John T. Myers (politician)

(Redirected from John T. Myers (congressman))

John Thomas Myers (February 8, 1927 – January 27, 2015) was an American politician who served 15 terms as a Republican congressman from Indiana's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1967 to 1997.

John T. Myers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 7th district
In office
January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1997
Preceded byConstituency Established
Succeeded byEdward A. Pease
Personal details
Born
John Thomas Myers

(1927-02-08)February 8, 1927
Covington, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJanuary 27, 2015(2015-01-27) (aged 87)
Covington, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCarol Myers
Children2
Alma materIndiana State University

Life and education

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Born in Covington, Indiana, Myers graduated from Covington High School in 1945 and earned his B.S. at Indiana State University in 1951. He also attended Eastern Illinois University where he was a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity.[1]

Military service

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Myers served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1946.

Career

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He was a cashier and trust officer with the Fountain Trust Company from 1952 to 1966 and worked as a farmer in Fountain County.

Congress

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He was first elected to Congress in 1966 and was re-elected fourteen more times, serving from 1967 until his retirement in 1997. Although he was the ranking Republican on the United States House Committee on Appropriations, after the Republicans took control of the House in 1994, Myers was passed over for the position by new House Speaker Newt Gingrich, giving the post to Bob Livingston.[2][3]

Later life and legacy

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Myers was married and had two daughters and five grandchildren. His son-in-law, Brian Kerns, represented the same district from 2001 to 2003.

Myers died at his home in Covington, Indiana on January 27, 2015, at the age of 87.[4]

Legacy

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A pedestrian bridge connecting nearby cities Lafayette and West Lafayette in Tippecanoe County is named after Myers and opened in 1993.[5]

A technology center is named for Myers at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.[6]

A lock and dam on the Ohio River are named for Myers.

References

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  1. ^ Sigma Pi Fraternity
  2. ^ "John T. Myers, House Republican from Indiana, dies at 87". Washington Post. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  3. ^ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
  4. ^ "Greencastle Banner-Graphic: Local News: 15-term U.S. Rep. John Myers dead at 87 (01/28/15)". Greencastle Banner-Graphic. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  5. ^ Maxfield, Thomas (17 September 2014). "Then & Now: John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge, 1993". Lafayette Journal and Courier. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  6. ^ "UPDATE: John T. Myers, former U.S. Congressman, dies at 87". Tribune-Star. January 27, 2015.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 7th congressional district

January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1997
Succeeded by