Representative William Joseph Scherle - Contact Information

William Joseph Scherle (March 14, 1923 – August 27, 2003) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from southwestern Iowa from 1967 to 1975. A member of the Republican Party, he represented his constituents in the United States House of Representatives for four consecutive terms during a significant period in American history, contributing to the legislative process and participating actively in the democratic governance of the nation.

Scherle was born on March 14, 1923, and came of age during the Great Depression, an experience that shaped the outlook of many in his generation. Like many of his contemporaries, his early adulthood was marked by World War II, and he served his country in uniform during that conflict. His wartime experience helped establish his public reputation for discipline, service, and patriotism, qualities that later underpinned his political career and appeal to voters in Iowa.

Following his military service, Scherle returned to civilian life and became involved in his community and in Republican Party activities in Iowa. He built a career that combined business interests with public service, gaining experience in local and regional affairs. Through this work he developed a detailed understanding of the concerns of rural and small-town Iowans, including issues related to agriculture, infrastructure, and economic development. His growing prominence in party circles and his reputation as a responsive local leader laid the groundwork for his eventual candidacy for Congress.

Scherle was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1966 as a Republican from southwestern Iowa and took office in January 1967. He went on to serve four terms, remaining in Congress until January 1975. His tenure coincided with a transformative era in American politics and society, encompassing the later stages of the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the Watergate scandal. As a member of the House of Representatives, William Joseph Scherle participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of his constituents, working within the legislative framework to address national and regional issues. He contributed to debates and policymaking on matters of importance to Iowa, particularly those affecting agriculture, rural communities, and federal support for local development.

During his years in Congress, Scherle aligned with the Republican Party’s positions of the period, emphasizing fiscal responsibility, support for national defense, and advocacy for the agricultural economy that was central to his district. He used his office to help channel federal resources and attention to the needs of southwestern Iowa, and he maintained close contact with local officials and community leaders. His service in Congress from 1967 to 1975 placed him among those legislators who navigated the shifting political landscape of the late 1960s and early 1970s, as public attitudes toward government, foreign policy, and social policy underwent rapid change.

After leaving Congress in 1975, Scherle remained engaged in public and civic affairs, drawing on his experience in national government and his longstanding ties to Iowa. He continued to be identified with the Republican Party and with the interests of the region he had represented, and he was regarded as part of the generation of postwar legislators who had helped guide the country through a period of substantial transition. William Joseph Scherle died on August 27, 2003, closing a life marked by military service, community involvement, and eight years of representation of southwestern Iowa in the United States Congress.