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Bethine Clark Church
[edit]Bethine Clark Church (February 19, 1923- ),married to well known U.S. Senator Frank Church of Idaho.is a rare form for her time, being as politically active as her husband earning her the nickname “Idaho’s third Senator” .[1]
Early Life and Education
[edit]Born in Mackay, Idaho, to Jean Burnett and Chase Addison Clark.[2] The Clark family was very politically active Democrats in Idaho. Chase Clark served first as the Mayor of Idaho Falls and then went on to be the Governor of Idaho from 1940-1942. Under FDR’s administration, her father was appointed to be a Federal District court judge. His father, Joseph Addison Clark, was also politically active. He was most famous for being Idaho Falls’ first mayor, who also had a career as an engineer who helped with the planning and construction of the town’s canals.[3] Clark’s brother, Barzila Clark, also served as the state’s governor. Bethine Clark’s cousin D. Worth Clark represented the state of Idaho in Washington as a Senator and a Congressman in the House of Representatives.[4]
The family was a long time resident of Idaho Falls. While attending high school in Idaho Falls, Clark participated in the debate club and student government. When her father was elected as the Governor of the state the family moved to the capital city. In January of 1941, the family moved to Boise. While attending Boise High, Bethine met Frank Church and they became close friends. After graduating from high school, Clark went on to attend Boise Junior College.She was a student there from 1941-1942. During her year there she was elected to be the freshman class Vice President. Also during this time, Frank Church was in the military stationed overseas, and the friends exchanged letters frequently. The next academic year Clark transferred to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, “her father’s Alma mater.”[5] In 1945, Bethine graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology.
Bethine and Frank Church
[edit]The friends stayed in touch throughout the early 1940's by writing letters to each other, while Bethine was in college in Boise and then in Ann Arbor. Frank attended Stanford before enlisting in 1942, “…he enlisted in the Army in late 1942… and served as a military intelligence officer in China, Burma and India in World War II.”[6] After returning from service Frank proposed to Bethine, the couple announced their engagement in December of 1946.[7] On June 21, 1947 they were married at Bethine’s Family ranch, Robinson Bar Ranch, located in the Sawtooth Mountains.[8] Frank enrolled at Harvard’s prestigious law school in September of 1947, but was forced to withdraw and transfer to Stanford after being diagnosed with cancer. While Frank was undergoing cancer treatments, the couple welcomed their first child Frank Forrester IV, who was born September 23, 1948. 1956 Frank ran for the U.S. Senate and beat incumbent Herman Welker. The following year the family moved to Washington D.C., that same year Bethine and Frank Church adopted their second child, Chase Church. Frank served 3 terms as Senator; he was eventually defeated for reelection in 1980. Early in 1984 Senator Church was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He died on April 8, 1984 at the age of 59. [9]
In many ways Bethine Clark was as politically active as her husband, actively participating in his campaigns for the Senate and his 1976 Presidential campaign. Throughout his time as senator, Bethine's involvement in her husband's campaigns and active participation in public life earned her the informal title as "Idaho's third senator." Coming from a very politically oriented family, Bethine Church is a natural for a career in public service. She has chaired or served as a trustee to many committees and organizations over the years.[10] After Frank’s death, Bethine continued her work in politics, on the national level as well as the state level. Today she is “still known as the matriarch of the Idaho Democratic Party…”[11]
Political Life
[edit]Bethine Church is so loved by her peers both in Idaho and Washington, that she was urged to run for Senate in 1986. If she had decided to run, she would have been fighting for the same seat which her husband had previously held for 24 years.[12] Church knew she didn't fit into the classic mold for a politician’s wife, “…I have often described my life in Washington as like Cinderella’s: I was either cleaning the fireplace or going to the ball.”[13] Bethine Church is still involved with many organizations, here is a list of the current positions she holds:
- Chairperson of, The Frank Church Institute, Boise State University
- President and Founder of, The Sawtooth Society
- Governing Council member of, The Wilderness Society
- Honorary Board Member of the, Terry Reilly Health Services
- Sustaining Member of the Boise Junior League
- Member of the Idaho Conservation League[14]
Church has head many other prestigious titles over her career, some of them are:
- "Past Honorary Co-Chair, Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, Boise
- Past Advisory Board Member, Basque Museum & Cultural Center, Boise
- Martin Institute for Peace Studies Advisory Board, Moscow, Idaho
- Trustee, Boise State University Foundation
- President’s Advisory Committee, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.
- “Better Business Bureau, “Integrity Counts” Contest – Chair of Judges
- Finance Committee, Idaho State Democratic Party
- BSU Radio Network Community Advisory Board
- Emeritus Member, Board of Directors, U.S. Capitol Historical Society, Washington D.C.
- Trustee, Meridian House in Washington, D.C.
- Member, Past President, Center for Responsive Politics, Washington, D.C.
- Trustee, Future Homemakers of America Foundation, Reston, Virginia
- Advisory Board, A Television History of Idaho, IP-TV, Boise, Idaho
- Member, Governor’s Task Force on Home Care, 1991-92, Idaho”[15]
References
[edit]- ^ "About Bethine Church." . Boise State University, n.d. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://sspa.boisestate.edu/frankchurchinstitute/about-bethine-church/>.
- ^ Passehl, Erin , and Alan Virta. " Bethine Church Collection." n.pag. Boise State University Albertsons Library Digital Collections. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://digital.boisestate.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/bchurch>.
- ^ Nothing wrong, just gone. Our Campaigns, " Clark Church, Bethine." Last modified July 25, 2008. Accessed October 16, 2013. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=193490.
- ^ Passehl, Erin , and Alan Virta. " Bethine Church Collection." n.pag. Boise State University Albertsons Library Digital Collections. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://digital.boisestate.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/bchurch>.
- ^ Passehl, Erin , and Alan Virta. " Bethine Church Collection." n.pag. Boise State University Albertsons Library Digital Collections. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://digital.boisestate.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/bchurch>.
- ^ Hunter, Marjorie. "Frank Church of Idaho, Who Served in the Senate for 24 Years, Dies at 59: [Obituary]." New York Times 08 Apr 1984, Late Edition (East Coast) A.44. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. <http://search.proquest.com/news/docview/424920873/14092C600FB39E5CE06/2?accountid=108>.
- ^ Passehl, Erin , and Alan Virta. " Bethine Church Collection." n.pag. Boise State University Albertsons Library Digital Collections. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://digital.boisestate.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/bchurch>.
- ^ Passehl, Erin , and Alan Virta. " Bethine Church Collection." n.pag. Boise State University Albertsons Library Digital Collections. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://digital.boisestate.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/bchurch>.
- ^ Passehl, Erin , and Alan Virta. " Bethine Church Collection." n.pag. Boise State University Albertsons Library Digital Collections. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://digital.boisestate.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/bchurch>.
- ^ "About Bethine Church." . Boise State University, n.d. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://sspa.boisestate.edu/frankchurchinstitute/about-bethine-church/>.
- ^ Passehl, Erin , and Alan Virta. " Bethine Church Collection." n.pag. Boise State University Albertsons Library Digital Collections. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://digital.boisestate.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/bchurch>.
- ^ Clarity, James F. "BRIEFING; Mrs. Church Urged to Run." New York TimesJan 02 1985. ProQuest. Web. 6 Nov. 2013 .http://search.proquest.com/news/docview/425314584/14194007E3076D8D1EA/2?accountid=108.
- ^ "About Bethine Church." . Boise State University, n.d. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://sspa.boisestate.edu/frankchurchinstitute/about-bethine-church/>.
- ^ "About Bethine Church." . Boise State University, n.d. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://sspa.boisestate.edu/frankchurchinstitute/about-bethine-church/>.
- ^ "About Bethine Church." . Boise State University, n.d. Web. 17 Sep 2013. <http://sspa.boisestate.edu/frankchurchinstitute/about-bethine-church/>.
Further Reading
[edit]- "Books: Leisure Reading." Deseret News: 0. Sep 19 2003. ProQuest. Web. 6 Nov. 2013 . <http://search.proquest.com/news/docview/351161950/14194007E3076D8D1EA/3?accountid=108>.
- Church, Bethine. The Idaho Home Front: World War II. October 16, 2013. http://www.idahoptv.org/productions/specials/homefront/wwii/church.cfm
- Church, Bethine. A Life Long Affair: My Passion for People and Politics. Francis Press, 2003.