William Roth | |
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United States Senator from Delaware |
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In office January 1, 1971 – January 3, 2001 |
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Preceded by | John J. Williams |
Succeeded by | Tom Carper |
Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance | |
In office October 1, 1995 – January 3, 2001 |
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Preceded by | Bob Packwood |
Succeeded by | Max Baucus |
Chair of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs | |
In office January 3, 1995 – October 1, 1995 |
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Preceded by | John Glenn |
Succeeded by | Ted Stevens |
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1987 |
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Preceded by | Abraham Ribicoff |
Succeeded by | John Glenn |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's at-large district |
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In office January 3, 1967 – December 31, 1970 |
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Preceded by | Harris B. McDowell Jr. |
Succeeded by | Pierre S. du Pont, IV |
Personal details | |
Born |
William Victor Roth Jr. July 22, 1921 Great Falls, Montana, U.S. |
Died | December 13, 2003 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
(aged 82)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Jane Richards |
Residence | Wilmington, Delaware |
Alma mater |
University of Oregon Harvard Business School Harvard Law School |
Military service | |
Service/branch | United States Army |
Years of service | 1943–1946 |
Unit | Intelligence |
Battles/wars | World War II |
William Victor Roth Jr. (July 22, 1921 – December 13, 2003) was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He was a veteran of World War II and a member of the Republican Party. He served from 1966 to 1970 as the lone U.S. Representative from Delaware and from 1971 to 2001 as a U.S. Senator from Delaware.
Roth was a sponsor of legislation creating the Roth IRA, an individual retirement plan that can be set up with a broker.
Roth was born in Great Falls, Montana, the son of Clara (née Nelson) and William Victor Roth, Sr., who ran a brewery. He attended public schools in Helena, Montana, graduating from Helena High School, which is also the alma mater of Senator Max Baucus, who succeeded Roth as Senate Finance Committee Chairman in 2001. Roth started college at Montana State University before moving on to graduate from the University of Oregon in 1943, Harvard Business School in 1947, and Harvard Law School in 1949. During World War II he served in a United States Army intelligence unit from 1943 until 1946.
After being admitted to the California Bar in 1950, he moved permanently to Delaware in 1954, and began his work as an attorney for the Hercules Corporation. He married Jane Richards in 1965 and they had two children, William III and Katharine. Jane Richards Roth is also a lawyer. She was U.S. District Court Judge, for the District of Delaware from 1985 until 1991 and since was a Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. They were members of the Episcopal Church.