Former Republican Senator Bob Dole died at the age of 98 Sunday morning

Bob Dole, a former Republican senator, died Sunday at 98 years old

Bob Dole, a former Republican senator, died Sunday at the tender age of 98.

Tweeted Sunday by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation: “It’s with heavy hearts that we announce Senator Robert Joseph Dole’s death early this morning while in his sleep,”

“At the time of his death at age 98, had served faithfully in the United States of America for 79 years. Continue reading for more details.

Dole revealed in February 2021 that he had stage IV lung cancer. He was also receiving immunotherapy for the treatment. Dole was unable to undergo chemotherapy because of its adverse effects on his body. 

Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker of the House ordered that flags be flown at half-staff at the U.S. Capitol upon hearing about Dole’s passing. 

Dole was a senator for 27 years. In 1996, he lost to Bill Clinton and became the Republican nominee for the presidency.

Prior to that, Gerald Ford had chosen Dole for his running mate after Vice President Nelson Rockefeller resigned from seeking a full-term. In the general elections, Ford was defeated at the hands of Jimmy Carter by the Democrat.

Dole tried for the Republican presidential nomination also in 1980. But he dropped out quickly. Vice President George H. W. Bush defeated Dole in the 1988 Republican primaries.

He was a senator from Kansas and served three consecutive years as Senate Majority Lead.

Dole was first elected in 1951 to the Kansas House of Representatives. Dole served then as a County Attorney before being elected to U.S. House of Representatives. 

Dole has left behind Elizabeth (85), and Robin (67). 

Dole served in World War II as part of the Army reserves. He was deployed to Italy as a second lieutenant in 1944 where he was nearly killed by a German explosive during combat in the mountainous Apennine region

Dole was part of the Army Reserves during World War II. Dole was sent to Italy in 1944 as second lieutenant. He nearly died from a German explosive in combat in the Apennine mountains.

Dole leave behind his wife Elizabeth, 85. The two are pictured here on January 17, 2018 as Dole was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal at the Capitol

Dole leaves behind Elizabeth, 85. These two were pictured as Dole and Elizabeth received the Congressional Gold Medal at Capitol on January 17, 2018.

Dole (pictured center with late Arizona Senator John McCain and wife Elizabeth) served in the U.S. Senate for 27 years representing Kansas and made an unsuccessful run for president in 1996, being defeated by incumbent Bill Clinton

Dole is pictured in center, with Arizona Senator John McCain’s wife Elizabeth. Dole served 27 years in the U.S. Senate representing Kansas. In 1996, Dole was defeated by Bill Clinton.

Dole announced in February 2021 that he was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. On December 4, 2018, Dole stands and salutes the casket of H.W. Bush as it lied in state at the Capitol

Dole declared in February 2021 that stage IV lung cancer had diagnosed him. Dole, on the 4th of December 2018, salutes H.W. Bush’s casket as it lay in state at Capitol 

Dole was born in Russell, Kansas, in 1923. He joined the thousands of other young men of his time when he signed up for World War II in the Army Reserves.

In 1944, he was sent to Italy as second lieutenant. He nearly died from a German bomb during fighting in the Apennine mountains.

Dole was the leader of an assault on Castel D’Aiano in 1945 and was killed as he tried to help a fallen soldier.

Dole, in One Soldier’s Story, recounted that he felt ripped by the machine gun blast, mortar round or exploding shell as a machine gun shot.

Dole was also defeated in the 1988 Republican primaries by then-Vice President George H. W. Bush (right). The two are pictured together during Dole's 1996 run for president

Dole was defeated by George H. W. Bush in 1988’s Republican primaries (right). They were pictured together in 1996, when Dole ran for the presidency.

Dole was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton on January 17, 1997

Bill Clinton presented Dole with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January 1997

The wait was exhausting for nine hours until medics were able to transport him to a nearby field hospital.

Dole returned home after multiple operations and three years’ rehabilitation. He never fully recovered function in his left arm and was able only to move his fingers. He carried that pen around with him for the rest of his life to make it look more normal and discourage people from touching his side.

Dole previously stated that he was driven to politics by the trauma and fear of living a life in which it dominated him.

In a previous interview with The Topeka-Capital Journal, he said that ‘In times of self-pity I saw myself going though life unmarried and selling pencils at street corners, and living off disability pension.’

He became a prominent advocate for disability rights, founding the Dole Foundation in 1982 to help people with disabilities.