George Nicholas Zenovich
Member of the California Senate
from the 14th district
In office
December 2, 1974 – March 22, 1979[1]
Preceded byClark L. Bradley
Succeeded byKenneth L. Maddy
Member of the California Senate
from the 16th district
In office
January 4, 1971 – November 30, 1974
Preceded byHugh M. Burns
Succeeded byWalter W. Stiern
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 32nd district
In office
January 7, 1963 – January 4, 1971
Preceded byBert Delotto
Succeeded byKenneth L. Maddy
Personal details
Born(1922-04-29)April 29, 1922
Fresno, California
DiedSeptember 25, 2013(2013-09-25) (aged 91)
Fresno, California
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseVera Sarenac
Children2, including Marina Zenovich
EducationFresno State
Southwestern Law School
OccupationCalifornia Senator and Appellate Justice
Military service
Branch/service United States Army
Battles/warsWorld War II

George Nicholas Zenovich (April 29, 1922 – September 25, 2013) was an American politician and jurist, as well as a longtime Democrat.

Career

Elected as Assemblyman for the 32nd District, Zenovich served in the California State Assembly from 1963 to 1971, where he acted as Majority Floor Leader and Chairman of the Democratic Caucus.[2] Representing the 16th District, Zenovich then served in the California State Senate from 1971 to 1979, where he was responsible for legislating the California Housing Finance Agency. He also carried the 1975 legislation creating the Arts Council and the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. As vice chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he was involved in major legislation, leading him to want a career on the bench.[3] From 1979 -1984, Zenovich served as Justice of the 5th District in the California Courts of Appeal. The Fifth District Court of Appeal Courthouse in Fresno is named after him.[4] After leaving the bench, Zenovich became a lobbyist in Sacramento.

Background

Zenovich was born in Fresno, California, to parents Nicholas and Eva, who were Montenegrin immigrants to the United States from Yugoslavia.[5][2] While in high school and college, he was elected student body president. During World War II, Zenovich served in the United States Army as an Army Air Force Japanese Code Interceptor Operator. He studied at California State University, Fresno and then at Southwestern Law School. In 1947, he was admitted to the California Bar and began working as an attorney in 1953. Active in the Democratic party's Central Committee, he ran the John F. Kennedy campaign in California's Central Valley and President County .[3]

Zenovich was married to Vera "Kika" Sarenac, who was born in the former Yugoslavia. They have two daughters. Ninon Zenovich (aka Ninon Aprea) is an actress and Marina Zenovich is a documentary film director. Zenovich died in Fresno, California at the age of 91.[6][7][8]

References

  1. ↑ "George N. Zenovich Resignation letter". Some Issues Titled:supplement to the Appendix to the Journal of the Senate. 1942.
  2. 1 2 https://library.fresnostate.edu/sites/all/assets/doc/scrc/george-n-zenovich.pdf
  3. 1 2 "A Different Side of Jerry Brown Revealed at Memorial for Fresno Lawmaker". California's Capitol. October 22, 2013.
  4. ↑ "A Different Side of Jerry Brown Revealed at Memorial for Fresno Lawmaker". California's Capitol. 2013-10-22. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  5. ↑ "Congressional Record". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  6. ↑ Vassar, Alexander C. (2011). Legislators of California (PDF). Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  7. ↑ Ellis, John. "George Zenovich, 91, leaves Fresno legacy as judge, activist, lobbyist | Local News". FresnoBee.com. Archived from the original on 2013-09-28. Retrieved 2013-09-29.
  8. ↑ "JoinCalifornia - George N. Zenovich". www.joincalifornia.com.


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