Tom Kindness

Thomas Norman Kindness (born Aug. 26, 1929, in Knoxville, Tenn.; died Jan. 8, 2004, in Exeter, England) was an American politician of the Republican party in Ohio.

Kindness received his high school diploma in 1947 from Glendale High School in Glendale, Calif. In 1951, he was awarded a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Maryland (College Park, Md.). In 1953, he heard a law degree from George Washington University (Washington, D.C.).

Following law school, Kindness entered the private practice of law. In 1957, he accepted a position in the general counsel's office of Champion International Corp., in which he served until 1973.

While still employed at Champion, Kindness entered politics, serving as mayor of Hamilton, Ohio, from 1964 to 1967 and on the city council from 1964 to 1969. In 1970, Kindness was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives and he served as a state representative from 1971 to 1974. In 1974, Kindness left the statehouse to make a run for the United States House of Representatives. He won office, defeating Democrat T. Edward Strinko. Kindess began serving in the House in 1975 (94th Congress). Kindness won a second term in the House in 1976, defeating Democrat John W. Griffin. In 1978, he won a third term, defeating Luella R. Schroeder. In 1980 and 1982, Kindness again defeated former opponent John W. Griffin. In 1984, Kindness won a sixth term against challenger John T. Francis.

In 1986, Kindness declined to run for re-election yet again in order to make a try for the United States Senate. However, Kindness lost the election to Democratic incumbent John H. Glenn Jr.

In 1990, Kindness tried for a return to the U.S. House of Representatives, but he was defeated in the Republican primary.