Former Connecticut House speaker and Congressman William Ratchford died in January at age 76.

• Position: People & Politics - Brief article

Former Connecticut House speaker and Congressman William Ratchford died in January at age 76. Ratchford began his legislative career in 1963, and served as speaker from 1969 to 1973 and minority leader in 1973-74. He was president of the National Legislative Conference in 1973-1974, one of three organizations of state legislatures back then. He made the merger of these competing organizations a priority of his presidency and played a lead role in the negotiations that led to the formation...