Donald G. Beneke (14 March 1916 – 17 February 1990) was an American lawyer and politician.

Donald G. Beneke
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 37th district
In office
14 January 1963 – 8 January 1967
Preceded byJohn A. Walker
Succeeded byCharles S. Van Eaton
Alden Erskine
Member of the Iowa Senate
from the 50th district
In office
4 May 1961 – 13 January 1963
Preceded byGuy G. Butler
Succeeded byLucas DeKoster
Personal details
Born(1916-03-14)14 March 1916
Laurens, Iowa
Died17 February 1990(1990-02-17) (aged 73)
Pocahontas, Iowa
Political partyRepublican
EducationUniversity of Iowa

Beneke was born to parents Anton and Theresa Mefferd Beneke in Laurens, Iowa, on 14 March 1916. He attended high school in his hometown. After graduating in 1933, Beneke attended the University of Iowa and its College of Law, completing his bachelor's degree in 1937, and a Juris Doctor in 1939.[1] Beneke had six siblings,[2] including Raymond Beneke, an economist and professor at Iowa State University.[3][4]

Donald Beneke was associated with the Laurens school board from 1947 to 1961, as secretary,[5] regular member, and later president.[1] Between 1951 and 1954, he was district attorney for Pocahontas County.[1][6] Beneke was nominated in April 1961 as the Republican candidate for a special election to the Iowa Senate the following month, defeated Democratic candidate James Hamilton in the election,[7] and duly took office in District 50 on 4 May 1961.[1] In November 1962, Beneke won a full term in District 37.[1][8] After stepping down from the state legislature in 1965, Beneke served as president of the Pocahontas County Board of Education and contested a seat on the Area 5 Education Agency in 1974.[9] By 1980, Beneke had been designated mental health referee for Pocahontas County.[10] At the time of his death at Pocahontas Community Hospital on 17 February 1990, Beneke was director of the Laurens State Bank and serving as Laurens city attorney.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Senator Donald G. Beneke". Iowa General Assembly. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Leland F. Beneke". Des Moines Register. 27 December 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Raymond R. Beneke". Des Moines Register. 3 February 2005. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Raymond R. Beneke Memorial Resolution" (PDF). Iowa State University Faculty Senate. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Adult classes (continued from page 1)". The Daily Herald. 21 September 1951.
  6. ^ a b "Longtime attorney Donald Beneke passes away Saturday, February 17" (PDF). Humboldt Republican. February 1990. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Beneke, Hamilton are nominees for senate". Humboldt Republican. 26 April 1961. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Most GOP Legislators Are Returned". Carroll Daily Times Herald. Associated Press. 7 November 1962. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Mickelson-Beneke candidates for Area 5 Education Board". Humboldt Republican. 7 August 1974. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  10. ^ "Man slashes...in Pocahontas..." Sioux City Journal. 23 November 1980. Retrieved 20 November 2022.