John Calhoun

CALHOUN, NELSON, RAINS, WILSON, EICHER, YINGER

Posted By: Jennifer Perkins (email)
Date: 11/10/2004 at 18:25:15

John Calhoun dead at 67
John N. Calhoun, 67, Burlington attorney who was active in politics and government for 30 years, died at 8:40 a.m. Monday, Nov. 1, at Memorial hospital Mercy unit. Mr. Calhoun lived with his wife, the former Dorothea Rains, at 515 S. 10th.
He was state senator from 1932-1936 from Van Buren and Jefferson counties, and was later a 2-term county attorney in Des Moines county, and a unsuccessful candidate for the US Senate from Iowa and for the First District congressional post. He was a former alternative municipal judge here.
Survivors include two sons, John R., Long Beach, Calif., and Clifford J., Boulder, Colo.; daughter, Carol Calhoun, New York, N. Y.; and six great-grandchildren.
Mr. Calhoun was born Dec. 2, 1903, at Birmingham, the son of Orange and Ethel Nelson Calhoun. He married Dorothea Rains June 25, 1929 at Fairfield.
Former Teacher
A graduate of Birmingham high school and Parsons college, Fairfield, Mr. Calhoun received his law degree from the University of Iowa in 1929, the year he was admitted to the bar. He taught high school at Lockridge in 1923-25.
Mr. Calhoun moved to Burlington where he practiced law until his extended illness.
He had enlisted in the National Guard in 1936, and was called to duty as a master sergeant in 1941. He served approximately 5 1/2 years active duty and was released in 1946 as a lieutenant colonel.
While on duty he served eight months in Turkey disposing of war surplus.
He served on numerous general courts martial in the Persian Gulf Command and was acting staff judge advocate at one time.
Mr. Calhoun returned to the National Guard, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1958 and named honorary colonel in 1963.
County Attorney Here
He was county attorney in Des Moines county from 1951-54, president of the Des Moines County Bar Assn. one term. and member of state and national bar groups.
Mr. Calhoun was defeated for the Republican nomination for the US Senate by George A. Wilson in 1948. He lost to E. C. Eicher in 1936 in a First District congressional race.
He was a member of First United Methodist church, Rotary, American Legion, VFW, and Elks.
body is at Prugh's Chapel.
Funeral: Thursday, 2 p.m., First United Methodist church, Rev. G. Dempster Yinger; Arlington National cemetery.

No newspaper source and date is given.