View source for Cletus J. Vanderperren

{{short description|20th century American politician.}}
{{infobox officeholder
|name             = Cletus J. Vanderperren
|office           = Member of the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]]
|constituency     = [[Wisconsin Assembly, District 89|89th district]]
| term_start      = January 7, 1985
| term_end        = January 4, 1993
| predecessor     = [[Earl F. McEssy]]
| successor       = [[John Gard]]
|constituency1     = [[Wisconsin Assembly, District 53|53rd district]]
| term_start1      = January 3, 1983
| term_end1        = January 7, 1985
| predecessor1     = [[Mary Panzer]]
| successor1       = [[Mary Panzer]]
|constituency2     = [[Wisconsin Assembly, District 89|89th district]]
| term_start2      = January 1, 1973
| term_end2        = January 3, 1983
| predecessor2     = ''District established''
| successor2       = [[Earl F. McEssy]]
|constituency3     = [[Brown County, Wisconsin|Brown]] 3rd district
| term_start3      = January 5, 1959
| term_end3        = January 1, 1973
| predecessor3     = [[Edward A. Seymour]]
| successor3       = ''District abolished''
|party             = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|birth_date        = {{birth date|1912|3|4}}
|birth_place       = [[Pittsfield, Wisconsin]], U.S.
|death_date        = {{death date and age|1994|9|24|1912|3|4}}
|death_place       = [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]], U.S.
|death_cause       =
|restingplace      = Saint John the Baptist Church Cemetery, {{nowrap|[[Howard, Wisconsin]]}}
|spouse            = {{unbulleted list
| {{marriage|Viola Marie Luedtke|1934|1975|end= died}}
| {{marriage|Cora Stencil|1978|1994}}
}}
|children          = Betty, Carlene, Gloria, Carol
|alma_mater        =
|profession        = farmer, politician
|nickname          = Concrete Clete
}}
'''Cletus J. Vanderperren''' (March 4, 1912{{spaced ndash}}September 24, 1994) was an [[Americans|American]] farmer and politician.  A [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], he served 34 years in the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]], representing [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]] and northern [[Brown County, Wisconsin|Brown County]].  At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-serving member in the history of the Wisconsin Assembly.<ref name="ajr">{{cite law |url= https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/1995/related/proposals/ajr1  |title= Relating to: the life and public service of Cletus Vanderperren  |type= Assembly Joint Resolution |year= 1995 |index= 1 |legislature= [[Wisconsin Legislature]] |accessdate= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>  His legislative service earned him the nickname '''Concrete Clete''' for his efforts to fund roads, highways, and bridges throughout the state.
==Early life and career==
Vanderperren was born on March 4, 1912, in [[Pittsfield, Wisconsin]].<ref name="ajr"/>  He was educated at the [[Mill Center, Wisconsin|Mills Center]] school and attended [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]], though he did not graduate.<ref name="wihist">{{cite web|url= https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS13944  |title= Vanderperren, Cletus 1912 |website= [[Wisconsin Historical Society]] |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref> He worked as a farmer for most of his life.<ref name="obit">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67943061/vanderperren-obit/  |title=  Cletus J. Vanderperren |newspaper=  [[Green Bay Press-Gazette]] |date= September 30, 1994 |page= 4  |access-date= January 18, 2021 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref><ref name="obitp2">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67941178/vanderperren-obit-p2/  |title= Roads, bridges, Vanderperren's legacy for area |newspaper=  [[Green Bay Press-Gazette]] |date= September 29, 1994 |page= 2 |first= Scott |last= Hildebrand |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
==Political career==
Vanderperren became involved in local politics over the issue of [[farm-to-market road]]s and was elected to the Pittsfield Town Board in 1947.  He would ultimately serve on the Town Board for the next 30 years, and would be chairman for many of those years.<ref name="obitp2"/>  Shortly after his election to the Town Board, in 1951, he was elected to the [[Brown County, Wisconsin|Brown County]] Board of Supervisors, and would continue to serve on this board until 1966.<ref name="obitp2"/>
In 1956 he made his first attempt to run for [[Wisconsin State Assembly]] in Brown County's 3rd Assembly district, which at that time covered almost all of Brown County outside of Green Bay, [[Preble, Wisconsin|Preble]], and [[Allouez, Wisconsin|Allouez]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67944149/brown-co-assembly-candidates/   |title= Eight Seek Posts in Statehouse |newspaper= [[Green Bay Press-Gazette]] |date= November 2, 1956 |page= 8 |access-date= January 18, 2021 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref>  He won a close contest in the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] [[Partisan primary|primary]] but fell short of Republican [[Edward A. Seymour]] in the general election.<ref name="1956elex">{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1958 |title=  The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1958  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1958 |editor1-last= Toepel |editor1-first= M. G. |editor2-last= Kuehn |editor2-first= Hazel L. |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1958/reference/wi.wibluebk1958.i0015.pdf |chapter= Parties and Elections  |pages= 673, 777 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
Vanderperren returned for a rematch in 1958, and this time narrowly defeated Seymour, taking 52% of the vote in the midterm election year.<ref name="1958elex">{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1960 |title=  The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1960  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1960 |editor1-last= Toepel |editor1-first= M. G. |editor2-last= Kuehn |editor2-first= Hazel L. |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1960/reference/wi.wibluebk1960.i0015.pdf |chapter= Wisconsin State Party Platforms and Elections |pages= 659, 698 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>  Despite difficult elections in his original district, where he rarely received more than 52% of the vote, Vanderperren would go on to win reelection sixteen times through three [[Redistricting in the United States|redistrictings]].
==Legislative Legacy==
During his time in the Assembly, Vanderperren was known for his advocacy for road, highway, and bridge construction and maintenance and served as Chairman of the Assembly Highways Committee for 20 years (1973&ndash;1993).<ref name="roads">{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67946943/vanderperren-roads/  |title= Roads, bridges Vanderperren's legacy for area |newspaper= [[Green Bay Press-Gazette]] |date= September 29, 1994 |page= 1 |first= Thomas |last= Content |access-date= January 18, 2021 |via= [[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67966200/vanderperren-at-80/  |title='Concrete Clete' marks milestone |newspaper= [[Wisconsin State Journal]] |date= March 9, 1992 |page= 19 |access-date= January 18, 2021 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref>   After his death, a friend, former state senator [[Jerome Van Sistine]], said that Vanderperren was motivated by the deaths of friends in [[Traffic collision|car accidents]], particularly on [[Wisconsin Highway 29]], which they referred to as "The Bloody '29". Vanderperren was the driving force behind the construction of four different bridges over the [[Fox River (Green Bay tributary)|Fox River]]&mdash;the Allouez-Ashwaubenon, the Donald E. Tilleman, the Tower Drive bridge, and the Walnut Street bridge.<ref name="roads"/>  He was also instrumental to funding for construction of [[U.S. Route 41]], [[Interstate 43]], and [[Wisconsin Highway 172]].<ref name="roads"/>
One of his other longtime priorities in the legislature was the development of opportunities for higher education in the Green Bay area.  He was a longtime advocate for the creation of a [[University of Wisconsin System]] branch at Green Bay, which he achieved in a 1965 law in collaboration with Kenosha representative [[George Molinaro]] and with the support of Republican Governor [[Warren P. Knowles]].  The law ultimately established the [[University of Wisconsin–Green Bay]] and the [[University of Wisconsin–Parkside]].<ref name="ajr"/><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67949826/new-uw-branches/  |title= Two New Universities Supported at Hearing |newspaper= [[Wisconsin State Journal]] |date= February 25, 1965 |page= 30 |first= David |last= Bednarek |access-date= January 18, 2021 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref><ref name="dorm">{{cite web|url= https://www.uwgb.edu/housing/residence-halls/cletus-vanderperren-hall/  |title= Cletus Vanderperren Hall  |website= [[University of Wisconsin–Green Bay]] |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>  He also assisted in the creation of [[Northeast Wisconsin Technical College]].<ref name="ajr"/>
He was also instrumental in the creation of [[Heritage Hill State Historical Park]] in Brown County, which contains a number of structures listed in the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="ajr"/>
==Personal life and family==
Vanderperren was married twice.  His first wife, Viola, suffered from [[Von Willebrand disease]] and required frequent [[blood transfusion]]s.  Her condition led Vanderperren to push for state subsidies for blood transfusions.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67942351/hemophilia-blood-subsidy/   |title= Subsidized blood for hemophiliacs urged |newspaper= [[Wausau Daily Herald]] |date= May 4, 1977 |page= 12 |first= Vickie |last= Jaeckle |access-date= January 18, 2021 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref>  They married on November 24, 1934, and had four daughters together before her death in 1975.  Vanderperren subsequently married Cora Stencil, who survived him.<ref name="obitp2"/>
Vanderperren died at Grancare Nursing Center in [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]], on September 24, 1994.<ref name="ajr"/><ref name="obit"/>  At his bedside when he died were his family and his friend, former state senator [[Jerome Van Sistine]]. He had seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren at the time of his death.  He was preceded in death by his daughter, Betty, who died of [[Leukemia]] in 1992.<ref name="obit"/>
Due to his advocacy for the creation of the a [[University of Wisconsin System|University of Wisconsin]] branch at Green Bay, and for his support over the years, the [[University of Wisconsin–Green Bay]] named a dormitory building in his honor, known as '''Cletus Vanderperren Hall'''.<ref name="dorm"/>
==Electoral history==
===Wisconsin Assembly, Brown 3rd district (1958&ndash;1970)===
{| class=wikitable
|-
! Year
! Election
! Date
!! colspan="4"| Elected
!! colspan="4"| Defeated
! Total
! Plurality
|-
! rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1956<ref name="1956elex"/>
| valign="top" | Primary
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|September 11}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,380
| valign="top" align="right" | 53.63%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Charles Wanish}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Dem.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,193
| valign="top" align="right" | 46.37%
| valign="top" align="right" | 2,573
| valign="top" align="right" | 187
|-
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 6}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|[[Edward A. Seymour]]}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 7,753
| valign="top" align="right" | 56.61%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Dem.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 5,942
| valign="top" align="right" | 43.39%
| valign="top" align="right" | 13,695
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,811
|-
! rowspan="3" valign="top" | 1958<ref name="1958elex"/>
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | Primary
| rowspan="2" valign="top" |{{nowrap|September 9}}
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren}}
| rowspan="2" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 953
| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 46.65%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|John Brogan}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Dem.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 820
| valign="top" align="right" | 40.14%
| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 2,043
| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 133
|-
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Francis X. Leanna}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Dem.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 270
| valign="top" align="right" | 13.22%
|-
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 4}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 5,724
| valign="top" align="right" | 52.20%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|[[Edward A. Seymour]] (inc.)}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 5,241
| valign="top" align="right" | 47.80%
| valign="top" align="right" | 10,965
| valign="top" align="right" | 483
|-
! rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1960<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1962 |title=  The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1962  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1962 |editor1-last= Toepel |editor1-first= M. G. |editor2-last= Theobald |editor2-first= H. Rupert  |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1962/reference/wi.wibluebk1962.i0016.pdf |chapter= Wisconsin Elections |pages= 794, 867 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | Primary
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|September 13}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,619
| valign="top" align="right" | 51.69%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|John Brogan}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Dem.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,513
| valign="top" align="right" | 48.31%
| valign="top" align="right" | 3,132
| valign="top" align="right" | 106
|-
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 8}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 8,256
| valign="top" align="right" | 54.24%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|[[Lawrence J. Kafka]]}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 6,964
| valign="top" align="right" | 45.76%
| valign="top" align="right" | 15,220
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,292
|-
! valign="top" | 1962<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1964 |title=  The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1964  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1964 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert  |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1964/reference/wi.wibluebk1964.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 719, 764 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 6}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 5,811
| valign="top" align="right" | 51.05%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|[[Lawrence J. Kafka]]}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 5,572
| valign="top" align="right" | 48.95%
| valign="top" align="right" | 11,383
| valign="top" align="right" | 239
|-
! valign="top" | 1964<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1966 |title=  The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1966  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1966 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert  |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1966/reference/wi.wibluebk1966.i0015.pdf |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 740, 756 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 3}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 8,844
| valign="top" align="right" | 53.98%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Kenneth Katers}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 7,541
| valign="top" align="right" | 46.02%
| valign="top" align="right" | 16,385
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,303
|-
! rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1966<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1968 |title=  The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1968  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1968 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1968/reference/wi.wibluebk1968.i0014.pdf |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 712, 725 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | Primary
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|September 13}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,628
| valign="top" align="right" | 64.71%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Ervin Ambrosius}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Dem.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 888
| valign="top" align="right" | 35.29%
| valign="top" align="right" | 2,516
| valign="top" align="right" | 740
|-
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 8}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 6,330
| valign="top" align="right" | 52.76%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Robert N. Johnson}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 5,668
| valign="top" align="right" | 47.24%
| valign="top" align="right" | 11,998
| valign="top" align="right" | 662
|-
! valign="top" | 1968<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1970 |title=  The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1970  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1970 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |author=  Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1970/reference/wi.wibluebk1970.i0015.pdf |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 803, 818 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 5}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 9,745
| valign="top" align="right" | 51.15%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Robert N. Johnson}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 9,308
| valign="top" align="right" | 48.85%
| valign="top" align="right" | 19,053
| valign="top" align="right" | 437
|-
! rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1970<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1971 |title= The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1971  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1971 |author=  Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1971/reference/wi.wibluebk1971.i0011.pdf |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 301, 319 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | General
| rowspan="2" valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 3}}
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| rowspan="2" valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 9,555
| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 58.06%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Francis E. Petras}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 6,677
| valign="top" align="right" | 40.57%
| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 16,458
| rowspan="2" valign="top" align="right" | 2,878
|-
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Kenneth R. Dantoin Sr.}}
| {{Party shading/American}} | [[American Party (1969)|Amer.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 226
| valign="top" align="right" | 1.37%
|}
===Wisconsin Assembly, 89th district (1972&ndash;1980)===
{| class=wikitable
|-
! Year
! Election
! Date
!! colspan="4"| Elected
!! colspan="4"| Defeated
! Total
! Plurality
|-
! valign="top" | 1972<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1973 |title=  The state of Wisconsin 1973 Blue Book  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1973 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau|chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1973/reference/wi.wibluebk1973.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections in Wisconsin |pages= 810, 828 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 7}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 11,442
| valign="top" align="right" | 70.23%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Henry A. Rueden}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 4,851
| valign="top" align="right" | 29.77%
| valign="top" align="right" | 16,293
| valign="top" align="right" | 6,591
|-
! valign="top" | 1974<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1975 |title=   The state of Wisconsin 1975 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1975 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau|chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1975/reference/wi.wibluebk1975.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections  |pages= 810, 831|access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 5}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 8,910
| valign="top" align="right" | 100.0%
| valign="top" colspan="4" |
| valign="top" align="right" | 8,910
| valign="top" align="right" | 8,910
|-
! valign="top" | 1976<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1977 |title=   The state of Wisconsin 1977 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1977 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1977/reference/wi.wibluebk1977.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections  |pages= 895, 916 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 2}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 12,356
| valign="top" align="right" | 68.71%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|John R. Hansen}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 5,628
| valign="top" align="right" | 31.29%
| valign="top" align="right" | 17,984
| valign="top" align="right" | 6,728
|-
! valign="top" | 1978<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1979 |title=  The state of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1979 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |author=  Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1979/reference/wi.wibluebk1979.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections  |pages= 908, 926 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 7}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 8,826
| valign="top" align="right" | 64.57%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|William H. Dierks}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 4,842
| valign="top" align="right" | 35.43%
| valign="top" align="right" | 13,668
| valign="top" align="right" | 3,984
|-
! rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1980<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1981 |title= The state of Wisconsin 1981-1982 Blue Book |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1981 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1981/reference/wi.wibluebk1981.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections  |pages= 896, 917|access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | Primary
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|September 9}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,587
| valign="top" align="right" | 83.05%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Wendell W. McLester}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Dem.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 324
| valign="top" align="right" | 16.95%
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,911
| valign="top" align="right" | 1,263
|-
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 4}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 12,685
| valign="top" align="right" | 59.04%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Robert A. Thompson}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 8,799
| valign="top" align="right" | 40.96%
| valign="top" align="right" | 21,484
| valign="top" align="right" | 3,886
|}
===Wisconsin Assembly, 53rd district (1982)===
{| class=wikitable
|-
! Year
! Election
! Date
!! colspan="4"| Elected
!! colspan="4"| Defeated
! Total
! Plurality
|-
! valign="top" | 1982<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1983 |title=  The state of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1983 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1983/reference/wi.wibluebk1983.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections |pages= 890, 911 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 2}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 9,463
| valign="top" align="right" | 65.82%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Peter E. Salefsky}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 4,913
| valign="top" align="right" | 34.18%
| valign="top" align="right" | 14,376
| valign="top" align="right" | 4,550
|}
===Wisconsin Assembly, 89th district (1984&ndash;1990)===
{| class=wikitable
|-
! Year
! Election
! Date
!! colspan="4"| Elected
!! colspan="4"| Defeated
! Total
! Plurality
|-
! valign="top" | 1984<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1985 |title=  The state of Wisconsin 1985-1986 Blue Book  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1985 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Robbins |editor2-first= Patricia V. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1985/reference/wi.wibluebk1985.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections |pages= 909, 927|access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 6}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 13,318
| valign="top" align="right" | 65.29%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|James D. Shatswell}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 7,079
| valign="top" align="right" | 34.71%
| valign="top" align="right" | 20,397
| valign="top" align="right" | 6,239
|-
! valign="top" | 1986<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1987 |title=  The state of Wisconsin 1987-1988 Blue Book  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1987 |editor1-last= Theobald |editor1-first= H. Rupert |editor2-last= Barish |editor2-first= Lawrence S. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1987/reference/wi.wibluebk1987.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections |pages= 890, 909|access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 4}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 10,721
| valign="top" align="right" | 68.73%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|James D. Shatswell}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 4,878
| valign="top" align="right" | 31.27%
| valign="top" align="right" | 15,599
| valign="top" align="right" | 5,843
|-
! valign="top" | 1988<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1989 |title=  State of Wisconsin 1989-1990 Blue Book  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1989 |editor2-last= Theobald |editor2-first= H. Rupert |editor1-last= Barish |editor1-first= Lawrence S. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1989/reference/wi.wibluebk1989.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections |pages= 912, 927 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 8}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 15,089
| valign="top" align="right" | 68.04%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|James D. Shatswell}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 7,089
| valign="top" align="right" | 31.96%
| valign="top" align="right" | 22,178
| valign="top" align="right" | 8,000
|-
! valign="top" | 1990<ref>{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1991 |title=  State of Wisconsin 1991-1992 Blue Book  |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year= 1991 |editor2-last= Theobald |editor2-first= H. Rupert |editor1-last= Barish |editor1-first= Lawrence S. |author= Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1991/reference/wi.wibluebk1991.i0016.pdf |chapter= Elections |pages= 901, 917 |access-date= January 18, 2021 }}</ref>
| valign="top" | General
| valign="top" |{{nowrap|November 6}}
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Cletus Vanderperren (inc.)}}
| valign="top" {{Party shading/Democratic}} | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 9,604
| valign="top" align="right" | 58.71%
| valign="top" | {{nowrap|Gary F. Drzewiecki}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} | [[Republican Party (United States)|Rep.]]
| valign="top" align="right" | 6,755
| valign="top" align="right" | 41.29%
| valign="top" align="right" | 16,359
| valign="top" align="right" | 2,849
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Find a Grave|149699261| Cletus Vanderperren }}
* [https://heritagehillgb.org/ Heritage Hill State Park]
* [https://www.uwgb.edu/housing/residence-halls/cletus-vanderperren-hall/ Cletus Vanderperren Hall] at [[University of Wisconsin–Green Bay]]
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-wi-hs}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Edward A. Seymour]] }}
{{s-ttl|title  = {{nowrap|Member of the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]] from the [[Brown County, Wisconsin|Brown]] 3rd district}} |years= January 5, 1959{{spaced ndash}}January 1, 1973  }}
{{s-non|reason  = District abolished }}
|-
{{s-non|reason = New district }}
{{s-ttl|title  = {{nowrap|Member of the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]] from the [[Wisconsin Assembly, District 89|89th]] district}} |years= January 1, 1973{{spaced ndash}}January 3, 1983 }}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Earl F. McEssy]]  }}
{{s-bef|before = [[Mary Panzer]] }}
{{s-ttl|title  = {{nowrap|Member of the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]] from the [[Wisconsin Assembly, District 53|53rd]] district}} |years= January 3, 1983{{spaced ndash}}January 7, 1985  }}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Mary Panzer]] }}
{{s-bef|before = [[Earl F. McEssy]] }}
{{s-ttl|title  = {{nowrap|Member of the [[Wisconsin State Assembly]] from the [[Wisconsin Assembly, District 89|89th]] district}} |years= January 7, 1985{{spaced ndash}}January 4, 1993  }}
{{s-aft|after  = [[John Gard]] }}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vanderperren, Cletus}}
[[Category:People from Brown County, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:County supervisors in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly]]
[[Category:University of Wisconsin&ndash;Madison alumni]]
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American legislators]]
[[Category:20th-century Wisconsin politicians]]