Edward E. Willey

Edward E. Willey
Edward E. Willey
	James W. Davis
Succeeded by	Joseph B. Benedetti
Member of the Virginia Senate; from the 30th district
	In office; January 10, 1968 – January 12, 1972
Preceded by	Fred W. Bateman
Succeeded by	Leroy S. Bendheim
Member of the Virginia Senate; from the 33rd district
	In office; January 9, 1952 – January 10, 1968
Preceded by	Charles W. Crowder
Succeeded by	None (district eliminated)
Personal details
Born	Edward Eugene Willey; April 17, 1910; Middletown, Virginia, U.S.
Died	July 17, 1986 (aged 76); Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Twyla Sutton Layton (m. 1932)
Medical College of Virginia

Edward Eugene Willey, Sr. (April 17, 1910 – July 17, 1986) of

Lewinsky scandal

in 1998.

Early life, family and education

Born in

Edward Eugene Willey, Jr.

and a daughter, Twyla.

Career

After graduating as a pharmacist, Willey began working for Springer Drug Company in Richmond. He continued with the firm until 1940, when he became a partner in Willey Drug Company. He became the pharmacy's sole owner in the early 1950s.

Politics

Ed Willey first entered public life in 1947, when he accepted appointment to fill a vacancy on what was then the Richmond Board of Aldermen. In 1949, he was unanimously elected by other members of City Council to fill an unexpired term. Councilman Willey would serve from 1949 to 1951, when he declared for one of Richmond's three Senate seats in the state legislature. On January 19, 1952, Senator Edward E. Willey took the oath and began his career that would span thirty-four years until his death in 1986. In 1971, he became chair of Committee on Finance. He became

President pro tempore of the Senate

in the 1972 session, and in that role, assumed chairmanship of the Rules Committee. In 1975, Willey stepped down as Rules Chair in order to remain the chairman of Finance, believing that "the man who controls the money down here controls the power."

Death

Following complications from a stroke suffered on June 16, 1986, Senator Willey died one month later on July 17. At the time of his death, he was considered the General Assembly's most powerful legislator.^[1] Following services at Centenary United Methodist Church, he was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Richmond.