Denver D. Hargis

Denver D. Hargis
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromKansas's3rddistrict
In office January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1961
Preceded by	Myron V. George
Succeeded by	Walter L. McVey Jr.
Mayor ofCoffeyville, Kansas
In office 1953–1958
Preceded by	Gus A. Erickson
Succeeded by	Norton Walters
Personal details
Born	(1921-07-22)July 22, 1921 Key West,Florida, U.S.
Died	March 16, 1989(1989-03-16)(aged 67) Sarasota, Florida,U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Jeanette Louise Pitzen ​ ​ (m.1942, divorced)​ Charlene June Greer ​ ​ (m.1951;div.1969)​ Betty Jean Smith ​ (m.1969)​

Denver David Hargis(July 22, 1921 – March 16, 1989) was aU.S. RepresentativefromKansasfrom 1959 to 1961.

Born inKey West,Florida,his maternal grandfather and grandmother were each fromSpainandEngland.In 1922, when Hargis was one year old, his parents moved toCoffeyville, Kansas.He attended Coffeyville schools. He enlisted in theUnited States Navyin January 1941 and served until October 1943. He graduated fromWashburn University,Topeka, Kansas,with a B.A. in 1946, and from its law school, with a LL.B. in 1948. He wasadmitted to the barin 1948 and commenced his practice of law inCoffeyville, Kansas.

In February 1949, he was appointed district supervisor of the Census Bureau for the Third District of Kansas. He was promoted to administrative officer forKansas,Missouri,andNebraska,and was later promoted to regional assistant and served until December 1950. He served as mayor ofCoffeyville, Kansasfrom 1953 to 1958. He was appointed by GovernorDockingas a member of the Arkansas River Basin Committee 1957–59. He served as delegate at large to Democratic National Convention in 1960. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1956 to theEighty-fifth Congress.

Hargis was elected as aDemocratto theEighty-sixth Congress(January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1961). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1960 to theEighty-seventh Congress.He served as a consultant for theDepartment of Defensefrom 1961 to 1962, and the Department of Commerce from 1962 to 1966. He was the manager and later owner of several title insurance companies in Florida until his retirement in 1985.

On October 17, 1965, Hargis's estranged wife, Charlene June Hargis, shot and killed the couple's four children, three daughters and one son, at theirLaurel, Marylandapartment. The former congressman was living with another woman inVienna, Virginiaat the time. Charlene Hargis was charged with four counts of murder and pleadedinsanity.While atSpring Grove Hospital,she attempted suicide by slashing her wrists and had to be sedated. She was found guilty of lesser charges of manslaughter and was sentenced to four concurrent terms of ten years in prison.

He was a resident ofSarasota, Floridauntil his death there in 1989. Hargis was buried atArlington National Cemetery,Section 37, Grave 921.

References

This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress