Biography

Howard Nisbet Sokol was born June 2, 1912, in Sibley, Iowa, where he graduated from Sibley High School in 1929. In 1934, Sokol received the B. S. degree in Archictectural Engineering at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He married Ruth Hawley, also an ISU graduate. The couple had three children, Robert, Betsie and Sally. Sokol operated a Sibley lumber business and a cement business following graduation. He served as a flight instructor in the Iowa State Guard during World War II. In 1961 he worked as a real estate broker and securities broker with A. Wittenstein & Co. The following year he ran for office in the Iowa State Legislature and won. He served as director of Sibley State Bank from 1940 until 1964, when he made an unsuccessful bid for the Iowa congressional seat, sixth district. According to his campaign literature, he had served as a delegate to all Republican conventions from 1952 until the election. His platform was to work for a balanced federal budget, in order to protect pensions and Social Security benefts. Sokol earned the JD degree at the University of Iowa College of Law on June 9, 1967. During a 1988 interview wth Lee Briggeman, Sokol stated he enjoyed drafting bank legislation during his student Research Assistant position, which led to his position as assistant to the Dean of Law, David Vernon, from 1967 to 1969. In this position, he helped students find jobs, loans, scolarships, an he also recruited students. In spring 1970, he was offered the position of assistant to President Willard L. Boyd to help with the campus riots and bomb threats. Also during 1970, he was named assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, a position he held until his retirement in 1977. President Boyd appointed Sokol as acting director of the Department of Transportation and Security in October 1975, replacing John Dooley. The Iowa City Press-Citizen, dated June 29, 1979, announced Sokol was named full-time assistant county attorney in the Johnson County Criminal Division. During the 1969-1970 session of the Iowa legislature, Sokol was legal counsel to the Iowa Senate. He was also appointed by Governor Robert D. Ray as chair of the Legal Advisory Commission, and by the Iowa Supreme Court to the Continuing Legal Education Commission, 1981 to 1987. Sokol was a member of the UCC-Congregational Church, Rotary Club, and frequently volunteered his services to a variety of organizations. Howard Sokol died January 2, 1999.

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