Former Indiana State Representative Lee Clingan of Covington has died.
Lee Clingan served 24 years in the legislature. First as a State Senator for 8 years; then, after his seat was reapportioned, he served in the Indiana House of Representatives for 16 years.
I was priveleged that my term overlapped with his for 10 of those years. He was the antithesis of a grandstander. He rarely went to the microphone. When he did, he was soft-spoken and self-effacing. When he did speak, though, everyone in the Chamber - and I mean, everyone - gave him their utmost respect.
What he never drew attention to, everyone knew. And that was that Lee Clingan had been a Prisoner of War in WW II.
He was tall and wore well the white hat of the auctioneer that he was. When the legislature was nearing the end of a term and the whole body had what sometimes seemed interminable waits for conference committee reports to come down, Lee Clingan was sometimes coaxed by members to take to the well of the House to demonstrate his auctioneer's talent as a caller.
The most good natured of any legislator with whom I served. This Democrat was a man of deep beliefs. He believed in small government.
His son, Greg Clingan, told Brian Huchel of the Danville (IL) Commercial News:
Greg recalled his high school years when he approached his father about why he didn’t sponsor more items in the state legislature.
“He said ‘We have too much government. We need less bills,’” Clingan said.
Greg Clingan also said his father would send notices to Congress from the Indiana legislature urging it then to balance the federal budget.
“He foresaw what we have right now,” Clingan said.
Thank you, Lee Clingan, for your service to the citizens of the United States and the citizens of Indiana.
Lee Clingan was a fine gentleman and more importantly a truly honest individual. I consider it an honor to have covered the legislature while he was a member.
Posted by: Mike Dooley | January 21, 2011 at 11:43 PM