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 23: Plaques and Awards

Box 85

Item 1: Air and Waste Management Association --- 2001
Item 2: American Association of Physics Teachers --- 2011
Item 3: American Optometric Association --- 2009
Item 4: American Shareholders Association --- 2000
Item 5: American Small Manufacturers Coalition --- 2008
Item 6: American Society for Engineering Education --- 2000
Item 7: American Society of Association Executives --- 2010
Item 8: Aquatic Nuisance Species --- 2004
Item 9: Congressional Boating Caucus --- undated
Item 10: Congressional office bronze wall plate
Item 11: Contract with America --- 1996
Item 12: Council of Government Affairs --- 1996
Item 13: Council of Scientific Society presidents --- 1996
Item 14: Crime Fighter --- 2005
Item 15: Great Lake Commission --- 2010
Item 16: Heron Court Apartments --- 2004
Item 17: Honorary Job Corps Member --- 2008
Item 18: Kent County Remonumention --- 2001
Item 19: Legislative Advocate of the Year --- 2008
Item 20: Metropolitan Foundation --- 1997
Item 21: Michigan Association for Media Education --- 2008
Item 22: Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics --- 2005
Item 23: Michigan Dept. of Public Health --- 1990
Item 24: Michigan Head Start Association --- 2008
Item 25: Michigan Recreation and Parks Association --- 2007
Item 26: National Migrant and Season Head Start Association --- 2004
Item 27: National Rehabilitation Association --- 2010
Item 28: Science Coalition --- 1997
Item 29: Scleroderma Foundation --- 2009
Item 30: Small Business Advocate --- 1994-2004
Item 31: Spirit of Enterprise Award --- 1994
Item 32: U.S. Army Recruiting --- 2002

Box 86

Item 1: North Country Scenic Trail Vanguard --- 2002
Item 2: Grand Rapids Right to Life --- 2010
Item 3: Green the Capitol --- undated
Item 4: Barry County Republicans --- 2004

Box 87

Item 1: Plumbing Manufacturers Institute --- undated
Item 2: Grand Valley Metropolitan Council award --- 2010
Item 3: Conservation Service Citation --- undated
Item 4: Michigan Science Teachers Association --- 2010
Item 5: Federal 100

Box 88

Item 2: Century Council --- 2007
Item 3: David Van Andel Life Sciences Award --- 2010
Item 4: Guardian of Small Business --- c2006, c2008, c2010
Item 5: NAACP --- undated
Item 6: National Society of Professional Engineers --- 2001
Item 7: Police Officers of Michigan

Box 92

Item 1: America Institute of Biological Sciences --- undated
Item 2: Amerikam award in a display globe --- 2004
Item 3: Associated Builders and Contractors --- c1997
Item 4: Biological and Ecological Sciences Coalition --- undated
Item 5: Center for Inquiry Award --- c2008
Item 6: Columbia (damaged plaster statue) --- undated
Item 7: Council on Competitiveness --- 2010
Item 8: Elephant head (brass sculpture) --- 1998
Item 9: Industrial Fasteners Institute --- 1998
Item 10: Jack Kinsington Theme Team --- undated
Item 11: Michigan Police Officers --- 2008

Box 93

Item 1: National Association of Manufacturers --- c2002
Item 2: NFIB --- 2007
Item 3: Spirit of Enterprise Award --- 2009
Item 4: STOMP --- undated
Item 5: Thomas Jefferson --- 2002
Item 6: Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education --- 2004
Item 7: West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts Association --- 2009
Item 8: Wolverine World Wide --- 1993-2010