Walter Charles Conahan (April 20, 1927 – April 18, 2015) was an American politician. Born in

Leola, South Dakota Leola is a small city in, and the county seat of, McPherson County, South Dakota, United States. It was founded on May 1, 1884, and named for Leola Haynes, daughter of one of the town's founders. The population was 434 as of the 2020 census. ...

, Conahan received his bachelor's degree in journalism from

South Dakota State University South Dakota State University is a public land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest and most comprehensive university and the oldest continually-operating university in South Dakota. The ...

. He served as press secretary for United States Senator

Karl Mundt Karl Earl Mundt (June 3, 1900August 16, 1974) was an American educator and a Republican member of the United States Congress, representing South Dakota in the United States House of Representatives (1939–48) and in the United States Senate (19 ...

and chief of staff to United States Representative

James Abdnor Ellis James Abdnor (February 13, 1923 – May 16, 2012) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States Senate from South Dakota. He was also the 15th Administrator of the Small Business Administration under presidents Rona ...

. Conahan worked in

Washington, D. C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

for the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, the United States Department of Commerce, and the National Transportation Safety Board. Conahan returned to

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

and was the first full-time director of the South Dakota State University Foundation. Conahan served in the

South Dakota State Senate The Senate is the upper house of the South Dakota Legislature. It consists of 35 members, one representing each legislative district; it meets at the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. Composition :''92nd Legislature (2019)'' Officers Li ...

from

Brookings County, South Dakota Brookings County is a county in the U.S. state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 34,375, making it the fifth-most populous county in South Dakota. Its county seat is Brookings. The county was created in 18 ...

, from 1983 to 1989, and was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

. Conahan died of cancer at his home in

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls () is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into Lincoln County to the south, which continues up ...

.South Dakota Legislator Historical Listings-Walter C. Conahan
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Notes

1927 births 2015 deaths People from McPherson County, South Dakota South Dakota State University alumni Republican Party South Dakota state senators People from Brookings County, South Dakota Deaths from cancer in South Dakota Politicians from Sioux Falls, South Dakota {{SouthDakota-politician-stub