William Broomfield

William Broomfield
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 18th district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	James Blanchard
Succeeded by	None (District obsolete)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 19th district
In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1983
Preceded by	Jack H. McDonald
Succeeded by	None (District obsolete)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 18th district
In office January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1973
Preceded by	George A. Dondero
Succeeded by	Robert J. Huber
Member of the Michigan State Senate
In office 1955–1956
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
In office 1949–1954
Personal details
Born	April 28, 1922 Royal Oak, Michigan
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Jane
Profession	Real Estate, Politician
Religion	Presbyterian

William S. "Bill" Broomfield, (born April 28, 1922) is a retired politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.

Early life

Broomfield, the son of Dr. S. C. and Fern Broomfield was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. He graduated from Royal Oak High School in 1940 and attended Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) at East Lansing. During the Second World War, he served in the United States Army Air Corps. After the war, he engaged in the real-estate and property-management business.^[1]

Political career

Broomfield was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives, 1949–1954, serving as speaker pro tempore in 1953. He served in the Michigan State Senate in 1955 and 1956.

In 1956, Broomfield was elected as a Republican from Michigan's 18th District to the United States House of Representatives for the 85th and to the seventeen succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1957 to January 3, 1993. Due to redistricting following U.S. Censuses, Broomfield served the 19th District, 1973–1983 and the 18th District, 1983–1993. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1992 to the 103rd Congress. The 18th District was discontinued following the 1990 census and for the most part redistricted as the 11th which elected Joe Knollenberg in 1993.

During his tenure in Congress, Broomfield served as a member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs and was ranking member from 1975 until his retirement in 1993. At the time of his retirement, he was the ranking Republican then serving in the House of Representatives. During his years of service in the House, Broomfield garnered praise from both sides of the aisle for his ethics, honesty and statesmanship. When he retired, he left behind a legacy of bipartisan friendship and cooperation.^[2]

Retirement

After retirement, Broomfield started a foundation in Michigan that supports various charities in southeast Michigan, including the efforts to cure cancer, spina bifida, Alzheimer's, and the Salvation Army. A longtime resident of Lake Orion, Michigan, he currently resides in Kensington, Maryland.

In September 2000, Congress designated the Royal Oak Post Office at 200 West 2nd Street in Royal Oak, Michigan as the William S. Broomfield Post Office Building.

On December 30, 2006, Broomfield collapsed at the state funeral memorial for former U.S. President Gerald Ford at the United States Capitol, bringing the ceremonies to a temporary pause. The reason given for the collapse was exhaustion.^[3]

Broomfield's wife Jane died on March 21, 2013 at the age of 97, due to heart failure.

References

1. http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/brookshire-brough.html
2. http://rochester.patch.com/articles/when-congressmans-papers-come-to-museums-calf-barn-community-will-learn-from-leadership-story
3. Ex-Congressman Collapses at Ford Funeral - AP

External links

• H.R. 4884 renaming post office for Broomfield

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress