US Congressman, Presidential Cabinet Secretary. A 12 term Republican Representative from Chicago, he was later the first Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Raised in a Polish community on Chicago's South Side, he graduated from high school in 1944 then served as a US Army infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II. Returning home he took over the family savings and loan business upon his father's 1947 death, earned a degree from Loyola University of Chicago in 1951, and built a reputation in Windy City politics. Elected to fill an open Congressional seat in 1959 he was called the "Big Cheese" in Washington, a name earned both hard work and a flamboyant personality. As ranking-Republican on the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee he was instrumental in changing the way the mail service is funded during the early 1970s. Derwinski found himself redistricted out of his seat by the 1980 census but moved into State Department positions during the Reagan administration; named to head the Veteran's Administration by President Bush in 1989 he received high marks for helping cancer victims of Agent Orange gain compensation but drew fire from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (V.F.W.) and the American Legion for the state of V.A. hospitals and national cemeteries. Indeed he received a share of the blame when the V.F.W. declined to endorse Mr. Bush in 1992. After leaving government Derwinski remained active in Polish-American activities, worked for Bob Dole in 1996, and lived out his days in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn. He died in a nursing facility of skin cancer.
US Congressman, Presidential Cabinet Secretary. A 12 term Republican Representative from Chicago, he was later the first Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Raised in a Polish community on Chicago's South Side, he graduated from high school in 1944 then served as a US Army infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II. Returning home he took over the family savings and loan business upon his father's 1947 death, earned a degree from Loyola University of Chicago in 1951, and built a reputation in Windy City politics. Elected to fill an open Congressional seat in 1959 he was called the "Big Cheese" in Washington, a name earned both hard work and a flamboyant personality. As ranking-Republican on the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee he was instrumental in changing the way the mail service is funded during the early 1970s. Derwinski found himself redistricted out of his seat by the 1980 census but moved into State Department positions during the Reagan administration; named to head the Veteran's Administration by President Bush in 1989 he received high marks for helping cancer victims of Agent Orange gain compensation but drew fire from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (V.F.W.) and the American Legion for the state of V.A. hospitals and national cemeteries. Indeed he received a share of the blame when the V.F.W. declined to endorse Mr. Bush in 1992. After leaving government Derwinski remained active in Polish-American activities, worked for Bob Dole in 1996, and lived out his days in the Chicago suburb of Glen Ellyn. He died in a nursing facility of skin cancer.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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