US Senator. A member of the Republican Party, he served the state of Illinois in the US Senate from 1967 until 1985. Raised in the Rogers Park section of Chicago, he endured hardship growing up. His father was a bank cashier who lost his job and savings during the Great Depression, which resulted in his family being placed on welfare. in spite of this, he graduated from the University of Chicago in 1941 with a degree in Economics and enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. Upon returning home (the rank of lieutenant), he joined the company of Bell & Howell (with whom he was employed with prior to his service in the Navy) and advanced to president and chief executive officer. His political career was initiated when he was appointed by President Eisenhower in 1955 to serve as financial chairman of the Republican Party for Illinois. After an unsuccessful bid for governor of Illinois in 1964, Percy was elected to the US Senate in 1966 and during his tenure was a strong opponent of the war in Vietnam and a supporter of federal consumer protection efforts as well as tougher enforcement of laws against drug abuse. In addition, he served on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee, also calling for a special prosecutor to look into Watergate. Percy lost his senate seat to Congressman Paul Simon in 1984. During his life, Percy suffered through the personal tragedy of his first wife's death during a surgical procedure in 1947 and the brutal murder of his daughter Valerie in 1966 which was never solved. He died of complications from Alzheimer's disease.
US Senator. A member of the Republican Party, he served the state of Illinois in the US Senate from 1967 until 1985. Raised in the Rogers Park section of Chicago, he endured hardship growing up. His father was a bank cashier who lost his job and savings during the Great Depression, which resulted in his family being placed on welfare. in spite of this, he graduated from the University of Chicago in 1941 with a degree in Economics and enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. Upon returning home (the rank of lieutenant), he joined the company of Bell & Howell (with whom he was employed with prior to his service in the Navy) and advanced to president and chief executive officer. His political career was initiated when he was appointed by President Eisenhower in 1955 to serve as financial chairman of the Republican Party for Illinois. After an unsuccessful bid for governor of Illinois in 1964, Percy was elected to the US Senate in 1966 and during his tenure was a strong opponent of the war in Vietnam and a supporter of federal consumer protection efforts as well as tougher enforcement of laws against drug abuse. In addition, he served on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee, also calling for a special prosecutor to look into Watergate. Percy lost his senate seat to Congressman Paul Simon in 1984. During his life, Percy suffered through the personal tragedy of his first wife's death during a surgical procedure in 1947 and the brutal murder of his daughter Valerie in 1966 which was never solved. He died of complications from Alzheimer's disease.
Bio by: C.S.
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