Tributes pour in for former legislator DeWeese

December 3, 2020

Steve Rogers,

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – A retired veteran state lawmaker who helped usher in the Republican takeover of the General Assembly has died and tributes are pouring in.

Republican State Rep. Bob DeWeese, of Louisville, died Thursday at age 86. He’s celebrated his birthday less than a month ago.

announced Wednesday he will not seek re-election next year to the seat he has held in the Kentucky House since 1993.

He didn’t seek re-election in 2016 to his 48^th District House seat which he held for more than two decades.

A retired surgeon, for many of his years in the House, he served as chairman of the House Republican Caucus.

“Lori and I extend our deepest condolences to Angie DeWeese and her family. Bob DeWeese was one of the finest human beings I have ever had the privilege of knowing. The quintessential Kentuckian, he was a consummate gentleman, a gracious host, and an excellent legislator. Above all, he was a good man and behind everything he did was a strong commitment to his family and his state. That was clear in his service as a member of House Republican Leadership, his support for candidates across the state, and his keen mind for public policy. However, it is most evident in the life he built with his Angie, in the love he had for his children and grandchildren. Our heart breaks for them,” House Speaker David Osborne said.

“For more than two decades, Bob DeWeese’s leadership in Frankfort helped chart the course for a stronger Kentucky. His team laid the foundation for the Commonwealth’s first Republican House Majority in nearly a century. Today, that Majority stands as a testament to Bob’s vision and determination to fight for our families and values,” added U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell.

“Bob poured himself into his work, both as a legislator and a surgeon. But Angie and their children always remained at the center of his life. Elaine and I are grateful they shared him with us for so many years. With Bob’s former colleagues and his many friends, our sincere condolences are with Angie and the entire family,” McConnell concluded.