Mark Hatfield

Mark Hatfield
Official portrait, c. 1990s
Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Robert Byrd
Succeeded by	Ted Stevens
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by	Warren Magnuson
Succeeded by	John C. Stennis
United States Senator from Oregon
In office January 10, 1967 – January 3, 1997
Preceded by	Maurine Neuberger
Succeeded by	Gordon Smith
29th Governor of Oregon
In office January 12, 1959 – January 9, 1967
Preceded by	Robert D. Holmes
Succeeded by	Tom McCall
16th Secretary of State of Oregon
In office January 7, 1957 – January 12, 1959
Governor	Elmo Smith Robert D. Holmes
Preceded by	Earl T. Newbry
Succeeded by	Howell Appling, Jr.
Personal details
Born	Mark Odom Hatfield (1922-07-12)July 12, 1922 Dallas, Oregon, U.S.
Died	August 7, 2011(2011-08-07) (aged 89) Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Resting place	Willamette National Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Antoinette Kuzmanich ​ ​ (m. 1958)​
Children	4
Education	Willamette University (BA) Stanford University (MA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1943–1947
Rank	Lieutenant (junior grade)
Battles/wars	World War II  • Pacific Theater
Mark Hatfield's voice Hatfield introduces Donald P. Hodel at his confirmation hearing to be United States secretary of the interior Recorded February 1, 1985

Mark Odom Hatfield (July 12, 1922 – August 7, 2011) was an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served eight years as Governor of Oregon, followed by 30 years as one of its United States senators, including time as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. A native Oregonian, he served in the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II after graduating from Willamette University. After the war he earned a graduate degree from Stanford University before returning to Oregon and Willamette as a professor.

While still teaching, Hatfield served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. He won election to the Oregon Secretary of State's office at the age of 34 and two years later was elected as the 29th Governor of Oregon. He was the youngest person to serve in either of those offices, and served two terms as governor before election to the United States Senate. In the Senate he served for thirty years, the longest tenure of any Senator from Oregon. At the time of his retirement, he was seventh most senior Senator and the second most senior Republican. In 1968, he was considered a candidate to be Richard Nixon's running mate for the Republican Party presidential ticket.

Hatfield served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations on two occasions. With this role, he was able to direct funding to Oregon and research-related projects. Numerous Oregon institutions, buildings and facilities are named in his honor, including the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, the Mark O. Hatfield Library at Willamette University (his alma mater), the Hatfield Government Center light-rail station in Hillsboro, the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government in the College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University, and the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. Outside of Oregon, a research center at the National Institutes of Health was after him for his support of medical research while in the Senate. Hatfield died in Portland on August 7, 2011, after a long illness.