Leroy Blunt

Leroy Blunt
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1987
Preceded byPaul Busiek
Succeeded byTommy MacDonnell
Constituency
  • 145th district (1979–1983)
  • 140th district (1983–1987)
Personal details
Born
Herschel Leroy Blunt

(1921-12-03)December 3, 1921
Webster Co., Missouri, U.S.
DiedMarch 21, 2016(2016-03-21) (aged 94)
Marshfield, Missouri, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouses
  • Neva Letterman
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1942; died 1993)​
  • Dora Blankenship Hyde
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1995)​
Children2, including Roy
EducationUniversity of Missouri
Occupation
  • Farmer
  • politician

Herschel Leroy Blunt (December 3, 1921 – March 21, 2016) was an American farmer and politician who served in the Missouri House of Representatives. He was also the father of U.S. Senator from Missouri and former U.S. Representative Roy Blunt. Roy's son, Matt Blunt, is a former Governor of Missouri.[1][2]

Blunt was born near Marshfield, Missouri in Webster County, the son of Bessie J. (Muncy) and Benjamin Lee Blunt.[3] He attended public schools in Conway, Missouri, and the University of Missouri. In 1942, he married Neva Letterman, and he lived on a farm near Marshfield, Missouri.[4] He first won election to the state house in 1978 as a Republican, succeeding Paul Busiek as representative for the 145th district.[5] His opponent in the race was Betty Anne McCaskill, mother of future Senator Claire McCaskill, who would later unsuccessfully run against Matt Blunt in the 2004 gubernatorial election, and serve with Roy in Senate from 2011 to 2019. He was reelected in 1980, and, after redistricting, he was elected to two more terms, representing the new 140th district.[6][7] He retired in 1987 and was succeeded by Democrat Tommy MacDonnell.[8] After Neva died in 1993, Blunt married Dora Blankenship Hyde in 1995.[9][10] He died on March 21, 2016, at Marshfield Care Center in Marshfield, Missouri.[11]

  1. ^ "NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri : News : Press Releases". prochoicemissouri.org. Archived from the original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  2. ^ Missouri Secretary of State :: State Archives. "SOS, Missouri - State Archives: Missouri State Legislators 1820-2000". sos.mo.gov. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  3. ^ "Roy blunt". Archived from the original on February 19, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  4. ^ "Leroy Blunt Oral History Interview". statehistoricalsocietyofmissouri.org. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  5. ^ "Our Campaigns - MO State House 145 Race - Nov 07, 1978".
  6. ^ "Our Campaigns - MO State House 145 Race - Nov 04, 1980".
  7. ^ "Our Campaigns - MO State House 140 Race - Nov 02, 1982".
  8. ^ "Our Campaigns - MO State House 140 Race - Nov 06, 1984".
  9. ^ "Leroy Blunt of Marshfield Passes Away at 94". March 22, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  10. ^ "Dora Hyde Blunt". Springfield News-Leader. August 18, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2024 – via Legacy.com.
  11. ^ Held, Kevin S. (March 22, 2016). "Patriarch of Blunt political family dies". FOX2Now. Retrieved March 22, 2016.