Zena Temkin

Zena Temkin
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from Torrington
In office
1959–1963
Serving with John A. Miscikoski
Preceded byMary Q. Fahey
Gennaro Piscitelli[1]
Succeeded byJohn A. Miscikoski
P. Edmund Power[2]
Personal details
Born1923
London, England
Died (aged 93)
PartyDemocratic
Spouse
Isadore Benjerman Temkin
​
​
(m. 1943; died 2015)​
Children3
EducationAgnes Scott College (BA)
Georgia Tech

Zena Doris Marguerite Harris Temkin (1923 – May 8, 2017) was an American politician who served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1959 to 1963, representing the city of Torrington as a Democrat.

Personal life and education

Temkin was born in London, England, in 1923. She moved to the U.S. when she was eleven and graduated from high school in Detroit, Michigan. She later moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from Agnes Scott College in nearby Decatur with a bachelor's degree in English Literature and Speech.[3] She also attended the Georgia Tech School of Architecture and would later work as an architect.[4] Temkin married Dr. Isadore Benjerman Temkin in 1943, and together they had three children.[5]

In 1947, they moved to Torrington, Connecticut, where Isadore opened a dental practice, and Zena worked various jobs, including as a radio show host and writer, before entering politics. In 1997, the couple founded WAPJ, an FM radio station in Torrington.[3][6][7]

Temkin died on May 8, 2017. She was 93.[3]

Political career

Temkin was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1958 to serve as one of two representatives from the city of Torrington. She served alongside fellow Democrat John A. Miscikoski for two terms and did not run for reelection in 1962.[8][9]

Following her service in the Connecticut House of Representatives, Temkin worked as an aide to Abe Ribicoff, assisting in two of his campaigns for the U.S. Senate.[10] She later served as an aide to Ella Grasso and coordinated Grasso's 1970 and 1972 campaigns for the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as Grasso's 1974 campaign for governor of Connecticut.[11][12] In 1980 and 1982, she assisted with Chris Dodd's campaign for the U.S. Senate.[13][3]

Temkin was a delegate to the 1960[14] and 1984 Democratic National Conventions.[15] She was a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1995.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "1956 Nov 6 General State Representative City/Town of Torrington". electionhistory.ct.gov. Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  2. ↑ "1962 Nov 6 General State Representative City/Town of Torrington". electionhistory.ct.gov. Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Zena Temkin Obituary". Hartford Courant. May 10, 2017. Archived from the original on June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Mrs. Temkin To Seek Seat In Legislature". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. June 19, 1960. p. 155. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Isadore Temkin Obituary". Hartford Courant. April 11, 2015. Archived from the original on June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  6. ↑ Owens, David (March 18, 1997). "New FM station starts broadcasting". Hartford Courant. pp. 99, 101. Retrieved June 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. July 30, 2003. p. 76. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Zena H. Temkin". electionhistory.ct.gov. Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State. Archived from the original on June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  9. ↑ "City/Town of Torrington Historical Election Results". electionhistory.ct.gov. Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Rep. Zena Temkin Given Ribicoff Campaign Post". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. March 30, 1962. p. 9. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  11. ↑ Pallatto, John (June 6, 1978). "Courthouse Site Rejected; Chosen By MacKinnon". Hartford Courant. p. 30. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  12. ↑ Zaiman, Jack (December 19, 1970). "Zena Temkin Seen As Rep. Grasso Aide". Hartford Courant. p. 7. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  13. ↑ Roessner, Barbara T. (October 19, 1980). "Diversity Marks Dodd's Organization". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. p. 50. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
  14. ↑ "State Woman Delegates Are Hungry, But Thrilled". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. July 13, 1960. p. 34. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
  15. ↑ Conrad, Bob (April 6, 1984). "Democratic delegate picks a knotty problem". Westport News. p. 16. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
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