| Charles Harting "Chuck" Percy | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| U.S. Senator from Illinois From: | |||
| Predecessor | Paul Douglas | ||
| Successor | Paul Simon | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Republican | ||
| Spouse(s) | Jeanne Valerie Dickerson (died 1949) Loraine Guyer Percy (married 1950-2011, his death) | ||
| Religion | Christian Science | ||
Charles Harting Percy, known as Chuck Percy (September 27, 1919 – September 17, 2011), was an American businessman and United States Senator from Illinois, who served three terms from 1967 to 1985. From 1949 to 1964, he was president of the Bell & Howell Corporation. In 1964, he ran unsuccessfully for governor of Illinois while Barry Goldwater also lost the state in the presidential race.
In 1966, Percy, a Moderate Republican, unseated his former professor, Democrat Paul Douglas, in the senatorial race. In 1984, Democrat Paul Simon toppled Percy, who was seeking a fourth term even as U.S. President Ronald Reagan won a second term with victory in Illinois.
During his first senatorial election campaign, one of his twin daughters, Valerie, was murdered in the family home by an unknown intruder. Valerie's sister, Sharon Percy Rockefeller, the wife of John D. Rockefeller, IV, and the former First Lady of West Virginia, is active in promoting the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Senator Percy concentrated on business, civil rights, and foreign relations during his public career.