Wayne Hubert Babbitt (1928 - 1994)

Born 21 Apr 1928 in Macedonia, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States

Husband of Eleanor Joan (Timmerman) Babbitt — married Jul 1946 in Nebraska, United States

Died 6 Aug 1994 at age 66 in Heber Springs, Cleburne, Arkansas, United States

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Biography

Wayne Babbitt is Notable.

Wayne Hubert Babbitt was a politician and businessman from Arkansas. He was chairman of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, and state director for the Federal Housing Administration. He was appointed by President Richard M. Nixon to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office in Little Rock. He was also active in politics, serving as chairman of the Pulaski County Republican Committee, vice chairman for the state GOP, and as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in San Francisco, California. Babbitt’s contributions to politics and his efforts to improve housing conditions for families make him a notable figure.

Wayne Hubert Babbitt was born on April 21, 1928 in Macedonia, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. His father was Darwin Merritt Babbitt, and his mother was Frances Dorothy (Charron) Babbitt.^[1] In 1930, he lived in Carson with his parents and two older siblings.^[2] Sometime before 1935, his parents moved to rural area in Sarpy County, Nebraska. In 1940, he lived on 3rd Avenue in Plattsmouth, Cass County.^[3]

When he registered for the draft at age 18, he was described as 5 feet and 8 inches tall, 145 pounds, blonde hair and hazel colored eyes.^[4] After he graduated high school he enlisted in the United States Navy on May 17, 1946 and served until March 16, 1948.^[5] He also married Eleanor Joan Timmerman after high school in July 1946 in Nebraska.^[6]

After his service, he returned to Plattsmouth and enrolled at the University of Omaha (now the University of Nebraska Omaha). In 1950, he lived on Highway 75 in Plattsmouth and was farming to earn a living.^[7] Around this time he decided to study veterinary medicine and enrolled at Colorado A&M University (now Colorado State University) where he graduated in 1956. He then moved to Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas where he set up a veterinary medicine practice.^[6]

In 1963, he became the chairman of the Pulaski County Republican Committee. He ran for the state Senate the following year, but lost the election. That same year, he was served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in San Francisco, California, which nominated Barry Goldwater for the presidency.^[6]

He remained active in politics, serving as vice chairman for the state GOP. In 1966, he campaigned for Winthrop Rockefeller as Arkansas's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. After Rockfeller was elected, he appointed Babbitt chairman of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission. He later promoted him to the post of state director for the Federal Housing Administration, which led to his appointment by President Richard M. Nixon to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) office in Little Rock. In this office, he focused on efforts to relocate families from substandard housing, putting them into clean homes.^[6]

In 1972, he resigned from HUD and ran for the United States Senate seat held by John McCellan, but lost the election. After this defeat, he turned his attention to business, buying the local Bush Caldwell Company (which sold hardware, sporting goods, and the like) and adding the National Custom Hollow Metal business, while simultaneously maintaining his veterinary medical practice.^[6]

Babbitt died on August 6, 1994 in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas.^[8][9][6] He was buried at Rest Hills Memorial Park in North Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Iowa, U.S., Births (series) 1880-1904, 1921-1944 and Delayed Births (series), 1856-1940: State Historical Society of Iowa; Des Moines, Iowa; Title: Iowa Birth Records, 1888-1904 Ancestry Record 61441 #1467074
2. ↑ 1930 United States Federal Census: Year: 1930; Census Place: Carson, Pottawattamie, Iowa; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0005; FHL microfilm: 2340413 Ancestry Record 6224 #30721759
3. ↑ 1940 United States Federal Census: Year: 1940; Census Place: Plattsmouth, Cass, Nebraska; Roll: m-t0627-02239; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 13-19 Ancestry Record 2442 #61648712
4. ↑ U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947: National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Nebraska, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 4 Ancestry Record 2238 #17143185
5. ↑ U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010: Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Ancestry Record 2441 #6340403
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} Pruden III, William H., Ravenscoft School. Encyclopedia of Arkansas, last updated on 28 Jul 2020. "Wayne Hubert Babbitt (1928–1994)." Accessed 25 Apr 2023.
7. ↑ 1950 United States Federal Census: United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Plattsmouth, Cass, Nebraska; Roll: 5592; Sheet Number: 2; Enumeration District: 13-26 Ancestry Record 62308 #21853426
8. ↑ Newspaper Clipping, The Plattsmouth Journal, Plattsmouth, Nebraska, Monday - August 8, 1994. "Wayne Babbitt Obituary." Accessed 25 Apr 2023.
9. ↑ U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014: Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; Social Security Death Index, Master File Ancestry Record 3693 #2166398
10. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145345544/wayne-hubert-babbitt: accessed 25 April 2023), memorial page for Wayne Hubert Babbitt (21 Apr 1928–6 Aug 1994), Find A Grave: Memorial #145345544, citing Rest Hills Memorial Park, North Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA; Maintained by Donna White (contributor 48144068).