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Scott Milne Matheson Jr. (January 8, 1929 – October 7, 1990) was an American politician who served as the 12th governor of Utah from 1977 to 1985. He is the most recent Democrat to serve in that position.
Scott Matheson | |
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| 12th Governor of Utah | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – January 7, 1985 | |
| Lieutenant | David S. Monson |
| Preceded by | Cal Rampton |
| Succeeded by | Norm Bangerter |
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office August 10, 1982 – August 2, 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Snelling |
| Succeeded by | Jim Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Scott Milne Matheson, Jr. January 8, 1929 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | October 7, 1990 (aged 61) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, including Scott and Jim |
| Parent |
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| Education | University of Utah (BA) Stanford University (LLB) |
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Matheson was born on January 8, 1929, in Chicago to Latter-day Saint parents Scott Milne and Adele Adams Matheson.[1] Soon after his birth, the family moved to Utah, settling first in Parowan before moving to Salt Lake City when his father became United States Attorney for the District of Utah.
Matheson graduated from Salt Lake City's East High School in 1946, earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Utah in 1950, and a law degree from Stanford University Law School in 1952. He operated a private law practice in Iron County, Utah, for five years before taking a position with Union Pacific Railroad in 1958. During his service with the railroad, he rose to the position of general counsel before making his 1976 run for governor.
During his term as governor, Matheson was named the defendant in the U.S. Supreme Court case of H. L. v. Matheson, which upheld a state law requiring parental consent for a teenage girl to obtain an abortion.
In 1986, Matheson considered a bid for the U.S. Senate to challenge incumbent Orrin Hatch in 1988.[2] Despite leading in hypothetical polling, Matheson announced on May 29, 1987, that he would not run for the seat.[3]
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On August 25, 1951, he married Norma Louise Warenski, and the couple had four children.[1] One of his sons is former U.S. Congressman Jim Matheson. Another son, Scott Matheson Jr., was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Utah in the 2004 election and was appointed as a federal judge in 2010.
In 1989, Matheson was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of cancer believed to have been caused by radioactive fallout from nuclear testing in Nevada.[4] Scott Matheson died from the disease on October 7, 1990, at the age of 61. He was buried in Parowan City Cemetery in Parowan, Utah.
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