George Romney - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Romney
Headshot of a greying man in a suit who is directly facing the camera
3rd United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
In office
January 22, 1969 – January 20, 1973
PresidentRichard Nixon
Preceded byRobert Coldwell Wood
Succeeded byJames Thomas Lynn
43rd Governor of Michigan
In office
January 1, 1963 – January 22, 1969
LieutenantWilliam Milliken
Preceded byJohn Swainson
Succeeded byWilliam Milliken
Personal details
Born
George Wilcken Romney

(1907-07-08)July 8, 1907
Colonia Dublán, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico
DiedJuly 26, 1995(1995-07-26) (aged 88)
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Resting placeFairview Cemetery Brighton, Michigan
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Lenore Romney (1931-1995)
ChildrenLynn Keenan, Jane Romney, G. Scott Romney, Mitt Romney
ProfessionAutomobile industrialist
Politician

George Wilcken Romney (July 8, 1907 – July 26, 1995) was an American businessman and Republican Party politician. He was chairman and president of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962. He served the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969. He was also the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1973.

He is the father of former Governor of Massachusetts, 2012 Republican presidential nominee, and current United States Senator Mitt Romney. He was also the husband of former Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Lenore Romney. In 1968, he ran for president, but lost to Richard Nixon.

Biography[change | change source]

Romney was born to American parents living in Colonia Dublán, Galeana, Chihuahua, Mexico on July 8, 1907.[1][2] The events during the Mexican Revolution forced his family to flee back to the United States when he was a child. The family lived in several states and ended up in Salt Lake City, Utah, where they struggled during the Great Depression. Romney worked in a number of jobs, served as a Mormon missionary in England and Scotland, and attended several colleges in the U.S. but did not graduate from any. In 1939 he moved to Detroit, Michigan.

Marriage and children[change | change source]

On July 2, 1931, he married Lenore Romney. They would later have four children, Lynn Romney, Jane Romney, Mitt Romney, and G. Scott Romney. His granddaughter from Scott Romney, Ronna Romney McDaniel, is the current chairwoman of the Republican National Committee.

Death[change | change source]

Romney died on July 26, 1995 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan from a heart attack, aged 88. He was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Brighton, Michigan.

References[change | change source]

  1. Dobner, Jennifer; Johnson, Glen (February 24, 2007). "Polygamy Prominent in GOP Presidential Hopeful Mitt Romney's Family Tree". Fox News. Associated Press.
  2. Compton, Todd (May 2012). "Mitt Romney's Polygamous Heritage".

Other websites[change | change source]

Media related to George W. Romney at Wikimedia Commons