Richard Maresh

Richard Maresh
Member of the Nebraska Legislature from the 32nd district
In office January 5, 1971 – June 7, 1981
Preceded by	Theodore Wenzlaff
Succeeded by	Sharon Apking
Personal details
Born	(1917-09-08)September 8, 1917 Milligan, Nebraska
Died	November 10, 2004(2004-11-10) (aged 87) Geneva, Nebraska
Party	Republican
Education	University of Nebraska
Occupation	Farmer, flight engineer
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army Air Forces
Awards	Air Medal Distinguished Flying Cross

Richard H. Maresh (September 8, 1917 – November 10, 2004) was a Republican politician from Nebraska who served as a member of the Nebraska Legislature from the 32nd district from 1971 to 1981.

Maresh was born in Milligan, Nebraska, in 1917, and graduated from Milligan High School.^[1] He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, and he attended Air Force mechanic and flight engineer schools.^[1] While serving in the military, he was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.^[1] Upon returning to Nebraska, he was a farmer, and served on the Nebraska State Fair Board and on the Milligan School Board.^[1]

In 1970, State Senator Theodore Wenzlaff, who was appointed to replace Eric Rasmussen upon his election to the Nebraska Public Service Commission, ran for a full term.^[2] Maresh ran against Wenzlaff in the 32nd district, which included Clay, Fillmore, and Thayer counties.^[3] He faced a crowded primary that included newspaper publisher Al Bonta, farmer Melvin Kuska, and grain dealer Larry Logan.^[4] Maresh placed first, winning 29 percent of the vote to Ruska's 21 percent and Wenzlaff's 17 percent,^[5][6] making Wenzlaff one of three senators to lose renomination in the primary.^[7] In the general election, Maresh defeated Kuska, winning his first term in the legislature, 55–45 percent.^[5]

Maresh ran for re-election in 1974,^[8] and was challenged by former Crete Mayor George Plessman.^[9] Maresh placed first in the primary election, winning 68 percent of the vote to Plessman's 32 percent.^[10] In the general election, Maresh defeated Plessman in a landslide, receiving 74 percent of the vote to Plessman's 26 percent.^[10][11]

In 1978, Maresh ran for a third term.^[12] He was challenged by Gene Harding, a farmer who worked on the journalism staff of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.^[13] Maresh placed first in the primary election, winning 67 percent of the vote to Harding's 33 percent.^[14] Maresh won the general election in a landslide, winning 67–33 percent.^[14][15]

Governor Charles Thone appointed Maresh as the deputy director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture in 1981,^[16] and he resigned from the legislature on June 7, 1981, to accept the position.^[17] Thone appointed Sharon Apking as Maresh's successor.^[16] In 1983, following the election of Democrat Bob Kerrey as Governor in 1982, Maresh resigned as deputy director.^[18]

In 1986, Maresh ran for the state legislature, challenging incumbent State Senator Don Eret for re-election.^[19] Though the race was officially nonpartisan, Maresh was one of several Republican candidates to challenge Eret, who defeated Apking in 1982 as a Republican but later switched to the Democratic Party.^[19] In the primary, Maresh narrowly placed third, receiving 29 percent of the vote to Eret's 31 percent and farmer George Coordsen's 32 percent.^[20][21]

Maresh was elected to the Southeast Community College Board of Trustees in 1988.^[22] He was re-elected unopposed in 1992 and 1996 without opposition.^[23][24] He initially declined to seek re-election in 2000, but launched a write-in campaign the week before election day when no other candidate filed,^[25] and ultimately won.^[26] In 2002, citing his ill health, Maresh resigned from the board.^[27]

Maresh died on November 10, 2004.^[28]