Wendell Ford
| Wendell H. Ford | |
|---|---|
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United States Senator from Kentucky |
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In office December 28, 1974 – January 3, 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Marlow Cook |
| Succeeded by | Jim Bunning |
| Senate Minority Whip | |
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In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1999 |
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| Leader | Tom Daschle |
| Preceded by | Alan Simpson |
| Succeeded by | Harry Reid |
| Senate Majority Whip | |
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In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Leader | George Mitchell |
| Preceded by | Alan Cranston |
| Succeeded by | Trent Lott |
| 53rd Governor of Kentucky | |
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In office December 7, 1971 – December 28, 1974 |
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| Lieutenant | Julian Carroll |
| Preceded by | Louie Nunn |
| Succeeded by | Julian Carroll |
| 45th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky | |
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In office December 12, 1967 – December 7, 1971 |
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| Governor | Louie Nunn |
| Preceded by | Harry Waterfield |
| Succeeded by | Julian Carroll |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Wendell Hampton Ford September 8, 1924 Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | January 22, 2015 (aged 90) Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Lung cancer |
| Resting place |
Rosehill Elmwood Cemetery, Owensboro, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Jean Neel (m. 1943–2015) (his death) |
| Alma mater | University of Kentucky |
| Awards |
Expert Infantryman Badge American Campaign Medal Good Conduct Medal World War II Victory Medal |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
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| Service/branch |
 United States Army Kentucky Army National Guard
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| Years of service | 1944–1946 1949–1962 |
| Rank |
 Technical Sergeant First Lieutenant
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| Battles/wars | World War II |
Wendell Hampton Ford (September 8, 1924 – January 22, 2015) was an American politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He served for twenty-four years in the U.S. Senate and was the 53rd Governor of Kentucky. He was the first person to be successively elected lieutenant governor, governor and United States senator in Kentucky history. The Senate Democratic whip from 1991 to 1999, he was considered the leader of the state's Democratic Party from his election to governor in 1971 until his retirement from the Senate in 1999. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-serving senator in Kentucky's history, a mark which was then surpassed by Mitch McConnell in 2009.
Born in Daviess County, Kentucky, Ford attended the University of Kentucky, but his studies were interrupted by his service in World War II. After the war, he graduated from the Maryland School of Insurance and returned to Kentucky to help his father with the family insurance business. He also continued his military service in the Kentucky Army National Guard. He worked on the gubernatorial campaign of Bert T. Combs in 1959, and became Combs' executive assistant when Combs was elected governor. Encouraged to run for the Kentucky Senate by Combs' ally and successor, Ned Breathitt, Ford won the seat and served one four-year term before running for lieutenant governor in 1967. He was elected on a split ticket with Republican Louie B. Nunn. Four years later, Ford defeated Combs in an upset in the Democratic primary en route to the governorship.
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