Jocelyn Burdick

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Jocelyn Burdick
George Sinner
Preceded byQuentin Burdick
Succeeded byKent Conrad
Personal details
Born
Jocelyn Louise Birch

(1922-02-06)February 6, 1922
Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.
DiedDecember 26, 2019(2019-12-26) (aged 97)
Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations		Democratic–Nonpartisan League Party
Spouses
Kenneth Peterson
​
(died 1958)​
​
​
(m. 1960; died 1992)​
EducationPrincipia College
Northwestern University (BA)

Jocelyn Louise Burdick (née Birch; February 6, 1922 – December 26, 2019) was an American politician from North Dakota who briefly served as a Democratic United States senator during 1992. She was the first woman from the state to hold this office. At the age of 97, she was the oldest living former U.S. Senator for the last eight months of her life.

Early life and education

Burdick was born in Fargo, North Dakota,[1] the daughter of Magdalena Towers (Carpenter) and Albert Birch.[2] Her great-grandmother was suffragist and abolitionist Matilda Joslyn Gage.[3] Burdick was the great-niece, by marriage, of L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz, who was married to her great-aunt, activist Maud Gage Baum.[4] She was educated at Principia College and at Northwestern University.[1]

Early career

Prior to her second marriage to Senator Quentin N. Burdick, she was a Republican, but changed her affiliation after the marriage. However, she asserted that she had done it out of her own volition. She would occasionally act as a stand-in for him at speeches, but would make no attempt to interpret his policies or stands.[5]

After graduating from Northwestern, Burdick returned to Fargo working as a radio announcer at KVOX radio.[1][2] Burdick was engaged in civics throughout her marriage to Quentin Burdick. She was part of the official U.S. delegation to Russia in 1978 and she was a trustee to the Lake Agassiz Arts Council. Burdick helped to found the Democratic Women Plus in the early 1980s. She also recorded public service announcements against drunk driving and drug use in 1989.[1]

U.S. Senate

Upon the death of her husband, Senator Quentin Burdick in September 1992, Jocelyn Burdick was appointed by Governor

George Sinner to fill the vacancy in his position until a special election was held. She had been reluctant to fill the vacancy, but agreed to do it for the opportunity to cast some votes her husband would have wanted.[5] She did not run as a candidate for election to the rest of the term. During her brief tenure in office, Burdick supported legislation on pay equity and women's rights.[1] After Kent Conrad took office in December 1992, Burdick retired to Fargo.[6]

Burdick was the first woman from North Dakota to serve in either house of the U.S. Congress. She lived in Fargo, where she remained active in politics. She was the oldest living former U.S. Senator on April 6, 2019, following the death of Fritz Hollings.[7]

Personal life and death

Burdick was a devout

Christian Scientist. Burdick's first husband was Kenneth Peterson. She had two children, daughter Leslie and son Birch, with Peterson. Peterson died in 1958 of a heart attack. Two years later she married Quentin Burdick, who was a widower himself with four children. With Quentin she had another son, Gage. Gage died in 1978 from an accident with an electric belt sander.[8][5] Burdick died in Fargo on December 26, 2019, at the age of 97.[1]

Her son Birch Burdick served as Cass County State Attorney between 1998 and 2022.[5][9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Stotts, Ryan (December 27, 2019). "Jocelyn Burdick, North Dakota's first female US Senator, dies at 97". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Urness, Steve (December 28, 2019). "Jocelyn Burdick Passes Away At 97". News Dakota. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  3. ISBN 978-0-16-076753-1. Jocelyn Birch was born to Albert and Magdalena Towers Carpenter Birch.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  4. ISBN 9781532002045
    .
  5. ^ a b c d "Jocelyn Burdick, North Dakota's first female U.S. Senator, dies at 97". InForum. December 27, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  6. ^ "Senator Burdick's Wife Is Interim Successor". The New York Times. September 13, 1992.
  7. ^ Ashe, Victor (April 29, 2019). "Chip and Joanna Gaines' new Magnolia channel under Knoxville's Allison Page". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  8. ^ "Jocelyn Birch Burdick - View Obituary & Service Information". Jocelyn Birch Burdick Obituary. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  9. ^ "Birch Burdick, the Cass County prosecutor who almost wasn't, retires after 24 years". InForum. January 1, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2024.

External links

U.S. Senate
Preceded by
Quentin Burdick
 United States Senator (Class 1) from North Dakota
1992
Served alongside: Kent Conrad 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Oldest living United States senator
(Sitting or former)
April 6, 2019 – December 26, 2019 		Succeeded by
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