Misplaced Pages

Donald Clausen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California
In office January 22, 1963 – January 3, 1983
Preceded by	Clement W. Miller
Succeeded by	Douglas H. Bosco (Redistricting)
Constituency	1st District (1963–1975) 2nd District (1975–1983)
Personal details
Born	Donald Holst Clausen (1923-04-27)April 27, 1923 Ferndale, California, U.S.
Died	February 7, 2015(2015-02-07) (aged 91) Fortuna, California, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Jessie Oleva Piper
Profession	Businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Battles/wars	Pacific Theater, World War II

Donald Holst Clausen (April 27, 1923 – February 7, 2015) was an American businessman, World War II veteran, and politician who served ten terms as a U.S. Representative from California from 1963 to 1983.

Biography

Born in Ferndale, California, Clausen graduated from elementary and high schools of Ferndale, where he was an honors student and lettered five sports: tennis, track, basketball, football and baseball as well as being the drum major of the school band.

He attended San José State University, California Polytechnic State University (in San Luis Obispo, California), Weber State University (in Ogden, Utah), and Saint Mary's College of California. He took part in the U.S. Navy V5 Aviation Cadet Program. He served as a carrier pilot in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of the Second World War from 1944 to 1945, flying F4U Corsair aircraft. Post-war, Clausen helped found the Del Norte County Airport, and served as a member of the board of supervisors of Del Norte County, California, from 1955 to 1962. He ran two companies in Crescent City, his insurance business, Clausen Associates, and Clausen Flying Service, an air ambulance service, and it was from Crescent City that he served Congress.

Congress

Clausen was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-eighth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Clement Woodnutt Miller (who had been re-elected posthumously), and to the nine succeeding Congresses (January 22, 1963 – January 3, 1983).

Clausen authored the bill creating the Lady Bird Johnson Grove in the Redwood National Park. Former president Lyndon Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson, sitting president Richard Nixon, and future president Ronald Reagan and many other federal and local dignitaries attended the dedication of the grove. Clausen said that this was his proudest accomplishment.

He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Ninety-eighth Congress in 1982, narrowly losing to Democrat Douglas H. Bosco. He served as director, special programs, Federal Aviation Administration from 1983 to 1990 and was a resident of Santa Rosa, California, after his Congressional tenure ended.

The Don Clausen Fish Hatchery in Sonoma County was named in his honor and the Redwood National Park Bypass on US Highway 101 was renamed the Don Clausen Highway in 1996 by act of the California Legislature due to his efforts at obtaining appropriations for building that road and the Redwood National Park Visitor Center.

Death and legacy

Clausen died in a hospital on February 7, 2015, in Fortuna, California, from complications of diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart and lung disease. His congressional papers are archived at Humboldt State University library and his congressional desk and other office memorabilia are exhibited at the Ferndale Museum.

Electoral history

1974

District 1

References

1. ^ "Bioguide Search". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
2. ^ Retired congressman from Ferndale to celebrate 90th birthday April 27, The Ferndale Enterprise, April 18, 2013
3. "Lake Sonoma and Fish Hatchery in Sonoma County, California". www.parks.sonoma.net. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
4. "ACR 92 Assembly Concurrent Resolution - CHAPTERED". www.leginfo.ca.gov. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
5. Mark Lieberman (2015-02-12). "Don Clausen, who served 20 years in Congress, dies at 91". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
6. GUY KOVNER (February 9, 2015). "Longtime lawmaker Don Clausen dies at 91". Press Democrat. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
7. "Don H. Clausen Congressional Papers: Finding Aid - Humboldt Room - HSU Library Special Collections". library.humboldt.edu. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
8. 1962 election results
9. 1963 special election results
10. 1964 election results
11. 1966 election results
12. 1968 election results
13. 1970 election results
14. 1972 election results
15. 1974 election results
16. 1976 election results
17. 1978 election results
18. 1980 election results

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

• 1923 births
• 2015 deaths
• Federal Aviation Administration personnel
• California Polytechnic State University alumni
• San Jose State University alumni
• Weber State University alumni
• Saint Mary's College of California alumni
• County supervisors in California
• People from Ferndale, California
• Businesspeople from California
• United States Navy pilots of World War II
• Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California
• 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives
• People from Santa Rosa, California
• 20th-century American businesspeople
• Military personnel from California