Lee Metcalf

Lee Warren Metcalf (January 28, 1911 – January 12, 1978) was an American lawyer, judge, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a U.S. representative (1953–1961) and a U.S. senator (1961–1978) from Montana. He was the first of Montana's U.S. senators to be born in the state, and was permanent acting president pro tempore of the Senate, the only one to hold that position, from 1963 until his death in 1978.

Early life and education Metcalf was born in Stevensville, Montana, to Harold E. and Rhoda (née Smith) Metcalf. His father was the cashier of the First State Bank of Stevensville. He was raised on his family's farm. He graduated from Stevensville High School in 1928, and then studied at the University of Montana (then known as Montana State University, which is now the name of a different institution) where he played first-string tackle on the freshman football team. During his time at Stanford, he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and played football under Pop Warner.

Early career Metcalf then commenced the practice of law, opening an office in Stevensville. He was subsequently re-elected to three more terms in 1954, 1956, and 1958, never receiving less than 56% of the vote. He introduced legislation to provide health care to the elderly ten years before the creation of Medicare. He earned the nickname "Mr. Education" after sponsoring a comprehensive bill providing for federal aid to education.

Regarded as "a pioneer of the conservation movement," and was cremated; his ashes were scattered in one of his favorite areas in the wilderness of Montana. His death was overshadowed by the death of his colleague from Minnesota, former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey the next day.

In 1978, Montana's Ravalli National Wildlife Refuge was renamed the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. In 1983, by act of Congress, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness area was created in southwestern Montana in his honor.

Metcalf was ranked fifteenth on a list of the 100 Most Influential Montanans of the Century in the newspaper The Missoulian.