Walter J. Kavanaugh (June 30, 1933 – January 9, 2008) was an American Republican Party politician, who served in the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...

for 32 years, representing the 16th Legislative District. He died just two days after leaving the

State Senate In the United States, the state legislature is the legislative branch in each of the 50 U.S. states. A legislature generally performs state duties for a state in the same way that the United States Congress performs national duties at ...

, having declined to run for re-election in 2007.Gohlke, Josh
"Senate exodus: Why so many are retiring"
''

The Record (Bergen County) ''The Record'' (also called ''The North Jersey Record'', ''The Bergen Record'', ''The Sunday Record'' (Sunday edition) and formerly ''The Bergen Evening Record'') is a newspaper in New Jersey, United States. Serving Bergen, Essex, Hudson and ...

'', April 1, 2007. Accessed June 21, 2007. His 32 years of service in the legislature made him the seventh-longest serving legislator in state history.Governor Corzine Orders Flags to be Flown at Half-Staff In Honor of Senator Walter Kavanaugh

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The ...

press release dated January 11, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2008.

Biography

Kavanaugh had served in the State Senate since 1998, where he represented the 16th Legislative District. Senator Kavanaugh served on the Budget & Appropriations Committee and was Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Relations Commission. Before being elected to the Senate, Kavanaugh served in the

lower house A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...

of the

, the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

, from 1976 to 1997. In the Assembly, Kavanaugh served as the Majority Budget Officer from 1996 to 1997, Deputy Speaker from 1994 to 1995, Assistant Majority Leader from 1986 to 1989, Assistant Minority Leader in 1985, Deputy Assistant Minority Leader from 1980 to 1981, Minority Whip from 1978 to 1979 and as Assistant Minority Whip in 1977. Kavanaugh had been a member of the

Somerville Somerville may refer to: Places Australia *Somerville, Victoria, a town **Somerville railway station * Somerville, Western Australia, a suburb of Kalgoorlie, Australia New Zealand * Somerville, New Zealand, a suburb of Manukau City, New Zea ...

First Aid and Rescue Squad since 1968. He had served on the State House Commission since 1998 and also from 1990 to 1994. He was a trustee of the

Somerville Public Schools The Somerville Public Schools are a comprehensive community state school, public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Somerville, New Jersey, Somerville, in Somerset County, New Jersey, Somerset Cou ...

Board of Education A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional area, ...

from 1962 to 1975, serving as its President from 1967 to 1975. He was on the Somerset County Park Commission 1968-1975. Kavanaugh served in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

from 1955 to 1976, reaching the rank of

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

. Kavanaugh received a B.S.C. from the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...

in Marketing.Senator Kavanaugh's Senate Website

. Accessed June 21, 2007. After Kavanaugh's death on January 9, 2008,

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006, and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran f ...

issued an executive order requiring that flags be flown at half staff in his memory on January 14, 2008, at all state and local government facilities across New Jersey.

District 16

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure ...

and two members in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

. The other representatives from the 16th Legislative District for the 2006-2008 legislative session were: *Assemblyman Christopher Bateman, and *Assemblyman Peter J. Biondi

References

External links

New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2006 (PDF)New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2005 (PDF)New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2004 (PDF)Somerville First & Aid Rescue Squad
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Kavanaugh, Walter 1933 births 2008 deaths Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Republican Party New Jersey state senators Politicians from Somerville, New Jersey University of Notre Dame alumni Deaths from diabetes in New Jersey 20th-century members of the New Jersey Legislature 21st-century members of the New Jersey Legislature