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Lee Warne

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Lee Warne
Warne in 1955
Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 22nd district
In office
1957–1958
Preceded byJ. C. Noonan
Member of the South Dakota Senate from the 16th district
In office
1953–1956
Preceded byFred R. Winans
Personal details
Born
Leland DeWayne Warne

(1922-01-01)January 1, 1922
Pierre, South Dakota, U.S.
DiedMarch 8, 2002(2002-03-08) (aged 80)
Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Helen Williams
​
(m. 1945)​
Children4[a]
Alma materUniversity of South Dakota (BA)
Signature

Leland DeWayne Warne (January 1, 1922 – March 8, 2002) was an American politician and rancher from South Dakota. Born in Pierre, he received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Dakota before serving in the United States Army for several years, where he fought in the European theatre of World War II and received both a Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. Warne was elected to the South Dakota Senate as a member of the Republican Party in 1952; he won re-election in 1954. He ran for the South Dakota House of Representatives in 1956, defeating the incumbent J. C. Noonan in a close race. Following his legislatorial stint, he bred horses on his ranch. In 1988, Warne was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. He died in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2002 at the age of 80.

Early life

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Warne's World War II draft registration card

Leland DeWayne Warne[2] was born in Pierre, South Dakota, on January 1, 1922, to ranchers Edward and Lona (née Yung) Warne.[1][3] He was educated at Goodwater rural school in Sully County and graduated from Pierre High School in 1939.[1] After receiving a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Dakota,[4]: 33  Warne reported to an officer candidate school in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and served nearly 4 years as a platoon leader and company commander. During the European theatre of World War II, he served in both the 2nd Armored Division as a first lieutenant and the 20th Armored Division.[1][4]: 33  Warne received a Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart for his service.[1] After his return to the United States in 1945, he married nurse Helen Williams.[1][4]: 33  Together, they had four children, only two of which survived past infancy: Randy and Nancy.[1]: n.pag. 

Political career

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After Warne was discharged from the military, he served on the board of the Goodwater School for 22 years and as a Sully County commissioner for 21 years.[1][5] On February 14, 1952, he announced his campaign for the South Dakota Senate, seeking the Republican Party nomination for the 16th district.[6] The announcement came the day after the incumbent senator, Fred R. Winans, stated that he would not seek re-election.[7] Warne officially filed for election on May 1,[8] defeating fellow Republicans Arthur B. Cahalan of Miller and G. C. Reynolds of Blunt in the primary election.[9] Because there was no Democratic Party opponent in the general election, Warne won unopposed by default.[10][4]: 163  He comfortably won a re-election bid in 1954, defeating his Democratic opponent, Nick Jackus, by nearly 19 points.[11]: 488  As senator, Warne was the chairman of Military and Veterans' Affairs.[12] In 1955, he proposed a constitutional amendment that would have reduced the state's voting age to 18.[13]

Warne ran for the South Dakota House of Representatives in 1956, seeking to represent its 22nd district. In a close race, he defeated the incumbent, Democrat J. C. Noonan, by 12 votes.[14][15] Noonan petitioned for a recount, which showed him leading Warne by 6 votes,[16][15] which was contested and brought to the South Dakota Supreme Court by Warne, who requested that they review the challenged or thrown-out ballots.[15] A writ of certiorari was filed at the Supreme Court on December 8, and the case hearing was scheduled for December 17.[17] The court ended up rigorously examining 93 ballots,[18] ruling that Warne had won the race, albeit with a very tight margin of just 3 votes.[19] As representative, Warne introduced a bill that would have broadened the state's sales tax base to include hotels and motels.[20] He was a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention.[21]

Electoral history

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1952 South Dakota Senate 16th district election[4]: 147, 163 
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lee Warne 2,554 54.51%
Republican G. C. Reynolds 1,276 27.24%
Republican Arthur B. Cahalan 855 18.25%
Total votes 4,685 100.00%
General election
Republican Lee Warne 7,408 100.00%
Total votes 7,408 100.00%
1954 South Dakota Senate 16th district general election[11]: 488 
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lee Warne 5,201 59.47%
Democratic Nick Jackus 3,545 40.53%
Total votes 8,746 100.00%

Ranching career and later life

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In 1957, Warne began breeding Appaloosa horses on his ranch as a hobby.[22][1] His ranch, established in 1904,[23] was located roughly 20 miles northwest of Pierre and was approximately 8,500 acres (3,400 ha; 13.3 sq mi; 34 km2) in size.[24] Five national-championship winning Appaloosa horses were bred on his ranch.[1] In 1961, Warne served as co-chair of the 45-member University of South Dakota Development Commission.[25] In 1972, Warne was appointed by Earl Butz, the United States secretary of agriculture, to serve on the 19-member Water Bank Advisory Board.[26]

In 1973, Warne's ranch won the South Dakota State Izaak Walton League Award for outstanding wildlife habitat management.[1] In 1988, he was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in the agriculture category.[1][27] Warne died in Scottsdale, Arizona, on March 8, 2002. He was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre.[1]

Notes

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  1. ^ Two children died as infants.[1]: n.pag. 

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Leland 'Lee' Warne". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. March 12, 2002. p. B2. Retrieved November 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Total Of 62 Get Degrees At University's Mid-Year Commencement". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. January 31, 1943. p. 16. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Those who were graduated are: Bachelor of arts— ... Leland DeWayne Warne, Blunt;
  3. ^ "Edward N. Warne". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. December 6, 1974. p. 5. Retrieved November 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. Services for Edward N. Warne, 81, former longtime Sully County rancher, will be 2 p.m.
  4. ^ a b c d e Beaty, Don W.; Pulles, Catherine (eds.). South Dakota Legislative Manual (1953 ed.). pp. 33, 147, 163. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  5. ^ Thompson, E. L., ed. (1958). 75 Years of Sully County History, 1883–1958. Onida, South Dakota: Onida Watchman. p. 291. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  6. ^ "Sully County Rancher Seeks Senatorship". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press. February 14, 1952. p. 11. Retrieved November 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Sen. Winans Declines to Seek Re-Election". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press. February 13, 1952. p. 19. Retrieved February 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "4 File for State Posts". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press. May 1, 1952. p. 12. Retrieved November 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "SD Legislative Lineup Finds Republicans To Control House, Senate". The Daily Republic. Mitchell, South Dakota. Associated Press. May 6, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved November 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Only Two Lonely Demos To Be Seated When New Legislature Convenes". The Daily Plainsman. Huron, South Dakota. Associated Press. November 6, 1952. p. 15. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b Hallock, Morris G.; Pulles, Catherine (eds.). South Dakota Legislative Manual (1957 ed.). pp. 119, 488. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  12. ^ "Capital's Senator". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. February 28, 1955. p. 8. Retrieved December 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "18-Year Vote Sought Again". Deadwood Pioneer-Times. Deadwood, South Dakota. United Press International. January 27, 1955. p. 1. Retrieved December 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Highmore Man In Second Vote Recount". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. November 24, 1956. p. 8. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b c "Recount May Get Supreme Court Review". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. Associated Press. November 29, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Recount Asked In Hyde County Sheriff Contest". The Daily Plainsman. Huron, South Dakota. United Press International. November 25, 1956. p. 19. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Court Dates Hearing in Vote Issue". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press. December 9, 1956. p. 2-D. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "93 Ballots to Decide Holder Of House Seat". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press. December 17, 1956. p. 6. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com. There was just about everything wrong with the disputed ballots which the court will peruse.
  19. ^ "Court Awards Election To GOP Candidate". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. Associated Press. December 28, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Bill Would Increase Fee On Driver Permit". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. Associated Press. January 30, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved December 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "GOP Slate Headed By Foss Revealed". Rapid City Journal. Rapid City, South Dakota. Associated Press. February 15, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved November 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Legacy Leland Warne". South Dakota Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  23. ^ Myhre, Larry (December 18, 2014). "Where pheasants and deer reign supreme". Sioux City Journal. Sioux City, Iowa. p. B6. Retrieved December 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Hobby Of Spotted Horses Turns Into Business For Blunt Rancher". Mitchell Daily Republic. Mitchell, South Dakota. December 21, 1960. p. 14. Retrieved December 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Central S. D. Represented On 'U' Commission". The Daily Plainsman. Huron, South Dakota. December 12, 1961. p. 2. Retrieved November 15, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "2 S. Dakotans Named to Water Bank Board". The Daily Republic. Mitchell, South Dakota. Associated Press. March 2, 1972. p. 2. Retrieved February 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Legacy Leland Warne". South Dakota Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
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