Elford Albin "Al" Cederberg (March 6, 1918 – April 17, 2006) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. [1]

Al Cederberg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 10th district
In office
January 3, 1953 – December 31, 1978
Preceded byRoy O. Woodruff
Succeeded byDonald J. Albosta
Personal details
Born
Elford Albin Cederberg

(1918-03-06)March 6, 1918
Bay City, Michigan
DiedApril 17, 2006(2006-04-17) (aged 88)
The Villages, Florida
Political partyRepublican
Alma materBay City Junior College

Biography

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Cederberg was born to dairy farmers Albin and Helen (Olson) Cederberg in Bay City, Michigan; his father and maternal grandparents were immigrants from Sweden.[2] He attended public schools and at Bay City Junior College (1935–1937).

He entered the United States Army in April 1941, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in July 1942, became a captain in 1943, and was assigned to the 83rd Infantry Division. He participated in the Normandy invasion, and fought in France and Germany during World War II. He was decorated with five campaign battle stars and the Bronze Star. After the war, he was manager of Nelson Manufacturing Company of Bay City 1946–1952, and was mayor of Bay City from 1949 to 1953.[3]

In 1950, Cederberg unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Roy O. Woodruff in the Republican Party primary election for the U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan's 10th congressional district. Woodruff did not seek the nomination in 1952 and Cederberg won the Republican primary. He went on to win the general election to the 83rd Congress and was subsequently re-elected to the twelve succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1953, until his resignation December 31, 1978. Cederberg voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,[4] 1960,[5] 1964,[6] and 1968,[7] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[8][9] He became the ranking minority member of the House Appropriations Committee. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1978 to the 96th Congress, losing to Democrat Donald J. Albosta.[10]

Personal life

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After the end of his term in Congress, Cederberg lived in Alexandria, Virginia and was a consultant for United Technologies, RCA, and Grumman Aircraft. He moved to Florida in the late 1990s. Cederberg died of heart and kidney ailments in The Villages, Florida at the age of 88 and was interred in Elm Lawn Cemetery of Bay City. He was survived by two children from his first marriage; Tom Cederberg and Marilyn Warner. His first marriage to Arlene Munro Cederberg (1916–2001) ended in divorce. His second wife, Marguerite Kletchka Cederberg, whom he married in 1958, died in March 2006. [11]

References

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  1. ^ "Cederberg, Elford A. (Elford Albin), 1918–2006". snaccooperative.org. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  2. ^ "United States Census, 1920", FamilySearch, retrieved March 19, 2018
  3. ^ "Elford Albin Cederberg". Daily Journal. April 21, 2006. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "HR 6127. Civil Rights Act of 1957". GovTrack.us.
  5. ^ "HR 8601. Passage".
  6. ^ "H.R. 7152. Passage".
  7. ^ "To pass H.R. 2516, A Bill To Establish Penalties For Interference With Civil Rights. Interference With A Person Engaged In One Of The 8 Activities Protected Under This Bill Must Be Racially Motivated To Incur The Bill's Penalties".
  8. ^ "S.J. Res. 29. Constitutional Amendment to Ban the Use of Poll Tax as a Requirement for Voting in Federal Elections". GovTrack.us.
  9. ^ "To Pass H.R. 6400, The 1965 Voting Rights Act".
  10. ^ "Cederberg, Elford Albin (1918–2006)". UCLA Political Science Division. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  11. ^ "Cederberg, Elford A." The Washington Post. April 20, 2006. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by United States Representative for the 10th Congressional District of Michigan
1953 – 1978
Succeeded by
Preceded by Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee
1973 – 1978
Succeeded by