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Monday, August 10, 2026

"CHAIRMAN OF SENATE CRIME INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE"

TENNESSEE SENATOR ESTES KEFAUVER DEAD OF HEART ATTACK

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On the morning of August 10, 1963, Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver* died of a heart attack here in the Nation's Capital.

The sixty year old Democrat experienced a rupture of the main heart artery, or aorta.

Senator Kefauver defeated Senator John F. Kennedy for the Democratic Vice-Presidential nomination in 1956.

The Senator was chairman of the Senate Crime Investigating Committee and conducted investigations into America's drug industry.

JFK+50 NOTE

I had the pleasure of meeting Senator Kefauver in his office on Capitol Hill in the summer of 1962.  Standing between my Dad & Uncle, when I got a chance to say something I said "I would love to meet President Kennedy."  That was not a very wise thing for me to say, but I was 14 years old and assumed all Democrats were big buddies.  His expression was like "get this kid out of here."

Carey Estes Kefauver (1903-1963) was born in Madisonville, Tennessee & earned his B.A. at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) in 1924, & his L.L.B. at Yale University in 1927.  CEK served in the U.S. House of Representatives 1939-1949 & US Senate 1949-1963.

SOURCES

"Senator Kefauver Dies of Heart Attack," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., August 10, 1963, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

 
 
JFK Hands Senator Kefauver a pen he used to sign Drug Amendments
October 10 1963
Photo by Abbie Rowe
JFK Library
www.flickr.com/