Robert W. Straub | |
---|---|
31st Governor of Oregon | |
In office January 13, 1975 – January 8, 1979 |
|
Preceded by | Tom McCall |
Succeeded by | Victor G. Atiyeh |
Oregon State Treasurer | |
In office January 4, 1965 – January 1, 1973 |
|
Preceded by | Howard C. Belton |
Succeeded by | James A. Redden |
Member of the Oregon State Senate | |
In office 1959–1963 |
|
Personal details | |
Born |
Robert William Straub May 6, 1920 San Francisco, California |
Died | November 27, 2002 Springfield, Oregon |
(aged 82)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Pat Straub |
Profession | Politician |
Robert William "Bob" Straub (May 6, 1920 – November 27, 2002) was an American politician and businessman in the state of Oregon. A native of California, he settled in Eugene, Oregon, where he entered politics. A Democratic politician, he served in the Oregon State Senate, as the Oregon State Treasurer, and one term as the 31st Governor of Oregon from 1975 to 1979. Like his perennial opponent for governor, Tom McCall, he was a noted environmentalist.
Robert William Straub was born on May 6, 1920, in San Francisco. His parents were Thomas J. and Mary Tulley Straub, staunch Republicans. During World War II, he served in the Army's Quartermaster Corps. Straub earned a bachelor of arts degree from Dartmouth College in 1943, and then a masters of business administration from the school in 1947.
Between degrees he married Pat, and they had three sons and three daughters. In 1946, the family moved to Springfield, Oregon, with Straub working at the new Weyerhauser facility there. At Weyerhauser he worked with former classmate and later Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives Richard Eymann. Straub also established a construction firm. He became independently wealthy by investing on the stock market, in real estate development, and trading in timber.
He worked at his construction firm until beginning his political career when he was elected to the Lane County Board of Commissioners in 1954. Straub served on the commission from 1955 to 1959. He represented Lane County in the Oregon State Senate from 1959 to 1963. During his time in the senate, Straub established his reputation as an advocate for natural resource management and conservation. He was one of the state's first leaders to voice concern about air and water pollution.