Donald Holst Clausen

Donald Holst Clausen (April 27, 1923 – February 7, 2015) was an American businessman, World War II naval aviator, and Republican politician who served ten terms as a United States Representative from California from 1963 to 1983. Over two decades in the House of Representatives, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his Northern California constituents and participating actively in the democratic process.

Clausen was born in Ferndale, Humboldt County, California, on April 27, 1923. He was educated in the elementary and high schools of Ferndale, where he was an honors student and a standout athlete. In high school he lettered in five sports—tennis, track, basketball, football, and baseball—and also served as drum major of the school band, reflecting an early combination of leadership, discipline, and public presence that would later characterize his political career.

After graduating from high school, Clausen pursued higher education at several institutions. He attended San José State University, California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and Saint Mary’s College of California. During this period he entered the U.S. Navy V-5 Aviation Cadet Program, training as a pilot. In World War II he served as a carrier-based naval aviator in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from 1944 to 1945, flying F4U Corsair aircraft. His wartime service as a carrier pilot provided him with aviation expertise and leadership experience that would later influence both his business endeavors and his work in public office, particularly in the field of aviation policy.

Following his military service, Clausen returned to Northern California and became active in business and local civic affairs. He helped found the Del Norte County Airport, an undertaking that reflected his continuing commitment to aviation and regional infrastructure. Settling in Crescent City, California, he established and ran two companies: Clausen Associates, an insurance business, and Clausen Flying Service, an air ambulance service that further underscored his practical engagement with aviation. His growing prominence in the community led to his election as a member of the board of supervisors of Del Norte County, where he served from 1955 to 1962. From Crescent City he built the local base that would support his later congressional career.

Clausen entered national politics in the early 1960s. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected to the Eighty-eighth Congress in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Clement Woodnutt Miller, who had been re-elected posthumously. Clausen took office on January 22, 1963, and was subsequently re-elected to nine succeeding Congresses, serving continuously until January 3, 1983. Over his ten terms in the House of Representatives, he represented a large, predominantly rural district in Northern California, and his legislative work frequently focused on transportation, aviation, natural resources, and environmental conservation, areas in which his background and constituency gave him particular interest.

During his congressional service, Clausen played a notable role in environmental and civil rights legislation. He authored the bill creating the Lady Bird Johnson Grove in Redwood National Park, a tribute to the former First Lady’s conservation efforts. The dedication of the grove was attended by former president Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson, sitting president Richard Nixon, future president Ronald Reagan, and numerous federal and local dignitaries. Clausen regarded the establishment of this grove as his proudest legislative accomplishment. In the realm of civil rights, he voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He also supported the initial House resolution for the Civil Rights Act of 1968, although he later voted against accepting the final Senate amendments to that act, reflecting the complex legislative negotiations of the period.

Clausen’s congressional tenure came to an end after the 1982 election. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Ninety-eighth Congress, narrowly losing to Democrat Douglas H. Bosco. Leaving the House in January 1983, he transitioned to a federal executive role that drew on his long-standing expertise in aviation. From 1983 to 1990, he served as director of special programs for the Federal Aviation Administration, where he worked on initiatives related to aviation safety, infrastructure, and policy. After completing his service with the FAA, he made his home in Santa Rosa, California, remaining a respected figure in Northern California public life.

In recognition of his contributions to regional development and conservation, several public facilities were named in Clausen’s honor. The Don Clausen Fish Hatchery in Sonoma County commemorates his work on fisheries and environmental resources, while the Redwood National Park Bypass on U.S. Highway 101 was officially renamed the Don Clausen Highway in 1996 by act of the California Legislature, acknowledging his efforts in securing appropriations for the construction of that road and the Redwood National Park Visitor Center. These honors reflected his long-standing commitment to improving infrastructure and protecting the natural environment of his district.

Donald Holst Clausen died in a hospital in Fortuna, California, on February 7, 2015, from complications of diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart and lung disease. He was 91 years old. His legacy is preserved not only in the public works and environmental protections he helped secure, but also in the archival record of his congressional career. His papers are housed in the library of Humboldt State University, providing a resource for scholars and the public, and his congressional desk and other office memorabilia are exhibited at the Ferndale Museum in his hometown, underscoring his enduring connection to the community where his life began.