William J. Larkin Jr.
| Bill Larkin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the New York State Senate from the 39th district | |
|
Assumed office January 1, 1991 | |
| Preceded by | E. Arthur Gray |
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 95th district | |
|
In office January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Eugene Levy |
| Succeeded by | Nancy Calhoun |
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 97th district | |
|
In office January 1, 1979 – December 31, 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Lawrence Herbst |
| Succeeded by | Stephen Saland |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 5, 1928 Troy, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Patricia Kurucz |
| Residence | New Windsor, New York |
| Alma mater |
University of Maryland University of Denver |
| Signature |
 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1944–1967 |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Korean War |
| Awards |
   |
William J. Larkin Jr. (born February 5, 1928) is an American politician who has long served as a member of the New York State Legislature representing parts of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown metropolitan area. A member of the Republican Party, he was originally from Troy, New York and settled in the town of New Windsor.[1]
Born in Troy, New York, Larkin was raised by his aunt and uncle. He attended La Salle Institute in Troy. Before entering politics, he was a career officer in the United States Army. Enlisting at the age of sixteen in 1944 to fight in World War II, he served in the Pacific theater before entering officer candidate school, being sent to fight in the Korean War, and eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Larkin was hired as an executive assistant in the New York State Senate and served a term as New Windsor town supervisor before being elected to the New York State Assembly in 1978. Larkin served in the Assembly from 1979 to 1990, sitting in the 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th and 188th New York State Legislatures. In 1990, he defeated incumbent Democratic state senator E. Arthur Gray in his reelection bid. He would go on to win fourteen more State Senate terms before announcing his retirement in 2018 at the age of 90. Along with Fred Risser of Wisconsin, he was one of the final two World War II veterans to serve in a U.S. state legislature.
References
- ↑ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
External links
| New York Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lawrence Herbst |
New York State Assembly 97th District 1979–1982 |
Succeeded by Stephen M. Saland |
| Preceded by Eugene Levy |
New York State Assembly 95th District 1983–1990 |
Succeeded by Nancy Calhoun |
| New York State Senate | ||
| Preceded by E. Arthur Gray |
New York State Senate 39th District 1991–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Diane Savino |
New York State Senate Chairman of the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions 2011 |
Succeeded by Martin Golden |