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Robert K. Bing

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American politician (1930–2023)
Robert K. Bing
Bing in 1961
33rd Mayor of Burlington
In office
June 5, 1961 – June 3, 1963
Preceded byJames E. Fitzpatrick
Succeeded byEdward A. Keenan
Executive Director of the Commission on Crime Control and Prevention
In office
October 1, 1969 – December 28, 1970
Preceded byJonathan Brownell
Succeeded byPhilip F. McCarthy
Personal details
Born(1930-07-08)July 8, 1930
Colchester, Vermont, U.S.
DiedOctober 21, 2023(2023-10-21) (aged 93)
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Geraldine Johnson
Jean Pike
Parents
  • Chester K. Bing (father)
  • Katherine Ryan Seaver (mother)
EducationUniversity of Vermont
Yale Law School
Signature
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
Vermont Wing Civil Air Patrol
Years of service1948-1949

Robert Kendrew Bing (July 8, 1930 – October 21, 2023) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 33rd Mayor of Burlington, Vermont.

Life and career

On July 8, 1930, Robert Kendrew Bing was born to Katherine Ryan Seaver and Chester K. Bing in Colchester, Vermont. In 1948, Bing graduated from Montpelier High School and then served in the navy for one year. In 1952 he married Geraldine Johnson. In 1953, Bing graduated from the University of Vermont and in 1956 he graduated from Yale Law School. In October 1956, Bing was admitted to Vermont's bar and became District Court Judge Ernest W. Gibson Jr.'s law secretary. In 1958, he was the Republican nominee for Chittenden County state's attorney, but was defeated. In 1960, Bing was selected as one of thirty alternate delegates to the Vermont Republican state convention.

On February 13, 1961, the Republican city committee gave Bing the nomination for mayor and on March 7 he defeated incumbent Democratic Mayor James E. Fitzpatrick with 4,953 votes to 4,024 votes and every ward except for Ward 4-1, despite having never held an elected office nor being involved in city politics prior to the mayoral race. During Bing's tenure, he supported the city government using a strong-mayor system rather than a weak-mayor system. He later announced that he would not seek reelection and endorsed Alderman Edward A. Keenan.

In 1965, Bing was appointed as wing commander for the Vermont Wing Civil Air Patrol. In 1969 he was elected as president of the Vermont Bar Association and Governor Deane C. Davis appointed him as executive director of the Commission on Crime Control and Prevention and served until his resignation in 1971. In 1971, Bing was the campaign manager of Frank Dion's unsuccessful mayoral campaign, Dion had been his campaign manager in 1961, against Gordon Paquette. In 1993, he congratulated Peter C. Brownell for his upset victory against Peter Clavelle in the mayoral race.

Bing died on October 21, 2023, at the age of 93.

References

  1. "Bing Takes Office As Mayor Today". The Burlington Free Press. 5 June 1961. p. 11. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Chester K. Bing". The Burlington Free Press. 12 January 1953. p. 2. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Geraldine Johnson Married At Home To Robert K. Bing". The Burlington Free Press. 23 June 1952. p. 5. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Robert K. Bing Named Gibson's Law Secretary". The Burlington Free Press. 9 October 1956. p. 10. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "GOP Picks Bing For Mayor Race". The Burlington Free Press. 14 February 1961. p. 9. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "City Republicans Skip Ross As State Convention Delegate". The Burlington Free Press. 21 April 1960. p. 3. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Former Mayor Keenan Dies". The Burlington Free Press. 8 March 1961. p. 7. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Urges Stronger Mayor System". The Brattleboro Reformer. 8 December 1962. p. 10. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "It's Official! Keenan In Running for Mayor". The Burlington Free Press. 31 January 1963. p. 3. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Colonel Bing Heads State CAP". The Burlington Free Press. 12 August 1965. p. 3. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Bing To Head Dion's Mayoralty Campaign Committee". Rutland Daily Herald. 3 March 1969. p. 1. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Bing Named to Crime Commission". The Burlington Free Press. 26 August 1969. p. 12. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Reactions". Bennington Banner. 29 December 1970. p. 12. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Bing To Head Dion's Mayoralty Campaign Committee". The Burlington Free Press. 3 February 1971. p. 2. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Reactions". Rutland Daily Herald. 3 March 1993. p. 8. Archived from the original on 1 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Robert Kendrew Bing". The Burlington Free Press. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
Mayors of Burlington, Vermont
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