Former senator of Illinois Adlai Stevenson III has died aged 90 after a battle with dementia

  • Stevenson was elected to the senate in 1970, when Richard Nixon was president
  • The 90-year-old  unsuccessfully ran for Illinois state governor on two occasions
  • He belonged to a political dynasty, and was the son of a former Illinois governor 

By Associated Press and Michelle Thompson For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Former Senator Adlai Stevenson, 90, suffered from dementia and died Monday in Chicago

Former Senator Adlai Stevenson, 90, suffered from dementia and died Monday in Chicago

Former U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson III, an Illinois Democrat who served under former president Richard Nixon, has died at his home on Chicago's North Side. He was 90.

His son Adlai Stevenson IV, who confirmed the Illinois Democrat died on Monday, said his father had dementia.  

Stevenson III lived, studied and worked for more than 70 years in more than 80 countries, according to his personal webpage.  

The former senator was part of a political dynasty that included his great-grandfather Aldai Stevenson, who was vice president of the U.S. from 1893 to 1897. 

His father, Adlai Stevenson II, was a former Illinois governor and two-time presidential candidate. 

Before his health declined, Stevenson III kept active organizing presentations and speakers for the Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy in Libertyville, Illinois. 

He also worked on the family farm in Hanover, Illinois, raising cattle, growing corn and hay for their feed, and chopping wood.

'He just faded away,' his son said.

Former senator Adlai Stevenson III (at left in this file photo) belonged to a political dynasty

Former senator Adlai Stevenson III (at left in this file photo) belonged to a political dynasty

Stevenson ran for governor of Illinois twice, losing his 1982 run by just 5,074 votes to Republican Gov. Jim Thompson. It is the closest Illinois election for governor in modern state history.

When running for the senate, where he was first elected in 1970 to serve out the remainder of the late Senator Everett Dirksen´s term, Stevenson asked then-Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley for advice.

"My advice to you is don´t change your name," Daley told him, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Stevenson was reelected in 1974, but decided not to run again in 1980. He stepped aside in January 1981 for fellow Democrat Alan Dixon, who won the November election.

Stevenson III was initially elected in 1970 to complete the late Senator Everett Dirksen´s term

Stevenson III was initially elected in 1970 to complete the late Senator Everett Dirksen´s term

Presidential historian Michael Beschloss, who interned for the Stevenson in Washington, paid tribute to his former colleague on Twitter. 

'Warmest thoughts and prayers for the family and thanks for the many accomplishments of former Senator Adlai Stevenson III of Illinois,' he said. 

'I had the honor of delivering Senator Stevenson's mail and operating his Xerox machine as a 16-year-old intern in his DC office.'

Presidential historian Michael Beschloss, who interned for Stevenson III in Washington, shared fond memories on Twitter of working with the former senator, whose mail he delivered

Presidential historian Michael Beschloss, who interned for Stevenson III in Washington, shared fond memories on Twitter of working with the former senator, whose mail he delivered

While a senator,  Stevenson served on the commerce, banking, and intelligence committee. 

He as the first chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and led a special committee that initiated first major reorganization of the Senate since its committee system was formed in the 1800s. 

Stevenson III graduated from Milton Academy, Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He served with the Marine Corps in Korea and was discharged as a captain from the Marine Reserves in 1961.

Stevenson is survived by his wife, Nancy; two sons, Adlai IV and Warwick; two brothers, John and Borden; and nine grandchildren.

Information on services was not immediately available.

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