the widower married Jocelyn Birch Peterson. She had two children from a previous marriage. Together the couple had one son. On August 8, 1960, Burdick resigned his House seat and was sworn in as a member of the U.S. Senate. He secured a full six-year term in the heavily Democratic year of 1964, having defeated Republican Thomas Kleppe. Burdick easily defeated Kleppe in a rematch in 1970, another national Democratic year. He continued to be reelected by wide margins in 1976, 1982, and 1988. In 1987, Burdick became the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Burdick earned the nickname the "King of Pork" for focusing nearly all of his legislative efforts on bringing federal funds to North Dakota, which was rural, poor, and less developed than many other states. Death In September 1992, at age 84, Burdick died from heart failure, while at St. Luke's Hospital in Fargo. After Burdick's death, his widow, Jocelyn Burdick, was appointed by Governor George Sinner to fill his unexpired term until a special election was held. See also Politics of the United States United States Senate special election in North Dakota, 1960 United States Senate election in North Dakota, 1964 United States Senate election in North Dakota, 1970 United States Senate election in North Dakota, 1976 United States Senate election in North Dakota, 1982 United States Senate election in North Dakota, 1988 List of United States Congress members who died in office (1950–99) References External links Quentin Burdick Papers at The University of North Dakota 1908 births 1992 deaths People from Cavalier County, North Dakota Burdick family Congregationalists from North Dakota Nonpartisan League politicians Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from North Dakota Democratic Party United States senators from North Dakota North Dakota lawyers People from Williston, North Dakota 20th-century American lawyers University of Minnesota Law School alumni