener Academy, Oceanside, California, the Clair Burgener Clinical Research Diagnostic Unit, University of California, San Diego.
References
- ^ Vassar, Alexander C. (2011). Legislators of California (PDF). Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ The Political Graveyard: Mormon Politicians in Utah
- ^ "Democrats Disavow Nominee From Klan" (Article abstract; payment or subscription required for full article). The New York Times. June 6, 1980.
- ^ a b "Clair Burgener dies at 84". North County Times. September 10, 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29.