. ▁Ab dn or ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁then ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Neb r aska – Lin coln ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁S igma ▁Chi ▁frat ern ity . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁Senate ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁A ▁common , ▁decent , ▁plain ▁spoken ▁man ," ▁he ▁was ▁affection ately ▁known ▁as ▁" the ▁people ' s ▁Senator ." ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁" nice - gu y ▁public ▁servant " ▁with ▁a ▁" down - home , ▁warm ▁and ▁f uz zy ▁way . ▁ ▁His ▁staff ▁considered ▁him ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁friend ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁an ▁honor able ▁ment or ▁and ▁public ▁servant . ▁Like ▁his ▁South ▁Dak ota ▁Cong r essional ▁colle ague ▁James ▁Ab oure zk , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁second - gener ation ▁Leb an ese - American ▁and ▁second ▁U . S . ▁Senator ▁of ▁Leb an ese ▁descent ▁after ▁Ab oure zk , ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁James ▁Ab dn or ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁teacher ▁and ▁coach . ▁Ab dn or ▁was ▁chief ▁cl erk ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁Legisl ature ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁Ab dn or ▁was ▁the ▁ 3 0 th ▁Lieutenant ▁Governor ▁of ▁South ▁Dak ota