Jeremiah Andrew Denton Jr

A Senator from Alabama; born in Mobile, Mobile County, Ala., July 15, 1924; graduated from McGill Institute, Mobile, 1942; attended Spring Hill College, Mobile, 1942-1943; graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., 1946; completed graduate work at George Washington University, Washington, D.C., 1964; served in the United States Navy, attaining the rank of rear admiral 1946-1977; shot down, captured, and held prisoner by North Vietnamese for 7 years and 7 months; consultant; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1980 for the term commencing January 3, 1981; subsequently appointed by the Governor, January 2, 1981, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Donald W. Stewart for the term ending January 3, 1981; served from January 2, 1981, to January 3, 1987; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1986; founder of Denton Associates, Mobile, Ala.; founder of the National Forum Foundation, Washington, D.C.; is a resident of Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1946, he married the former Kathryn Jane Maury. The couple had seven children. Mrs. Denton died in 2007. Besides his son Jeremiah, Mr. Denton is survived by his second wife, Mary Belle Bordone; four sons, William, Donald, James and Michael; two daughters, Madeleine Doak and Mary Beth Hutton; a brother, Leo; 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.