William B. Widnall | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's7th district | |
| In office February 6, 1950 – December 31, 1974 | |
| Preceded by | J. Parnell Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Maguire |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1906-03-17)March 17, 1906 |
| Died | December 28, 1983(1983-12-28) (aged 77) |
| Political party | Republican |
William Beck Widnall (March 17, 1906 – December 28, 1983) was aRepublican Party politician who served as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives for 24 years representingNew Jersey's 7th congressional district.
Born inHackensack, New Jersey, Widnall attended public schools, graduating fromHackensack High School in 1922. He graduated fromBrown University in 1926 with aPh.B. degree and went on to receive a law degree from the New Jersey Law School (nowRutgers School of Law–Newark) in 1931.[1]
Widnall then practiced law in Hackensack and served in theNew Jersey General Assembly from 1946 to 1950. He was elected to Congress on February 6, 1950, in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation ofJ. Parnell Thomas, who had been convicted and sentenced to federal prison for corruption. He opposed building theKennedy Center in its current location as being too difficult to reach and not attached to the largerMetro system.[2] Widnall served until his own resignation from Congress on December 31, 1974, following his failed reelection bid in 1974. Widnall voted in favor of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957,[3]1960,[4]1964,[5] and1968,[6] and theVoting Rights Act of 1965.[7]
After leaving Congress, Widnall served as chairman of the National Commission on Electronic Fund Transfers from November 1975 to 1981.
A longtime resident ofSaddle River, New Jersey, Widnall died at a nursing home inRidgewood, New Jersey, on December 28, 1983, at the age of 77 due toatherosclerosis andParkinson's disease.[8]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Jersey's 7th congressional district 1950–1974 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Ranking Member of theHouse Banking and Currency Committee 1965–1974 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
