(The Center Square) – Kind words continue to come in following Herb Kohl’s death.
Kohl, who served four terms as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, died Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 88.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who replaced Kohl on Capitol Hill, said Kohl was a model Wisconsinite and a model lawmaker.
“Herb was my role model. Herb was a true public servant, leading with compassion and humility, and uncompromising in putting Wisconsin first. It didn’t matter how powerful the opposing forces were or how long the fight was, Herb was willing to take on any challenge if it meant a brighter future for Wisconsin,” Baldwin said in a statement.
Kohl was first elected to the Senate in 1988. He would go on to serve 24 years in office. He decided not to run in 2012.
His campaign slogan was “Nobody’s senator but yours.” Gov. Tony Evers remembered that slogan in his words after Kohl’s passing.
“Sen. Kohl was, without a doubt, nobody’s senator but ours. Kathy and I are devastated by the news of his passing,” the governor said. “Kohl was deeply committed to community, kindness, and service to others. Wisconsin’s seniors, students, teachers, and schools, and farmers and rural areas, among so many others, are better off because of his life and legacy, the impacts of which will last for generations.”
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin called Kohl a “Wisconsin giant with a heart of gold.”
“Herb Kohl was a pillar of the U.S. Senate, generous philanthropist, business leader, and former chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. The son of Jewish immigrants, Herb Kohl’s life reflected the deep values of the state he served: hard work, humility and generosity,” DPW Chairman Ben Wikler said in a statement.
While Kohl served four terms as senator, he is also being remembered as the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Kohl bought the team in 1985, as part of an effort to keep the Bucks in Milwaukee.
He succeeded and the team is still in Milwaukee. He sold the Bucks in 2014, but played a role in helping to finance Fiserv Forum as a new home for the Bucks.
He also donated $25 million to the University of Wisconsin to build the arena that bears his name.
Information about funeral arrangements or a public memorial has yet to be released.
