Unsung Heroes Like Don Wesely Will Keep American Democracy Strong

Local civic and political leaders don’t get much attention, but they make local civic life strong

One of my mentors and best friends died suddenly a couple of nights ago, and in thinking back on Don Wesely’s incredible life, I am struck by how important people like him are to American’s democracy.

Don Wesely

Don was a state Senator in Nebraska for 20 years. The great thing about Nebraska’s non-partisan Unicameral is that Don, with his warmth and kindness to everyone, was able to build bipartisan coalitions on legislation and in terms of leadership in the legislature. Because committee chairs were decided not by a party vote but by a majority of legislators, occasionally Democrats could win committee chairmanships even in a heavily Republican legislature. Even though Don was one of the most liberal people in the Unicameral, session after session he won the role of Chairman of the Health Committee because so many people liked and respected him. What he was able to do in that role was remarkable.

After he was a legislator for 20 years, Don became mayor of Lincoln, where he helped rebuild Lincoln’s infrastructure and did great things to build the city, like bringing a minor league baseball team to town.

So Don had a long and honorable life in public service, but what was even more important was the way he contributed in a hundred different ways to Lincoln’s civic life. He mentored people like me, brought great people into government, and contributed to his community in so many ways large and small.

One of the things I remember the most was the way he took care of an older friend of ours in his last failing years, the legendary journalist Bob Schrepf. Bob didn’t have family in town at the end, and Don did all of the things a good son would have done – took him to events he couldn’t have gone to on his own, checked in on him a couple of times a week, made sure he had the groceries and prescriptions he needed. Don did these kinds of unseen, kind things for many different people.

He was also an incredible friend. Every time Barbara and I would come home to Lincoln, Don would take it on himself to organize a big welcome home lunch or dinner with old friends. At these meals, he would love telling stories of strange and funny times in the Nebraska legislature, or on the campaign trail, or just in everyday life.

Don built our city and state, and with his kindness and good humor built a strong community that stuck together through good times and bad – and that loved Don as much as he loved us.

Rest In Peace, Don.