Former U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm dies at age 84

Hood County resident Charles Stenholm, who served 13 terms (1979-2005) in the U.S. House of Representatives representing the 17^th Congressional District, died on Wednesday at age 84 according to multiple reports.

He served Hood County until redistricting changed his legislative coverage area in 2004 and he was defeated by Lubbock Republican Randy Neugebauer.

Stenholm was born in 1938 in a rural community known as Ericksdahl, and graduated from Stamford High School, about 40 miles north of Abilene. He was a former farmer and rancher who had been living in Hood County in recent years.

Stenholm was a conservative Democrat during his time in office, heavily involved in agricultural issues. More recently, Stenholm had been serving as an adjunct professor for Tarleton State University in Stephenville.