Albin Walter Norblad Jr. (September 12, 1908 – September 20, 1964), was an American attorney and Republican politician in

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

. He represented the U.S. state of Oregon's First District from January 18, 1946, until his death from a heart attack in

Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. Located just northwest of Washington, D.C., it is a major business and government center of the Washington metropolitan region ...

, on September 20, 1964, in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

. He was the son of Edna Lyle and A. W. Norblad, Sr., a one-time Governor of Oregon.

Early years

Albin Walter Norblad Jr. was born in Escanaba, Michigan, but, before he was a year old, his family relocated to

Astoria, Oregon Astoria is a Port, port city in and the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state and was the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. The county is the ...

, where he attended public schools, before completing his secondary studies at the New Mexico Military Academy at

Roswell, New Mexico Roswell () is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County, New Mexico, Chaves County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,422 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in New Mexico, fi ...

. A graduate of the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a Public university, public research university in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1876, the university is organized into nine colleges and schools and offers 420 undergraduate and gra ...

, Norblad undertook graduate study at

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, Harvard Law School is the oldest law school in continuous operation in the United ...

, and was admitted to the bar in 1932, returning to his hometown of Astoria to practice at his father's firm of Norblad & Norblad.

Career

Norblad served in the

Oregon Legislative Assembly The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the State legislature (United States), state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper house, upper and lower chamber: the Oregon State Senate, Sena ...

as a representative for one term (1935–1937), was a member of the board of trustees of

Linfield College Linfield University is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college with campuses in McMinnville, Oregon, McMinnville, and Portland, Oregon. Linfield Wildcats athletics participate in the Northwest ...

, and a delegate to the

1940 Republican National Convention The 1940 Republican National Convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from June 24 to June 28, 1940. It nominated Wendell Willkie of New York for President of the United States, president and Senator Charles L. McNary, Charles McNary ...

World War II

During World War II, he joined the U.S. Army Air Forces, serving as a combat intelligence officer from 1942 to 1945.

Congress

Upon return from the war, he settled in

Stayton, Oregon Stayton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, located southeast of the state Capital (political), capital, Salem, Oregon, Salem, on Oregon Route 22. It is south of Sublimity, Oregon, Sublimity and east of Aumsville, Oregon, Aumsvill ...

, and was elected to fill the vacancy in the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

caused by the death of James W. Mott. He was re-elected to nine successive terms in the House of Representatives. Norblad voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Janu ...

, and

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

, as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Death and family

Norblad died of a heart attack in office in

, on September 20, 1964, and was buried in Lone Oak Cemetery in

. One of Norblad's children, Albin W. Norblad III, was a state court judge in Oregon.

References