WASHINGTON—Dr. Kevin Roberts, president of The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action, released the following statement today mourning the loss and honoring the service of The Hon. J. William Middendorf II:  

“Bill Middendorf served on The Heritage Foundation’s Board of Trustees for three decades, but his dedication to advancing the principles of a free and strong America goes back even further.  

 

“His service to the nation spanned several administrations and led him to accept such high-level posts as Secretary of the Navy and ambassadorships to the Netherlands, the European Communities and the Organization of American States. 

  

“Throughout his life, Bill fought to advance the principles of American freedom. Over the course of his distinguished career, he served as a navigator for the U.S. Navy during World War II, an investment banker, and treasurer of the Republican National Committee.  

 

“Even in later years, Bill remained an active voice for the conservative movement and continued to shape foreign, defense and economic policy during meetings on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. His lifelong interest in preserving America’s military might led him in 2020 to publish—at the age of 95—”The Great Nightfall: How to Win the New Cold War,” a book about how to answer the challenges facing the U.S. abroad today. 

 

“Less widely known were Bill’s artistic talents. In addition to assembling a magnificent art collection (which he maintained in a barn next to his home in Rhode Island), Bill was an accomplished sketch artist. He also composed music, including the Heritage theme march. 

 

“We will cherish the sketches and the many fond memories he left us. And we will forever respect and admire Bill as not only a great patriot but also one of the great unheralded idea men of American conservatism.”