Wadie P. Deddeh Explained

Wadie P. Deddeh
State Senate:California
District:40th
Term:December 6, 1982 – August 17, 1993
Preceded:James R. Mills
Succeeded:Stephen Peace
State Assembly2:California
District2:80th
Term2:December 2, 1974 – November 30, 1982
Preceded2:John Stull
Succeeded2:Stephen Peace
State Assembly3:California
District3:77th
Term3:January 2, 1967 – November 30, 1974
Preceded3:Richard J. Donovan
Succeeded3:Bob Wilson
Birth Date:6 September 1920
Birth Place:Baghdad, Iraq
Death Place:San Diego, California, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Occupation:Political Science Professor
Spouse:Mary-Lynn Drake
Children:1
Alma Mater:University of Baghdad
University of Detroit

Wadie P. Deddeh (September 6, 1920 – August 27, 2019) was an American politician of Assyrian descent in the state of California. He served in the California State Assembly from 1967 to 1982, and in the California State Senate from 1982 to 1993.[1] He is the first Iraqi-American elected official in the United States.[2] [3] Deddeh wrote the 1972 legislation that created the modern California Department of Transportation, handling the highway functions previously managed by a division of the California Department of Public Works.[4] He died at the age of 98 on August 27, 2019.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Inventory of the Wadie P. Deddeh Papers. www.oac.cdlib.org.
  2. Web site: Social Networks and Archival Context. snaccooperative.org.
  3. Web site: JoinCalifornia - Wadie P. Deddeh. www.joincalifornia.com.
  4. Web site: The San Diego Union-Tribune - San Diego, California & National News.
  5. Web site: Senator Deddeh Obituary - California - Tributes.com. www.tributes.com.