Mike Gravel

Gravel in 2007, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Maurice Robert Gravel

Date of Birth: May 13, 1930

Place of Birth: Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.

Date of Death: June 26, 2021

Place of Death: Seaside, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: French-Canadian

Mike Gravel was an American politician. As a member of the Democratic Party, he was Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives, from January 25, 1965 to January 22, 1967, and a U.S. Senator from Alaska, from January 3, 1969 to January 3, 1981. He was a member of the Libertarian Party from 2008 to 2010.

He was a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2008 and 2020, and for the Libertarian Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2008.

Mike was the son of Marie Delia (Bourassa) and Alphonse Gravel. His parents were French-Canadian, from Québec. His father was from Sorel-Tracy, Pierre-De Saurel Regional County Municipality. His mother was from Saint-Ours. Mike spoke only French until he was seven. Mike was married to Whitney Stewart, until his death. He had two children with his former wife Rita (Martin). Rita was Anchorage, Alaska’s Miss Fur Rendezvous 1958.

Mike’s paternal grandfather was named Alfred Gravel.

Mike’s paternal grandmother was named Georgiana Lafond.

Mike’s maternal grandfather was Frédéric Bourassa (the son of Louis Cleophas Bourassa and Edmire/Elmire Allard). Frédéric was born in Saint-Ours, Québec. Louis was the son of Antoine Bourassa and Josephte Plouffe. Elmire was the daughter of Jean-Baptiste Allard and Marie-Osite Martin.

Mike’s maternal grandmother was Caroline Baril (the daughter of Hyacinthe Baril and Caroline Landry). Mike’s grandmother Caroline was born in Vermont, to parents from Québec. Hyacinthe was the son of Jean Baptiste Baril and Marie Marguerite Savoie. Caroline was the daughter of Pascal/Paschal Landry and Marie Geneviève Laprise/Dufour.

Sources: Genealogy of Mike Gravel – http://www.wargs.com

Genealogy of Mike Gravel (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com

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