Former California State Senator Robert Presley, a resident of Folsom, passed away on September 22, 2018. He was 93 years old. Senator Presley was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma to Doyle and Ann Presley, on December 4, 1924. He joined the U.S. Army at the age of 18 and was awarded the Bronze Star for Heroic Achievement in Action while serving with the Fifth Army in Italy during World War II. Senator Presley was a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Washington, D.C. and held a Lifetime Teaching Credential in Police Science. After earning an Associate Degree at Riverside Community College, and attending the University of California, Riverside, he served 24 years with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the last 12 years as the County's Undersheriff. In 1974, Presley was elected to the State Senate, where he served as a Democrat representing Riverside County until 1994, when he left the Senate to pursue other government interests.
During his Legislative tenure, he served on numerous committees before being chosen in 1985 as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, considered the most powerful committee assignment in the Senate. In a California Journal survey of the Capitol Press Corp, Legislators, legislative staff and governmental advocates, Presley was rated number one out of the 40 State Senators. The National Assembly of Governmental Employees also selected him as one of Ten Outstanding State Legislators in the entire United States. Always liked and respected by members of both major political parties, Senator Presley, following his Legislative career, was appointed by former Republican Governor Pete Wilson as Chairman of the California Youthful Offender Parole Board, and by Former Democrat Governor Gray Davis as Secretary of the California Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, a Governor's Cabinet position with jurisdiction over all of California's 33 (at that time) prisons, a budget of 5.7 billion dollars and 51,000 employees. During his later retirement years, Senator Presley worked part-time as a legislative consultant, enjoyed long distance walking, reading many books on U.S. history, especially presidential histories and traveling the World. He always considered himself a very "lucky guy" to have led such a long and interesting life.
Senator Presley was predeceased by his first wife, Ahni Ratliff Presley. He is survived by his second wife, Susan Foreman Presley; his 3 adult children, Robert Presley, Jr., Donna Danielson, and Marilyn Raphael; his 3 adult stepdaughters, Laura Williams, Julie Ford, and Lisa Schlegel; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held in Riverside, CA on Oct. 1st. In lieu of flowers, a donation is suggested to a favorite environmental, domestic violence, or animal charity.
Published in the Sacto Bee.
During his Legislative tenure, he served on numerous committees before being chosen in 1985 as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, considered the most powerful committee assignment in the Senate. In a California Journal survey of the Capitol Press Corp, Legislators, legislative staff and governmental advocates, Presley was rated number one out of the 40 State Senators. The National Assembly of Governmental Employees also selected him as one of Ten Outstanding State Legislators in the entire United States. Always liked and respected by members of both major political parties, Senator Presley, following his Legislative career, was appointed by former Republican Governor Pete Wilson as Chairman of the California Youthful Offender Parole Board, and by Former Democrat Governor Gray Davis as Secretary of the California Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, a Governor's Cabinet position with jurisdiction over all of California's 33 (at that time) prisons, a budget of 5.7 billion dollars and 51,000 employees. During his later retirement years, Senator Presley worked part-time as a legislative consultant, enjoyed long distance walking, reading many books on U.S. history, especially presidential histories and traveling the World. He always considered himself a very "lucky guy" to have led such a long and interesting life.
Senator Presley was predeceased by his first wife, Ahni Ratliff Presley. He is survived by his second wife, Susan Foreman Presley; his 3 adult children, Robert Presley, Jr., Donna Danielson, and Marilyn Raphael; his 3 adult stepdaughters, Laura Williams, Julie Ford, and Lisa Schlegel; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held in Riverside, CA on Oct. 1st. In lieu of flowers, a donation is suggested to a favorite environmental, domestic violence, or animal charity.
Published in the Sacto Bee.
Former California State Senator Robert Presley, a resident of Folsom, passed away on September 22, 2018. He was 93 years old. Senator Presley was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma to Doyle and Ann Presley, on December 4, 1924. He joined the U.S. Army at the age of 18 and was awarded the Bronze Star for Heroic Achievement in Action while serving with the Fifth Army in Italy during World War II. Senator Presley was a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Washington, D.C. and held a Lifetime Teaching Credential in Police Science. After earning an Associate Degree at Riverside Community College, and attending the University of California, Riverside, he served 24 years with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the last 12 years as the County's Undersheriff. In 1974, Presley was elected to the State Senate, where he served as a Democrat representing Riverside County until 1994, when he left the Senate to pursue other government interests.
During his Legislative tenure, he served on numerous committees before being chosen in 1985 as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, considered the most powerful committee assignment in the Senate. In a California Journal survey of the Capitol Press Corp, Legislators, legislative staff and governmental advocates, Presley was rated number one out of the 40 State Senators. The National Assembly of Governmental Employees also selected him as one of Ten Outstanding State Legislators in the entire United States. Always liked and respected by members of both major political parties, Senator Presley, following his Legislative career, was appointed by former Republican Governor Pete Wilson as Chairman of the California Youthful Offender Parole Board, and by Former Democrat Governor Gray Davis as Secretary of the California Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, a Governor's Cabinet position with jurisdiction over all of California's 33 (at that time) prisons, a budget of 5.7 billion dollars and 51,000 employees. During his later retirement years, Senator Presley worked part-time as a legislative consultant, enjoyed long distance walking, reading many books on U.S. history, especially presidential histories and traveling the World. He always considered himself a very "lucky guy" to have led such a long and interesting life.
Senator Presley was predeceased by his first wife, Ahni Ratliff Presley. He is survived by his second wife, Susan Foreman Presley; his 3 adult children, Robert Presley, Jr., Donna Danielson, and Marilyn Raphael; his 3 adult stepdaughters, Laura Williams, Julie Ford, and Lisa Schlegel; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held in Riverside, CA on Oct. 1st. In lieu of flowers, a donation is suggested to a favorite environmental, domestic violence, or animal charity.
Published in the Sacto Bee.
During his Legislative tenure, he served on numerous committees before being chosen in 1985 as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, considered the most powerful committee assignment in the Senate. In a California Journal survey of the Capitol Press Corp, Legislators, legislative staff and governmental advocates, Presley was rated number one out of the 40 State Senators. The National Assembly of Governmental Employees also selected him as one of Ten Outstanding State Legislators in the entire United States. Always liked and respected by members of both major political parties, Senator Presley, following his Legislative career, was appointed by former Republican Governor Pete Wilson as Chairman of the California Youthful Offender Parole Board, and by Former Democrat Governor Gray Davis as Secretary of the California Youth and Adult Correctional Agency, a Governor's Cabinet position with jurisdiction over all of California's 33 (at that time) prisons, a budget of 5.7 billion dollars and 51,000 employees. During his later retirement years, Senator Presley worked part-time as a legislative consultant, enjoyed long distance walking, reading many books on U.S. history, especially presidential histories and traveling the World. He always considered himself a very "lucky guy" to have led such a long and interesting life.
Senator Presley was predeceased by his first wife, Ahni Ratliff Presley. He is survived by his second wife, Susan Foreman Presley; his 3 adult children, Robert Presley, Jr., Donna Danielson, and Marilyn Raphael; his 3 adult stepdaughters, Laura Williams, Julie Ford, and Lisa Schlegel; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held in Riverside, CA on Oct. 1st. In lieu of flowers, a donation is suggested to a favorite environmental, domestic violence, or animal charity.
Published in the Sacto Bee.
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