John P. Varda
John Patrick Varda (October 1, 1916 – February 20, 1993)[1][2] was an American politician and jurist from the state of Wisconsin.
Varda was born in Hurley, Wisconsin, the son of Italian immigrants from the area of Turin, Italy.[3][4] He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin and a law degree from University of Wisconsin in 1940.[5] John met his wife, Margaret in law school and afterwards they moved to Eagle River, Wisconsin and opened a law firm: Varda & Varda. In 1941, he served in the Wisconsin State Assembly as part of the Wisconsin Progressive Party.[5] He resigned from the Wisconsin Assembly to join the United States Army during World War II.[5] His wife Margaret was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly under the Progressive Party replacing her husband, but did not seek reelection and joined her husband in the military after her term.[6] During and after the war, John served as the Deputy Military Governor in Aschaffenburg, Germany.[7] The Vardas returned home from Europe upon the birth of their first child, John Duncan.[8]
In 1950, the Vardas moved to Madison, Wisconsin where John took a job as general manager of the Wisconsin Motor Carrier Association.[5] Varda became involved in commerce laws there, and eventually him and his sons went on to change laws regarding tractor-trailers and the Dormant Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.[9]
In 1981, John Patrick became Wisconsin Circuit Court judge for Iron County, Wisconsin and moved back to Hurley, Wisconsin.[5][10][11] John remained in Hurley for the rest of his life, dying there in 1993[5] after suffering a heart attack a year earlier.
Varda had four sons: John Duncan Varda (attorney), Michael Varda (attorney), Anthony Varda (attorney), and Richard Varda (architect).[12]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Ted Luoma and Esther Honkala of Floodwood Minnesota: Information about John Patrick Varda, retrieved 12 December 2023
- ^ 'Social Security Death Index
- ^ "Ted Luoma and Esther Honkala of Floodwood Minnesota: Information about Antonio Varda". Retrieved December 26, 2015.
- ^ Catarina Gallo genealogy.com [dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f "John P. Varda". Wisconsin State Journal. February 23, 1993. p. 2. Retrieved August 9, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Margaret P. Varda
- ^ "Obituary for: Margaret Pinkley Varda | Ryan & Joyce-Ryan Funeral Homes". Archived from the original on 2014-07-18. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
- ^ Family Tree Maker [dead link] [user-generated source]
- ^ Kassel v. Consolidated Freightways Corp., 450 U.S. 662 (1981) courtlistener.com [dead link]
- ^ Margarey Pinkley Varda-obituary
- ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1942,' Biographical sketch of John P. Varda, pg. 47
- ^ Family Tree Maker [dead link] [user-generated source]
- 1916 births
- 1993 deaths
- Military personnel from Wisconsin
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- People from Hurley, Wisconsin
- People from Eagle River, Wisconsin
- Politicians from Madison, Wisconsin
- University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
- University of Wisconsin Law School alumni
- Wisconsin lawyers
- Wisconsin state court judges
- Wisconsin Progressives (1924)
- 20th-century American legislators
- Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
- 20th-century American lawyers
- 20th-century American judges
- American people of Italian descent
- 20th-century Wisconsin politicians