Orville Freeman
Orville Freeman | |
---|---|
16th United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
In office January 21, 1961 – January 20, 1969 | |
President | John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson |
Preceded by | Ezra Taft Benson |
Succeeded by | Clifford M. Hardin |
29th Governor of Minnesota | |
In office January 5, 1955 – January 2, 1961 | |
Lieutenant | Karl Rolvaag |
Preceded by | C. Elmer Anderson |
Succeeded by | Elmer L. Andersen |
Personal details | |
Born | Orville Lothrop Freeman May 9, 1918 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
Died | February 20, 2003 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | (aged 84)
Resting place | Lakewood Cemetery |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Jane Shields (m. 1942) |
Children | 2, including Battle of Bougainville |
Orville Lothrop Freeman (May 9, 1918 – February 20, 2003) was an American
Early life
Freeman was born on May 9, 1918, in
Military service
Figuring that the United States would eventually become involved in World War II, Freeman signed up for the
After graduating and following training to be an infantry officer, Freeman reported to
On November 1, 1943, Freeman saw his first combat when his unit came ashore at
Political career
Freeman earned his
Freeman was elected governor in 1954 and reelected in 1956 and 1958. He took the unusual action of declaring
In July 1960, Freeman nominated U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy for president at the Democratic National Convention.
Following his defeat for reelection as governor in 1960, Freeman was appointed as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by the newly elected President Kennedy, and he was retained in that post by President Lyndon B. Johnson. He served until January 21, 1969.
Later life
Later, Freeman headed two consulting businesses and practiced law in Washington, D.C.[5] He was president and CEO of Business International Corporation from 1970 to 1985.[7]
Freeman died from complications of Alzheimer's disease on February 20, 2003, in Minneapolis.[5] He was buried in that city's Lakewood Cemetery.
Legacy
Freeman is remembered for submitting proposed legislation to establish the
His son
Freeman’s name was mentioned in a 1963 episode of The Beverly Hillbillies. In the Season 2 episode “Granny’s Garden”, the main characters are about to mule-plow their estate's front lawn in order to plant a garden. The character Jane Hathaway drives up and exclaims “What in the name of Secretary Freeman are you doing?!”
Awards and decorations
Freeman's decorations and medals include:
Purple Heart | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ service star
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World War II Victory Medal
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See also
- List of notable United States Marines
Notes
- ISBN 9780403096749.
- Minneapolis-St. Paul. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
- ^ "Jane Freeman, mother of Mike Freeman and a founding force of the DFL Party, dies at 96". Star Tribune.
- ^ a b c Berry (1982), p.149-162.
- ^ a b c d Stout, David (February 22, 2003). "Orville Freeman, 84, Dies; 60's Agriculture Secretary". The New York Times. p. B6. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
- ^ "Martial Law Ordered in Meat Strike", Oakland Tribune, December 11, 1959, p1; "Court Ends Wilson Closure", December 23, 1959, p4
- ^ "Obituary for Orville L. Freeman". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
- ^ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A Short History of SNAP Archived November 6, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, United States Department of Agriculture.
References
Bibliography
- Berry, Henry (1982). Semper Fi, Mac – Living Memories of the U.S. Marines in World War II. New York, N.Y.: William Morrow and Company. ISBN 0-688-14956-1.
Web
External links
- The personal papers of Orville Freeman are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.
- Oral History Interviews with Orville Freeman, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
- Orville Freeman at Find a Grave
- Appearances on C-SPAN