Clair Roddewig

A native of Newcastle, Nebraska, after studying law at Creighton University in Omaha, Roddewig was admitted to the Nebraska bar in 1926. Moving from Omaha to South Dakota in 1931, he became the state's Assistant Attorney General in 1933 and served as Attorney General of South Dakota from 1937 to 1939 as a Democrat.^[4] In 1938, he was defeated for reelection by Republican nominee Leo A. Temmey, losing by a margin of 7.6 points.^[4]

Roddewig became a lawyer for the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1939 and was general counsel of the Office of Defense Transportation from 1942 to 1945.^[3]

Following World War II, Rodewig moved to Chicago, working as general counsel of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad.^[3] In 1947, he became vice president of the railroad.^[3] He became the railroad's president in 1949, serving in this role until 1957.^[3] From 1957 through 1970, he served as president of the Association of Western Railways.^[3]

Active in Chicago civics, Roddewig was considered an ally of Mayor Richard J. Daley. Roddewig served as president of the Chicago Board of Education from 1962 through 1964. He served as a mediator between the district and protest groups amid protests demanding the removal of Benjamin Willis from his position as Superintendent.^[3] In 1970, Daley appointed Roddewig to serve on the Chicago Transit Authority Board.^[5] He was serving on the transit board the time of his death.^[3][5]

While living in Chicago, Roddewig served on the Citizens Board of the University of Chicago and the advisory committee of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.^[3] He also served on the board of Catholic Charities of Chicago. He was a trustee of the John Marshall Law School (of which he was an alumni, receiving a J.D. degree in 1947), as well as a trustee of both of DePaul University (which gave him an honorary L.L. D. in 1963) and of St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana.^[3]

Roddenwig died on February 24, 1975, at the age of 72 while at the residence of one of his daughters in the Chicago suburb of Hinsdale, Illinois.^[3]