Wade Van Valkenburg
Wade Van Valkenburg was a Republican politician from Michigan who served as the Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives and as a local judge.
Wade Van Valkenburg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 54th Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives | |
| In office January 14, 1953 – December 31, 1956 | |
| Governor | G. Mennen Williams |
| Preceded by | Victor A. Knox |
| Succeeded by | George Van Peursem |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 1st Kalamazoo district | |
| In office 1947–1956 | |
| Judge for Michigan's 9th Circuit | |
| In office 1965–1967 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 16, 1899 Tipton, Michigan |
| Died | November 20, 1985 (aged 86) Kalamazoo, Michigan |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Kalamazoo, Michigan |
| Alma mater | Detroit College of Law University of Michigan |
| Profession | Attorney Teacher |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  |
| Branch/service |  |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
Born in Tipton on January 16, 1899, Van Valkenburg graduated from the University of Michigan and from the then-Detroit College of Law. He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War I.
After losing in the primary election in 1944, Van Valkenburg was elected to represent the 1st Kalamazoo district in the State House in 1946 and served until 1956. He was elected Speaker of the House for his final four years.
Nine years after leaving the House, Van Valkenburg became a circuit judge for Michigan's 9th Circuit, which consists of Kalamazoo County, where he served for three years. He was a member of the Freemasons, the Shriners, Kiwanis, and the American Legion.[1]
Van Valkenburg died on November 20, 1985 in Kalamazoo.[2]
In 2004, the Wade Van Valkenburg Trust established a scholarship program for students in Kalamazoo County who have been found guilty of a criminal offense and who can demonstrate how they have overcome adversity in their life.[3]
