Former Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson Dead
Charlie Wilson, a former congressman of Texas, died today after suffering cardiopulmonary arrest in the emergency room of a Texas hospital. He was 76.
According to the Memorial Health System of East Texas, Wilson was pronounced dead at 12:16 p.m. The 12-term Democratic congressman served Texas’ 2nd Congressional district.
Born in 1933 in Texas, Wilson attended Sam Houston State University before he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy. After graduating with B.S. in 1956, Wilson served in the navy as a lieutenant, and later in the Pentagon as part of an intelligence unit.
He was first elected to office in Texas in 1961 at the age of 27. He spent 12 years serving the state of Texas, and then was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972. He was re-elected 11 times after that. He retired in 1997.
Wilson’s personal life was surrounded by controversy, namely his heavy drinking, cocaine use, and womanizing. Tom Hanks portrayed the flamboyant congressman in the 2007 movie “Charlie Wilson’s War,” which told the story of Wilson’s push to provide weapons to the mujahedeen after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Wilson is survived by his wife, Barbara Alberstadt Wilson, whom he married in 1999.
[photo: public domain]
Tags: cardiopulmonary arrest, Charlie Wilson, Charlie Wilson's War, Demo, Representative, Texas, Tom Hanks
