Ed Derwinski
| Ed Derwinski | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 1st United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs | |
|
In office March 15, 1989 – September 26, 1992 |
|
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Jesse Brown |
| Administrator of Veterans Affairs | |
|
In office January 21, 1989 – March 15, 1989 |
|
| President | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Thomas Turnage |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Undersecretary of State for International Security Affairs | |
|
In office March 24, 1987 – January 21, 1989 |
|
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | William Schneider |
| Succeeded by | Reginald Bartholomew |
| Counselor of the United States Department of State | |
|
In office March 23, 1983 – March 24, 1987 |
|
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | James Buckley |
| Succeeded by | Max Kampelman |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 4th district |
|
|
In office January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1983 |
|
| Preceded by | William McVey |
| Succeeded by | George O'Brien |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Edward Joseph Derwinski September 15, 1926 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died |
January 15, 2012 (aged 85) Oak Brook, Illinois, U.S. |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Patricia van der Giessen Bonnie Hickey |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Loyola University, Chicago (BS) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1944–1946 |
| Unit | Infantry |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Edward Joseph "Ed" Derwinski (September 15, 1926 – January 15, 2012) was an American politician who served as the first Cabinet-level United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, serving under President George H. W. Bush from March 15, 1989 to September 26, 1992. He previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1959 to 1983, representing south and southwest suburbs of Chicago.
He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 15, 1926, to Sophia Zmijewski and Casimir Ignatius Derwinski, who died in 1947. Derwinski attended Loyola University of Chicago. Derwinski served in the United States Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II and in the postwar U.S. occupation of Japan. He graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 1951. He was a celebrated member of Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity.
In 1957, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, where he served one term before winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1958. He served 12 terms as a Republican representative from the 4th District of Illinois, a suburban region south and west of Chicago, eventually becoming ranking member of the House Foreign Relations Committee. He also served as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly 1971-1972 and as chairman of the U.S. delegation to the Interparliamentary Union from 1970–1972 and 1978-1980.
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