Ken Rothman Explained

Order:41st
Office:Lieutenant Governor of Missouri
Term Start:January 12, 1981
Term End:January 14, 1985
Governor:Kit Bond
Predecessor:William C. Phelps
Successor:Harriett Woods
Order1:65th Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives
Term Start1:January 5, 1977
Term End1:January 7, 1981
Predecessor1:Richard J. Rabbitt
Successor1:Bob F. Griffin
Predecessor2:Dorothy E. Meagher
Office2:Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 77th district
Term Start2:January 3, 1973
Term End2:January 7, 1981
Successor2:Sheila Lumpe
Predecessor3:None (new district)
Office3:Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 36th district
Term Start3:January 4, 1967
Term End3:January 3, 1973
Successor3:Leo McKamey
Predecessor4:Alfred A. Speer
Office4:Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from St. Louis district 8
Term Start4:January 9, 1963
Term End4:January 4, 1967
Successor4:None (district eliminated)
Birth Name:Kenneth Joel Rothman
Birth Date:October 11, 1935
Birth Place:St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Death Place:St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Spouse:Geraldine Jaffe (divorced)
Children:4
Allegiance: United States
Serviceyears:1953-1962
Units:Missouri Air National Guard

Kenneth Joel Rothman (October 11, 1935 – April 26, 2019) was an American lawyer and politician from Missouri. He served as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of Missouri from 1981 to 1985.

Biography

Rothman was born and raised in St. Louis and attended public schools. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science and also received his law degree from Washington University.

Rothman served in the Missouri Air National Guard from 1953 to 1962 and was called to active duty during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. He worked as a prosecutor for St. Louis County before entering private law practice. Rothman's political career began with his election to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1962 representing the Clayton area. He was re-elected eight times. In 1973 he was chosen as Majority Leader and in 1976 he became Speaker of the House.

In 1980 Rothman was elected Lieutenant Governor, defeating Roy Blunt. In 1984, he was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Missouri but was defeated by Republican John Ashcroft.

From 2001, he served of counsel to the law firm of Capes, Sokol, Goodman and Sarachan PC.

Rothman's ex-wife, Geri Rothman-Serot, was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate against Kit Bond in 1992. His son Daniel Rothman is an attorney in Des Moines Iowa. Ken Rothman was the first Jew elected to statewide office in the history of Missouri.[1]

Rothman died on April 26, 2019, in St. Louis, at the age of 83.[2] His ex-wife politician Geri Rothman-Serot, a three-time survivor of breast cancer, died a few months later in Florida on July 2, 2019, of a rare form of bone cancer.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: First-jew Elected Lt. Gov. Of Mo. 26 November 1980.
  2. News: Kenneth Rothman, former Missouri House speaker and lieutenant governor, dies. . Kurt . Erickson. Jack. Suntrup. April 26, 2019. April 27, 2019. Jefferson City, Missouri.
  3. Web site: Geri Rothman-Serot, Missouri's former 'second lady,' dies . 2019-07-02 . 2020-07-31.