Bernard J. Dwyer
Encyclopedia
Bernard James Dwyer was an American Democratic Party
politician
, who served as a United States Representative from New Jersey
from 1981 to 1993.
, Middlesex County
, New Jersey, to Daniel F. and Alice (Zehrer) Dwyer. A Roman Catholic, he attended public elementary
and high school
s. He attended Rutgers University-Newark. He served in the United States Navy
during World War II
(1940–1945). He married Lilyan Sudzina in 1944. They had a daughter, Pamela Dwyer Stockton.
Dwyer was an insurance broker
by profession. His political career began when he successfully ran for a seat on the Edison, New Jersey
city council
, serving 1958–1969. He was elected Mayor of Edison, New Jersey
in 1958, serving a single four-year term. Dwyer served as a member of the New Jersey Senate
, where he represented the 18th Legislative District from 1974 to 1980.
He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
, and served six terms (January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1993). He represented during his first term, but redistricting
after the 1980 Census
, shifted him to the .
Dwyer was the last member of Congress who was also a survivor of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor when he retired in 1992.
Dwyer did not seek reelection in 1992, and retired in 1993. Redistricting after the 1990 Census
had merged his district with that of fellow Democrat Frank Pallone
.
His papers of 1981 to 1992, are stored at the Rutgers University
Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives in New Brunswick, New Jersey
. They include congressional office files consisting chiefly of documentation accumulated while he was a member of the United States House Committee on Appropriations
.
A resident of Metuchen, New Jersey
, Dwyer died at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey
on October 31, 1998, of a heart attack
. He was buried at St. Gertrude's Cemetery in Colonia, New Jersey
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who served as a United States Representative from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
from 1981 to 1993.
Biography
Dwyer was born in Perth AmboyPerth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
, Middlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
, New Jersey, to Daniel F. and Alice (Zehrer) Dwyer. A Roman Catholic, he attended public elementary
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
and high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s. He attended Rutgers University-Newark. He served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(1940–1945). He married Lilyan Sudzina in 1944. They had a daughter, Pamela Dwyer Stockton.
Dwyer was an insurance broker
Insurance broker
An insurance broker finds sources for contracts of insurance on behalf of their customers. The three largest insurance brokers in the world, by revenue, are Aon, Marsh & McLennan, and Willis Group Holdings.-Purpose of insurance brokers:...
by profession. His political career began when he successfully ran for a seat on the Edison, New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, serving 1958–1969. He was elected Mayor of Edison, New Jersey
Mayor of Edison, New Jersey
Mayor of Edison, New Jersey*Antonia Ricigliano 2011 to present, is first female mayor*Jun Choi 2006 to 2011*George A. Spadoro ? to 2006*Thomas H. Paterniti 1987 to ?*Bernard James Dwyer 1958 to?...
in 1958, serving a single four-year term. Dwyer served as a member of the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
, where he represented the 18th Legislative District from 1974 to 1980.
He was elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, and served six terms (January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1993). He represented during his first term, but redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
after the 1980 Census
United States Census, 1980
The Twentieth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 226,545,805, an increase of 11.4 percent over the 203,184,772 persons enumerated during the 1970 Census.-Census questions:...
, shifted him to the .
Dwyer was the last member of Congress who was also a survivor of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor when he retired in 1992.
Dwyer did not seek reelection in 1992, and retired in 1993. Redistricting after the 1990 Census
United States Census, 1990
The Twenty-first United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9.8 percent over the 226,545,805 persons enumerated during the 1980 Census....
had merged his district with that of fellow Democrat Frank Pallone
Frank Pallone
Frank Pallone, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously represented the 3rd district from 1988 to 1993.-Early life, education, and early political career:...
.
His papers of 1981 to 1992, are stored at the Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. They include congressional office files consisting chiefly of documentation accumulated while he was a member of the United States House Committee on Appropriations
United States House Committee on Appropriations
The Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is in charge of setting the specific expenditures of money by the government of the United States...
.
A resident of Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
, Dwyer died at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
on October 31, 1998, of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. He was buried at St. Gertrude's Cemetery in Colonia, New Jersey
Colonia, New Jersey
Colonia Colonia Colonia (is a census-designated place and unincorporated area within Woodbridge Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 17,811....
.
External links
- Bernard James Dwyer at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...
- "Bernard James Dwyer." Marquis Who's Who TM. Marquis Who's WhoMarquis Who's WhoMarquis Who's Who, a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc., is the American publisher of a number of directories containing short biographies...
, 2009. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MichiganFarmington Hills, MichiganFarmington Hills is a community in southeastern Michigan. It is the largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census...
: Gale, 2009. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC. Document Number: K2016524728. Fee. Accessed 2009-12-08 via Fairfax County Public LibraryFairfax County Public LibraryThe Fairfax County Public Library is a public library system headquartered in Suite 324 in the Fairfax County Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States....
.