Vernon J. Ehlers Collection, 1955-2010 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

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Collection Overview

Title: Vernon J. Ehlers Collection, 1955-2010

ID: COLL/525

Primary Creator: Vernon James Ehlers (1934-2017)

Extent: 93.0 Boxes

Arrangement: Folder level description

Abstract

Professor of physics at Calvin College; and a politician (Kent County Board Commissioner, State Representative, State Senator, and Federal Congressman). The collection details Ehlers’ political career including committee service and bills sponsored/co-sponsored, plus his earlier academic career. The collection includes biographical data, resolutions, reports, news releases, memorandums, correspondence, notes, speeches, bills, proclamations, acts, concept papers, house statements, articles, remarks, political campaign material, testimonies, debates, awards, papers, interviews, handouts, studies, appointment books/cards/lists/schedules/sheets, news clippings, videos, cassettes, DVDs, posters, photographs, and artifacts.

Biographical Note

Vernon James Ehlers is the youngest of the four children of Rev. John William Christian and Alice Cornelia (née Doorn) Ehlers, born on 6 Feb 1934 in Pipestone, MN. He suffered from severe asthma as a child and as a consequence was unable to attend school. He was home- and self-schooled and received a diploma from Edgerton (MN) Christian School and did his high school work via correspondence. He attended Calvin College, 1952-1955; and the University of California, Berkeley, from which he received an AB in 1956 and a PhD in 1960; his doctoral dissertation was “The Nuclear Spins and Moments of Several Radioactive Gallium Isotopes.”

He taught and conducted scientific research at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, 1956-1966, and joined the Physics Department of Calvin College in 1966, ultimately serving as department chair. He was a member of the Faculty Organization Study Committee (FOSCO), 1968-1977, that developed a new faculty governance system for the college, whose enrollment had grown from 500 in 1945 to 3,200 when Ehlers joined the faculty. He left the college faculty in 1983 to serve in the Michigan Legislature.

Ehlers was elected to the Kent County Board of Commissioners, 1975-1983; the Michigan House of Representatives, 1983-1985; and the Michigan Senate, 1985-1993. In 1993 he won a special election in Michigan’s 5^th District (later 3^rd), after the death of former fellow faculty member Congress Member Paul B. Henry (Coll. 357) and won a full term in 1994, and subsequent elections, serving until 2011.

Ehlers married Johanna Meulink on 14 Jun 1958; they have four children: Heidi, Brian, Marla, and Todd. The Ehlers were founding members of Faith Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, Walnut Creek, CA, in 1961.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal, 1955-2010],
[Series 2: Student Years, 1955-1960],
[Series 3: Post Graduate Correspondence, 1960-1967],
[Series 4: Research, 1962-1968],
[Series 5: Class Lectures, 1967-1979],
[Series 6: Student Evaluations, 1979-1982, n.d.],
[Series 7: Calvin College Faculty, 1963-1983],
[Series 8: Kent County Board of Commissioners, 1878-1982],
[Series 9: Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, 1982-1993],
[Series 10: United States Congress, 1993-2012],
[Series 11: United States Congress, 1993-2012],
[Series 12: Election campaigns],
[Series 13: Legislation],
[Series 14: Reference material],
[Series 15: Invitations],
[Series 16: Awards and Honors],
[Series 17: Subject files],
[Series 18: Photographs],
[Series 19: Media Relations],
[Series 20: Ehlers' Campaigns],
[Series 21: Constituent Gifts],
[Series 22: Aeronautics and Aerospace],
[Series 23: Plaques and Awards],
[Series 24: Certificates],
[Series 25: Photographs],
[Series 26: Republican Party],
[Series 27: Buttons, Decals, Patches, Memorabilia],
[Series 28: Legislation],
[Series 29: Miscellaneous],
[All]

Series 10: United States Congress --- 1993-2012

Correspondence

Box 33

Folder 1: From Students at Jenison Christian School RE: Land Development
Folder 2: General --- 1994
Folder 3: Calvin Commencement Speech -"The Jock, the Nerd, and the Whale" --- May 21, 1994
Folder 4: Constituent Letter RE: Assault Weapon Ban --- 1994
Folder 5: Testimony Before Subcommittee on Rules and Organization --- May 24, 1996
Folder 6: RE: Gun Control Vote --- 1996
Folder 7: Booklet from St. Alphonsus Third Grade Class --- 1996
Folder 8: Congressman Vernon Ehlers -District Report --- 1996
Folder 9: RE: Congressional Computer System Issues --- 1994-1997
Folder 10: General --- 1996
Folder 11: Science Related --- 1997
Folder 12: Miscellaneous --- 1997
Folder 13: RE: Health Issues --- 1997-2006
Folder 14: Science Related --- 1998
Folder 15: Miscellaneous --- 1998
Folder 16: Correspondence --- 1998

Box 34

Folder 1: "Happy Thanksgiving" Cards from Creston Christian 3rd Graders --- 1998
Folder 2: Miscellaneous --- 1999
Folder 3: Science Related --- 1999
Folder 4: Thank You from Cherry Creek Elementary School Students --- November 30, 1999
Folder 5: RE: Education Issues --- 1999-2006
Folder 6: Miscellaneous --- 2000
Folder 7: Science Related --- 2000
Folder 8: Correspondence --- 2001
Folder 9: Correspondence RE: Great Lakes Task Force --- 2001-2005
Folder 10: Science Related --- 2001
Folder 11: Miscellaneous --- 2001
Folder 12: Correspondence --- 2002
Folder 13: Correspondence RE: Iraq --- 2002
Folder 14: Science Related --- 2002
Folder 15: Personal Letter to President G.W. Bush RE: Use of Force in Iraq --- September 27, 2002

Box 35

Folder 1: Miscellaneous --- 2003
Folder 2: Science Related --- 2003
Folder 3: Correspondence --- 2003
Folder 4: Miscellaneous --- 2004
Folder 5: Science Related --- 2004
Folder 6: State Department --- 2005-2010
Folder 7: RE: President G.W. Bush's Commencement Address --- 2005
Folder 8: Science Related --- 2005
Folder 9-10: General --- 2005-2006
Folder 10: Correspondence --- 2006
Folder 12: "Thank You" Notes from Cannonsburg 4th Grade Class
Folder 13: "Thank You" Notes from Byron Center Christian School Students
Folder 14: Birthday Wishes from Presidents and Vice Presidents

Box 36

Folder 1: RE: Carrier USS G.R. Ford --- 2006
Folder 2: Birthday Wishes --- 2007 & 2010
Folder 3: Science Related --- 2006
Folder 4: Note of Thanks from Governor Mitt Romney --- 6-Sep
Folder 5: RE: Foreign Affairs Issues --- 2006-2008
Folder 6: Miscellaneous --- 2007
Folder 7: RE: New Boundary Definitions for Metropolitan Areas --- 2007
Folder 8: Science Related --- 2007
Folder 9: From Calvin Students RE: Genocide in Darfur --- 2007
Folder 10: Miscellaneous --- 2008
Folder 11: Science Related --- 2008
Folder 12: "Thank You's" --- 2009
Folder 13: Miscellaneous --- 2009
Folder 14: RE: Renaming of Ionia Post Office --- 2008
Folder 15: House of Representative Bill 6577 -Related Correspondence --- 2008
Folder 16: Science Related --- 2009
Folder 17: General --- 2009
Folder 18: Thank you notes from Shawnee M/S/T Academy Class --- 10-Mar
Folder 19-21: General --- 2010-2012
Folder 22: Congratulations from Members of Congress and Others --- various dates
Folder 23: Ehler Family Christmas Letters --- 1990-2004