Ted Schwinden (1925–2023), former Montana governor
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2 min readTed Schwinden was an American politician elected to office in Montana, first in the state’s House of Representatives and later as a two-term governor.
Died: aOctober 7, 2023 (Who else died on October 7?)
Details of death: aDied in his sleep in Phoenix at the age of 98.c2
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Ted Schwinden’s legacy
Schwinden was born at his family’s farm on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation near Wolf Point, Montana. After rising to valedictorian of his graduating class, he joined the U.S. Army, serving in both the European and Pacific Theaters during World War II. After returning home, he resumed his education, earning degrees from the University of Montana and studying economics at the University of Minnesota.
Schwinden entered the world of politics in 1958, winning a seat in the Montana House of Representatives. He served two terms but lost his bid for a third. In 1965, he was elected president of the Grain Growers Association, and from 1969 to 1976, he served as Commissioner of State Lands. He then gave up the position to run for lieutenant governor, winning the election in 1977 before making the leap to governor in 1981.
Schwinden served two terms, earning a reputation as an honest straight shooter who could work with people from both parties. Even as governor, his personal phone number remained in the phone book, and he made a point of responding to almost every letter he received. Schwinden’s poll numbers looked good going into a third term, despite being a Democrat in a largely Republican state, but he had promised to serve only two terms and declined to run for a third. After leaving office, he taught at Carroll College and the University of Montana, then volunteered at a hospice after retiring to Arizona.
Notable quote
“I left office in 1989, and when I did that, I basically left the world of politics and became once again an historianâ€9d—from an interview in a fall 2013 documentary film project for “20th Century Montana 13 People, Policies & Perspectivesâ€9d at Highlands College
Tributes to Ted Schwinden
Full obituary: Daily Montanan
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