Calvin Lewellyn "Cal" Rampton (November 6, 1913September 16, 2007) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 11th governor of the state of

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its ...

from 1965 to 1977.

Early life and education

He was born to Llewellyn Smith Rampton and Janet Campbell in

Bountiful, Utah Bountiful is Davis city. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 42,552, a three percent increase over the 2000 figure of 41,301. The city grew rapidly during the suburb growth of the late 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s and was Davis County's ...

. Following his graduation from Davis High School in 1931, Rampton took over his family's automobile business, due to his father's death that same year. He sold the business in 1933 and entered the

University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of D ...

, graduating in 1936. He also studied at the

George Washington University Law School The George Washington University Law School (GW Law) is the law school of George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. Established in 1865, GW Law is the oldest top law school in the national capital. GW Law offers the largest range of co ...

while working as administrative assistant to Congressman J. W. Robinson.

Career

Rampton served as Davis County Attorney from 1938 to 1940, the only other public office he would be elected to until becoming governor in 1965. Rampton served in Europe during World War II as Chief of the Army Claims Commission in Paris; he attained the rank of major and received the Bronze Star Medal. Rampton continued to serve in the Army Reserve and attained the rank of colonel before retiring. After the war he pursued a career as an attorney and his success in civil trial practice earned him a fellowship with the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He was a Democratic candidate for the Utah State Senate in 1954 and United States Senate in 1962. He is the only governor of Utah to serve three full consecutive terms, and was one of the most popular governors in the country. During his governorship, he successfully advocated for increased education spending, civil rights legislation, and allocating federal funds for urban renewal. He was a supporter of the

Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men an ...

to the U.S. Constitution, and advocated successfully for state construction projects, including Salt Lake City’s Symphony Hall (now

Abravanel Hall Abravanel Hall is a concert hall in Salt Lake City, Utah that is home to the Utah Symphony, and is part of the Salt Lake County Center for the Arts. The hall is an architectural landmark in the city, and is adjacent to Temple Square and th ...

) and the Salt Lake Arts Center (now

Utah Museum of Contemporary Art The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA), formerly known as the Salt Lake Art Center, is a contemporary art museum. Located in Downtown Salt Lake City, the museum presents rotating exhibitions by local, national and international contemporary ...

). After leaving office, Rampton practiced law until he retired at the age of 75.

Personal life

Rampton married

Lucybeth Cardon Lucy Elizabeth Cardon Rampton (August 10, 1914 – January 23, 2004) was the First Lady of Utah between 1965 and 1977. Early life Rampton was born in Washington, D.C. to Phillip Vincent Cardon and Leah Ivins. She grew up and attended schoo ...

(1914–2004) on March 10, 1940; they had four children. In 2007, Rampton died of cancer in

Holladay, Utah Holladay is a city in central Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area and abuts the Wasatch National Forest. The population was 31,965 at the 2020 census, a significant increas ...

. Shortly after his death, the

Salt Palace Convention Center The Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center, more commonly known as the Salt Palace, is a convention center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Named after Utah's 11th governor, Calvin L. Rampton, the name "Salt Palace" was previously used by two ...

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...

was also named in his honor. The Calvin L. Rampton Complex in Taylorsville, which houses the

Utah Department of Transportation The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is an agency of the state government of Utah, United States; it is usually referred to by its initials UDOT (pronounced "you-dot"). UDOT is charged with maintaining the more than of roadway that co ...

and the Utah Department of Public Safety, is also named in his honor.

In Popular Culture

In the made-for-television movie The Executioner's Song (film), Rampton is referenced in a recreated radio news clip as having requested the Utah Board of Pardons to review convicted murderer

Gary Gilmore Gary Mark Gilmore (born Faye Robert Coffman; December 4, 1940 – January 17, 1977) was an American criminal who gained international attention for demanding the implementation of his death sentence for two murders he had admitted to committing ...

's execution just before the end of his final term. Rampton's successor Scott M. Matheson declined to get involved in the matter, and the execution was soon carried out.

Sources

Cal Rampton: Former three-term governor dies at 93An Interview with Former Gov. Rampton

References

, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Rampton, Cal 1913 births 2007 deaths 20th-century American politicians American businesspeople in retailing American people of English descent American people of Manx descent American people of Scottish descent Burials at Salt Lake City Cemetery Deaths from cancer in Utah Democratic Party governors of Utah George Washington University Law School alumni Latter Day Saints from Utah People from Bountiful, Utah United States congressional aides University of Utah alumni