American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from South Carolina from 1966 to 2005. Fritz Hollings graduated from the Citadel in 1942 and enlisted in the US Army as an officer in World War II, where he served in the North African and European campaigns. He was awarded the Bronze Star and seven of the ribbons. Leaving the Army in 1945, he enrolled in the University of South Carolina School of Law and earned his Bachelor of Laws in 1947. That year he was admitted to the bar and began practising law in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1948 he was elected to the state’s House of Representatives, and re-elected in 1953. In 1955, he became Lieutenant Governor and in 1958 was elected Governor.
He lost his bid for the US Senate in 1962 but four years later, he was elected (1966) to complete the unexpired term of Olin Johnson. That year (1966), he earned his doctor of laws degree from the Citadel. In 1984, he made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for US President.
He was married to Rita Liddy “Peatsy” Hollings from 21 August 1971 until her death in October 2012. He had four children with his first wife, Martha Patricia Salley Hollings, whom he married on 30 March 1946. He was a Lutheran. In addition, Fritz and Patricia had two sons who died.
Hollings died on 6 April 2019 at the age of 97 at his home in Isle of Palms, South Carolina, following a period of declining health. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living former U.S. Senator.
Link to Wikipedia biography