Biography/History

Delmar DeLong was born in Beloit (Wis.) to FloraBelle and William DeLong, Jr. on June 7, 1931. He attended the local public schools of Clinton (Wis.) and, following his high school graduation in 1948 he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin Madison where he attained his Bachelor's degree in 1952. From 1953 to 1955 he served in the military as a 1st Lieutenant in the transportation corps.

After completing his military service, Delmar DeLong worked as Manager of the Wholesale Division for his family's company, a feed and grain business, for ten years. While working for his family's company, DeLong received his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin law school. From 1966 to 1974 he worked as an attorney for the Garrigan Law Firm of Beloit and in 1975 he started his own private practice in Clinton.

While working for his family's company and studying for his law degree, DeLong was active in local politics. From 1958 to 1960 he served on Clinton's Village Board. After attaining his law degree and while working for the Garrigan Law Firm, DeLong served on the Clinton School Board from 1966 until 1973. He served as president of the board from 1968 to 1973. In 1967 DeLong served as the Town of Turtle's Municipal Justice, a position he held until 1975. From 1971 to 1973, DeLong served on the Cooperative Educational Service Agency 17 (CESA 17) Board of Control serving as Vice-Chairman from 1972 to 1973. From 1971 to 1979 DeLong also served on the Rock County Board of Adjustment.

In addition to being involved in local politics, Delmar DeLong served at the state level as an assemblyman. He was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican candidate representing the 44th district (Walworth and Rock counties) in November of 1972 and each successive election through 1980. As a state representative, DeLong was a member of many committees. His biennial committee assignments included: Education (1973-1982), Legislative Council's Education Committee and Advisory Committee on Compulsory Attendance Law (1973-1974), Legislative Council's Special Committee on Education (1973-1976), Special Committee on Education Program Reviews (1973-1976), Rules (1975-1982), Taxation (1975-1982), Retirement Research committee (1975-1982), Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems (1975-1982), Special Committee on Public Liability of Local Governments (1975-1976), Legislative Council Special Committee on Legislative Oversight (1977-78), Governor's Committee on Special Needs of Deaf (1977-78), Rail Service Advisory Committee (1977-78), State Affairs (1977-1980), and Organization (1981-1982). Besides serving as a committee member, DeLong was vice-chairman for the 1973 Legislative Council's Education Committee and Advisory Committee on Compulsory Attendance Law. He also served as the Minority Caucus Chairman from 1975 to 1982.

While in the Assembly, DeLong primarily authored legislation pertaining to education, tax, and retirement issues. In his first legislative term he authored five pieces of legislation regarding education issues. They include: a study of compulsory school attendance (AJR 70), expulsion and suspension of students (AB 198), primary school district valuations (AB 1561), regulation of school bus flashers (AB 148), and retirement of teachers (AB 1307). Regarding tax issues, he authored one piece of legislation, which was about interest rates for the motor fuel tax (AB 1230). During his second legislative term he authored six pieces of legislation regarding education issues. They include: reorganization of city school districts (AB 964), school expulsions (AB 1461), school board elections (AB 515), school district administrator employment terms (AB 298), University of Wisconsin system (AB 327), and University of Wisconsin regents' salaries (AB 786). He also authored five pieces of legislation regarding tax issues including: sales tax exemption for agricultural corporations (AB 812), income, privilege and occupation tax rate increase (AJR 50), municipal indebtedness (AJR 6), property valuation (AB 577), and taxation of witness fees (AB 187). Legislation authored by DeLong regarding retirement issues include income continuation insurance plans (AB 1193), military service credit (AB 910), and state retirement funds (AB 1396). During his third legislative term he authored four pieces of legislation regarding education including: reorganization of city school districts (AB 199), cooperative educational service agencies (AB589), kindergarteners (AB 940), and school board and district self-determination (AB 1180). Regarding tax issues DeLong authored internal revenue code amendments of income tax (AB 1221) and gift tax exemptions (AB 104). Regarding retirement issues he proposed legislation about circuit judges (AB990), income continuation insurance (AB 384), and Wisconsin's retirement fund (AB 534 and 626).

Following his father's death in 1982, Delmar DeLong returned to Clinton to serve as president for the DeLong family company until 1994. Delmar Delong died on June 30th, 1999 in Ocala, Florida. Throughout his life Delmar DeLong was a member and leader in various local professional, civic, and religious organizations. Professionally, he was a member of the American, Wisconsin, Rock County, and Beloit Bar Associations. With his farming background, he was also a member of the Wisconsin Polled Hereford and Wisconsin Cattlemen's Associations. Other organizations he was involved in included the Clinton Kiwanis chapter, American Legion, Turtle Grange, Jaycees, Beloit Chapter of Wisconsin Alumni, and Midwestern Conference of the Council of State Governments Education committee. At one point DeLong served as president for the local Jaycees, Clinton Kiwanis, Beloit Chapter of Wisconsin Alumni, and the Beloit Bar Associations. Locally, DeLong also served on the executive board of the Sinnissippi Council of Boy Scouts. Delmar DeLong was also a member of Jefferson Prairie Lutheran Church.

Timeline

1931	Born in Beloit, Wisconsin
1948	Graduated from Clinton High School
1952	Graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
1953-55	Military service
1956-66	Manager of the Wholesale Division of the DeLong Company, Inc. (Clinton, Wisconsin)
1958-60	Clinton Village Board
1966	Graduated with J.D. from University of Wisconsin
1966-74	Attorney for the Garrigan Law Firm (Beloit, Wisconsin)
1967-73	Clinton School Board
1967-75	Turtle Township Municipal Justice
1968-73	Clinton School Board President
1971-73	Cooperative Educational Service Agency 17 Board of Control
1971-75	Rock County Board of Adjustment
1972-73	Cooperative Educational Service Agency 17 Vice-chairman
1973-74	First legislative term
1973-74	Advisory Committee on Compulsory Attendance Law
1973-76	Legislative Council's Special Committee on Education
1973-76	Special Committee on Education Program Reviews
1973-82	Education Committee
1975-76	Second legislative term
1975-76	Special Committee on Public Liability of Local Governments
1975-82	Caucus chairman
1975-82	Administrative Rules Committee
1975-82	Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems
1975-82	Retirement Research Committee
1975-82	Tax Committee
1975-82	Private practice (Clinton, Wisconsin)
1977-78	Third legislative term
1977-78	Governor's Committee on Special Needs of Deaf
1977-78	Legislative Council Special Committee on Legislative Oversight
1977-78	Rail Service Advisory Committee
1977-80	State Affairs Committee
1979-80	Fourth legislative term
1981-82	Last legislative term
1982-94	President of DeLong Company, Inc.