▁Kenneth ▁William ▁He ch ler ▁( Se ptember ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁– ▁December ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁politician . ▁A ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party , ▁he ▁represented ▁West ▁Virginia ' s ▁ 4 th ▁con gression al ▁district ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁was ▁West ▁Virginia ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁military ▁service ▁ ▁Of ▁German - American ▁descent , ▁He ch ler ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ros lyn , ▁New ▁York ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁to ▁Charles ▁Henry ▁and ▁Catherine ▁Elizabeth ▁( H au hart ) ▁He ch ler . ▁He ▁held ▁a ▁B A ▁from ▁Sw arth more ▁College , ▁and ▁an ▁MA ▁and ▁Ph D ▁from ▁Columbia ▁University ▁in ▁history ▁and ▁government . ▁He ch ler ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁of ▁Columbia ▁University , ▁Pr inc eton ▁University , ▁and ▁Bar n ard ▁College ▁in ▁the ▁years ▁leading ▁up ▁ ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁ll . ▁ ▁He ch ler ▁held ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁minor ▁appointed ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁federal ▁civil ▁service ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁draft ed ▁into ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁in ▁July , ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁After ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁Arm ored ▁Force ▁Officer ▁C