Former Sen. Pell, creator of Pell Grants, dies

updated 5:05 p.m. ET Jan. 1, 2009

NEWPORT, R.I. - Claiborne Pell, the quirky blueblood who represented blue-collar Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate for 36 years and was the force behind a grant program that has helped tens of millions of Americans attend college, died Thursday after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 90.

Pell, a Democrat, died at his Newport home just after midnight, according to his former assistant, Jan Demers.

Pell was first elected to the Senate in 1960. The skinny son of a New York congressman, Pell spoke with an aristocratic tone but was an unabashed liberal who spent his political career championing causes to help the less fortunate.

He disclosed he had Parkinson's in 1995 and left office in January 1997 after his sixth term.

"Rhode Island has lost one of its greatest statesmen, one who embodied the highest ideals of public service," Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., said in a statement Thursday. "Senator Pell was a gentleman and champion for those who needed their voices heard, and his work truly made a difference for our state and the nation."

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, also a Rhode Island Democrat, called Pell "a mentor, example and friend" and "a uniquely beloved Rhode Island politician."

"We will all miss him deeply, and long benefit from the works of his farseeing soul," he said.

Quirky as politicians go
Quiet, thoughtful and polite to a fault, Pell seemed out of place in an era of in-your-face, made-for-television politicians. A multimillionaire, he often wore old, ill-fitting suits and sometimes jogged in a tweed coat.

Though criticized by some for his fascination with UFOs and extra sensory perception, he was best remembered for his devotion to education, maritime and foreign affairs issues.

When asked his greatest achievement, Pell always was quick to answer, "Pell Grants."

Legislation creating the Basic Educational Opportunity Grants passed in 1972, providing direct aid to college students. The awards were renamed "Pell Grants" in 1980. By the time Pell retired, they had aided more than 54 million low- and middle-income Americans.

Pell also shared a strong interest in the arts, and was chief Senate sponsor of a 1965 law establishing the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Pell was well-liked among peers from both political parties, who respected his non-confrontational style. "I believe in letting the other fellow have my way" was a favorite refrain Pell used to refer to his negotiating skills.

Born in 1918, Pell came from a political family and was a descendant of early New York landowners who lived among the old-money families in Newport. Five family members served in the House or Senate, including great-great-granduncle George M. Dallas, who was a senator from Pennsylvania in the 1830s and vice president under President James K. Polk in the 1840s. His father, Herbert Claiborne Pell, was a one-term representative from New York.

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