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Wendell Butler Jr.

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American politician
Wendell Butler Jr.
Mayor of Chester, Pennsylvania
In office
October 9, 2002 – January 4, 2012
Preceded byDominic F. Pileggi
Succeeded byJohn Linder
Police Commissioner of Chester
In office
January 1996 – October 9, 2002
Personal details
Born1943 or 1944 (age 80–81)
Chester, Pennsylvania
SpouseTanya Butler
Children3

Wendell Butler Jr. (born 1943/1944) is a former American politician who served as a Republican mayor of Chester, Pennsylvania, from 2002 to 2012.

Biography

Butler was born and raised in Chester, where he lived in a federal housing project and attended Chester Public schools. He moved to Ridley Township while a junior in high school and graduated in 1962 from Ridley High School. He served in the U.S. Army for three years before returning to Chester, where he worked for American Viscose Corporation in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. In 1969, he joined the Chester Police force. In 1989, he was promoted to sergeant, and in 1994 he was promoted to major as part of the command staff. In January 1996, he was named by Mayor Aaron Wilson Jr. as police commissioner.

On October 9, 2002, the city council appointed him as mayor to complete the term of fellow Republican Dominic F. Pileggi, who was named to replace State Senator Clarence D. Bell, who had died in office. He won re-election to two additional terms after his appointment. In 2010, he implemented a state of emergency and nighttime curfew after a spate of murders, including the killing of 2-year-old Terrance Webster.

In the 2011 Chester Mayoral election, he lost his bid for re-election to Democrat John Linder ending long-time Republican control of the Chester government. There had previously been one Democratic mayor, Barbara Bohannan-Sheppard, since 1905.

In 2015, he unsuccessfully ran again for mayor against Democratic candidate Thaddeus Kirkland, who had defeated Linder in the primary. In 2012, he was named by the Delaware County Council to serve a five-year term on the board of the Chester Water Authority.

Personal life

Butler is married to Tanya Butler; they have two children, Dondi, and Dirk. Butler also has an older daughter from a previous marriage, Elaine.

See also

References

  1. "Clearing the record". Philadelphia Inquirer. November 4, 2003 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "City of Chester Mayor Butler". City of Chester. Archived from the original on 2009-05-31. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  3. ^ "Chester Mayors". Old Chester Pa - Heritage Foundation. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  4. Lattanzio, Vince (June 21, 2010). "Chester State of Emergency Working: Officials". NBC Philadelphia.
  5. Kopp, John (January 3, 2012). "Linder sworn in as new Chester mayor". Delaware County Daily Times. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  6. Kopp, John (January 4, 2012). "Democrats are back in charge in Chester as mayor is sworn in". Delaware County Daily Times. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  7. "Kirkland Defeats Linder; Will Face Butler in November". Chester Spirit. May 20, 2015.
  8. Lynch, Danielle; Kopp, John (August 31, 2012). "Former Chester Mayor Wendell Butler picked for Chester Water Authority board by Delaware County Council". Delaware County Daily Times.
Political offices
Preceded byDominic F. Pileggi Mayor of Chester, Pennsylvania
2002–2012 		Succeeded byJohn Linder
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