Dorothy “Dot” Turnipseed Svendson September 15, 1942 – April 30, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card Dot Turnipseed Svendson, born September 15, 1942, spent her early and high school years in Tuscaloosa where her father was a successful banker. Clarence Turnipseed, her dad, later moved to Brewton to become bank president of the First National Bank of Brewton, later Chairman of the Board, and prominent member of the American Bankers Association, and Alabama Bankers Association. In the mid 1960’s Dot moved to Washington, D C, where she began a long career in government service for both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
She first worked for Alabama Congressman, Armistead Selden, and later transferred to the U.S. Senate where she worked for Alabama’s Senator, John Sparkman. When Senator Sparkman announced his retirement from the Senate, Mrs. Svendson began working for Louisiana’s Senator Russell Long in 1975. It was there that she met her future husband, Doug Svendson.
She remained with Senator Long as his personal secretary until he retired in January, 1987. In March, 1987, Mrs. Svendson began work in the office of the Secretary of the Senate. At that time the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution was approaching, and for the celebration of the 200 th anniversary of the Constitution, Mrs. Svendson began a long career as special events coordinator in the office of the Secretary of the Senate for all one hundred senators.
Mrs. Svendson was instrumental in leading the Secretary’s office in these events, as well as working with the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration to plan and execute Presidential Inaugural luncheons every four years for Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald J. Trump. In the Secretary’s office from 1987 to 2019, Mrs. Svendson worked for eight different U.S. Senate Majority leaders: Robert Byrd, George Mitchell, Robert Dole, Trent Lott, Tom Daschle Bill Frist, Harry Reid, and Mitch McConnell. A guiding principle in her life was her view that herrole was to serve all Senators on a bipartisan basis.
That she accomplished this is evident fromthe praise and admiration she has received from the Majority leaders for whom she worked – all of varied and different political views. Mrs. Svendson also worked collaboratively with the Senate Spouses organization, helping them with events and responsibilities in the Senate, including the annual First Ladies lunch honoring the President’s wife. In addition to her Senate work, Mrs. Svendson had a strong interest in art.
She loved to paint landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. She was privileged to have known and studied under one of the greatest American artists, Everett Raymond Kinstler. Mrs. Svendson’s love for and appreciation for light and color in painting naturally reinforced and supported her special event duties at the Senate concerning floral arrangement, table setting, and fabric color selection.
Mrs. Svendson is survived by her husband, Doug, two sisters, Becky Quinn and Margaret McCormick, and their husbands, three nephews, and five great nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Monday, May 6, 2019, at the First United Methodist Church of Brewton, 820 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, Alabama. Visitation from 1:00PM to 2:30PM, at the church, with services beginning at 2:30PM.
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