Tom Easterly Explained

Tom Easterly
Birth Name:Charles Thomas Easterly
Birth Date:21 April 1940
Birth Place:Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Death Place:Hurricane, West Virginia, U.S.
State Senate1:Kentucky
District1:20th
Term Start1:January 1, 1974
Term End1:January 1, 1982
Preceded1:Mack G. Walters
Succeeded1:Fred Bradley
State House2:Florida
District2:118th
Term Start2:1988
Term End2:1990
Preceded2:Robert J. Starks
Succeeded2:Daryl Jones
Party:Democratic
Alma Mater:Carleton College
University of Kentucky
University of Tennessee

Charles Thomas "Tom" Easterly (April 21, 1940 – June 15, 2005) was an American politician.[1] [2] He served as a Democratic member for the Kentucky Senate, as well as the Florida House of Representatives.[3] [4]

Born in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Ethel and Edgar E. Easterly. Easterly attended Eastern High School, later graduating in 1958. He then attended Carleton College, where he played baseball and American football, graduating with Latin honors and the honor society Phi Beta Kappa. He moved to Paris and later attended the University of Kentucky, earning his master's degree.[5]

During his service in the United States Army, he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal. After that, he taught the language French and attended at the University of Tennessee, where he learned about law. He taught at the Kentucky State University, teaching about the languages German and Spanish and about administrator law.

Easterly served in the Kentucky Senate from 1974 to 1981. He was the Democratic nominee to the United States House of Representatives for the 6th's district of Kentucky in 1978 and 1980, losing both times to Republican nominee Larry J. Hopkins.[6] In 1985, he moved to Miami, Florida. In 1988, he was elected to represent the 118th district of the Florida House of Representatives, succeeding Robert J. Starks. In 1990, he was succeeded by Daryl Jones. He moved to Beckley, West Virginia in 2000.

Easterly died in June 2005 of a traffic collision in Hurricane, West Virginia, at the age of 65.

Notes and References

  1. News: Easterly Is In Race For Congress. The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. August 14, 1977. June 6, 2022. 9. Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Sen Tom Easterly for Congress: A Clear Choice in the Sixth District. The Lexington Herald. Lexington, Kentucky. October 28, 1980. June 6, 2022. 10. Newspapers.com.
  3. Web site: House of Representatives. June 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20180113095046/http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html. January 13, 2018. live. Wayback Machine.
  4. Web site: Membership of the Florida House of Representatives by County 1845–2012. Robert. Ward. August 3, 2011. Florida House of Representatives. June 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220316034642/https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Web/HouseContent/Approved/Public%20Guide/Uploads/Documents/house_counties_final.pdf. March 16, 2022. live. Wayback Machine.
  5. Web site: Tom Easterly Obituary (1940–2005). The Columbus Dispatch. June 19, 2005. June 6, 2022.
  6. Web site: Tom Easterly surfaces in Florida campaign. The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. September 4, 1988. June 6, 2022. 24. Newspapers.com.