R. Walter Riehlman

Roy Walter Riehlman (August 26, 1899 – July 16, 1978) was an American businessman and member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.

R. Walter Riehlman
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York
In office
January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1965
Preceded byClarence E. Hancock
Succeeded byJames M. Hanley
Constituency36th district (1947–1953)
35th district (1953–1963)
34th district (1963–1965)
Personal details
Born
Roy Walter Riehlman

(1899-08-26)August 26, 1899
Otisco, New York
DiedJuly 16, 1978(1978-07-16) (aged 78)
Ormond Beach, Florida
Political partyRepublican

Early life
Marshall Space Flight Center Director Wernher von Braun (left) and Riehlman discuss Apollo models.

R. Walter Riehlman was born in Otisco, New York on August 26, 1899. He was raised in Tully, graduated from Manlius Military Academy in 1919 and Central City Business School of Syracuse in 1921.[1]

Start of career

Riehlman operated a general store and served as Postmaster of Nedrow from 1921 to 1923. In 1923 he returned to Tully and became owner a commercial baking company, Tully Bakery.[2]

From 1933 to 1938, Riehlman was a member of the Tully Board of Education. In 1934 he was elected Chairman of Tully's Republican Committee. He was elected to the Onondaga County Board of Supervisors in 1937 and served from 1938 to 1943. From 1943 to 1946 he was Onondaga County Clerk.

Riehlman was also active in civic affairs and several local businesses, including serving on the advisory board of the Marine Midland Trust Company and the area board of directors of Virginia's Lynchburg College.

Congressional career
Riehlman and other House Committee on Science members visit Marshall Space Flight Center on March 9, 1962, to gather information on nation's space program.

In 1946 he was elected to Congress as a Republican. He was reelected eight times and served from January 3, 1947, to January 3, 1965, the 80th through 88th Congresses. In 1952 Riehlman was one of the Republicans who visited Dwight D. Eisenhower, then commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to ask him to consider running for President. As a senior member of the Committee on Science and Technology, he was an advocate of the U.S. space program. Riehlman voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,[3] 1960,[4] and 1964,[5] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[6]

Post-Congressional career

Riehlman was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1964, losing his seat in that year's Johnson Landslide. He then relocated to Ormond Beach, Florida and returned to the business world, serving as vice president of Lu-Mar Enterprises, a company which owned restaurants and owned and developed commercial real estate.

Death and burial

He died in Ormond Beach, Florida on July 16, 1978.[7] Riehlman was buried at Tully Cemetery in Tully.

References
  1. Larkin, Roosevelt & Larkin, Who's Who in the East, Volume 8, 1961, page 757
  2. Luther F. Bliven, Syracuse Post-Standard, R. Walter Riehlman, Ex-Congressman, Dies, July 17, 1978
  3. "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
  4. "HR 8601. PASSAGE".
  5. "H.R. 7152. PASSAGE".
  6. "S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF POLL TAX AS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
  7. Associated Press, Ocala Star-Banner, Former N.Y. Rep. Riehlman Dead, July 17, 1978
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