{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Claude DeBruhl | birth_date = {{birth date|1915|01|15}} | birth_place = [[Madison County, North Carolina]], U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1982|09|04|1915|01|05}} | office = Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] from the [[North Carolina's 45th House district|45th]] district | term_start = 1969 | term_end = 1973 | office1 = Member of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] from the [[North Carolina's 43rd House district|43rd]] district | term_start1 = 1973 | term_end1 = 1979 | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = [[Asheville-Biltmore College]]<br>[[Lenoir–Rhyne College]] | death_place = [[Lanham, Maryland]], US }}
'''Claude DeBruhl''' (January 15, 1915 – September 4, 1982) was an American politician. He served five terms as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic member]] of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]] for both [[Buncombe County, North Carolina|Buncombe County]] and [[Transylvania County, North Carolina|Transylvania County]]. He was also an insurance broker, publisher, and real estate developer.
== Early life == DeBruhl was born in [[Madison County, North Carolina]] but spent most of his life in Buncombe County.<ref name="d" /><ref name="e" /> His parents were Levasta Reece and William LeRoy DeBruhl.<ref name="d" />
He attended public schools in Buncombe County and graduated from Woodfin High School in [[Woodfin, North Carolina]].<ref name="a" /> He graduated from [[Asheville-Biltmore College]] in 1932.<ref name="d" /> [[Lenoir–Rhyne College]], and the Love Law School in [[Asheville, North Carolina]].<ref name="a">{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/northcarolinaman1977nort/page/385/mode/1up?q=Diamont&view=theater|title=North Carolina manual|date=1977|page=385|publisher=North Carolina Historical Commission|access-date=December 24, 2022|via=[[Internet Archive]]}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref name="e">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Resolutions/PDF/1983-1984/Res1983-45.pdf|title=General Assembly of North Carolina: Session 1983 (Ratified Bill): Resolution 45 (House Joint Resolution 1385)|work=[[North Carolina General Assembly]]|date=1983|access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref><ref name="d" /> He also graduated from the Appraisal School at the [[University of Georgia]].<ref name="a" />
== Career == DeBruhl served in the [[Navy air corps|Navy Air Corps]] during [[World War II]].<ref name="d" />
DeBruhl was a farmer and [[insurance broker]] and agent, owning Claude DeBruhl Agency, Inc. - Real Estate, Insurance, Bonds.<ref name="a" /><ref name="d" /><ref name="e" /> He was a land developer, builder, and president of West Asheville Construction Company who built more than 500 homes.<ref name="e" /> He was named Home Builder of the Year in [[Western North Carolina]] in 1967.<ref name="a" /> He was president of the Western North Carolina Homebuilders Association from 1969 to 1970 and was a member of the Asheville Board of Realtors and the National Independent Fee Appraisers.<ref name="d" /><ref name="a" /><ref name="e" />
In 1969, DeBruhl was elected to represent the [[North Carolina's 45th House district|45th district]] of the [[North Carolina House of Representatives]], serving until 1973.<ref name="f">{{Cite web |title=North Carolina House of Representatives 1969 |url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/1900s/nc_1900s_house_1969.html |access-date=December 24, 2022 |work=NC Home}}</ref><ref name="e" /> The same year, he was elected to represent the [[North Carolina's 43rd House district|43rd district]], and was reelected in 1975 and 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carolana.com/NC/1900s/nc_1900s_house_1973-1974.html|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 1973-1974|work=NC Home|access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref><ref name="e" /> He served as a member and chair of the Military and Veterans Officers Committee of the House of Representatives.<ref name="e" /> He was the chief sponsor of the bill that turned the former Asheville-Biltmore College into the [[University of North Carolina at Asheville]], a branch on the [[University of North Carolina]] [[public university]] system.<ref name="d" /> He also helped secure funding for the Western North Carolina Farmers Market and First Step Farm [[Alcohol rehabilitation|alcohol rehabililtation]] center.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1982-09-05 |title=Claude DeBruhl Dies at 67 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-asheville-times-claude-debruhl-dies/152614332/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |work=The Asheville Times |pages=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The latter led to a scandal when it was discovered that DeBruhl, who was president and chairman of the board of First Step, was renting land to the center for $600 a month (${{Inflation|index=US|value=600|start_year=1977|end_year=2022|r=0|fmt=c}} in 2022 money); a local appraiser evaluated the property at $237 a month.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1977-11-17 |title=DeBruhl's Rent Cut |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/statesville-record-and-landmark-debruhl/152615521/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |work=Statesville Record and Landmark |pages=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The next year, DeBruhl was unsuccessful in his bit for reelection.<ref name=":1" />
Following his career in the legislature, he began lobbying for bills that supported veterans as a commander with the North Carolina Veterans Council.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=1982-09-06 |title=Ex-N.C. Legislator Claude DeBruhl Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-ex-nc-legislato/152614801/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |work=The Charlotte Observer |pages=27 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1978, DeBruhl was appointed to the North Carolina Council for the Hearing Impaired.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=1982-09-05 |title=Claude DeBruhl Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-asheville-times-claude-debruhl-dies/152614581/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |work=The Asheville Times |pages=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Governor [[Carl J. Stewart Jr.]] appointed him to the Legislative Study Commission on Alternatives for Water Management in 1979.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> In 1981, the General Assembly appointed DeBruhl to the Board of Trustees of the Teachers and State Employees Retirement System.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1981 |title=North Carolina General Assembly 1981 Assembly, Chapter 1218, House Bill 1671 |url=https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/PDF/1981-1982/SL1981-1281.pdf |access-date=August 4, 2024 |website=North Carolina General Assembly}}</ref>
He was president of Allied Publishers, Inc. and was the founder and owner of Claude DeBruhl Agency and Allied Publishers.<ref name="a" /><ref name="d" /> He was a member of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce.<ref name="e" />
== Honors == DeBruhl was admitted to the [[Order of the Long Leaf Pine]] in 1981.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Roster |url=https://longleafpinesociety.org/new/roster/index.php/roster/view?Roster_page=106 |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=The Long Leaf Pine Society}}</ref>
In 2006, the [[North Carolina Department of Transportation|North Carolina Board of Transportation]] dedicated the Claude DeBruhl Memorial Bridge at the intersection of Elk Mountain Road and U.S. 19/23 in Woodfin.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 2005 |title=Resollution |url=https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/gisdot/DOTHD/bios/ACT_Resolution_Deputy_John_F_Strickland.pdf |access-date=August 4, 2024 |website=North Carolina Department of Transportation}}</ref>
== Personal life == DeBruhl married Revonda Miller on April 13, 1940.<ref name="a" /> They had two sons, Claude Michae DeBruhl and William Patrick DeBruhl.<ref name="a" /> The family lived in [[Candler, North Carolina]].<ref name="d" /><ref name="a" />
He was a member of the [[Disabled American Veterans]], the West Asheville chapter of the [[American Legion]], the [[Veterans of Foreign Wars|Veteran of Foreign Wars]], and was the national finance officer of the American Veterans of World War II, Korean, and Vietnam ([[AMVETS]]).<ref name="d" /><ref name="a" /><ref name="e" /> He was an organizer of the Buncombe County Democratic Men's Club.<ref name="d" /> He was a 32nd degree [[Freemasonry|Mason]] and belonged to the [[Scottish Rite|Scottish Rite Temple]], Oasis Shrine Temple, the West Asheville [[Rotary International|Rotary]], the [[Loyal Order of Moose]], and the [[Elks Club]].<ref name="d" /> He was president of the [[University of North Carolina at Asheville]] Alumni Association and a member of the Buncombe County Cattlemen's Association.<ref name="d" /> He was member of Baptist church and Montmorenci Methodist Church.<ref name="d" /><ref name="a" />
On September 4, 1982, DeBruhl died at the age of 67 in Doctors Hospital in [[Lanham, Maryland]].<ref name="d">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114971555/debruhl-services-wednesday/|title=DeBruhl Services Wednesday|work=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]]|location=[[Asheville, North Carolina]]|date=September 7, 1982|access-date=December 24, 2022|page=6|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> He was buried in the Oak Ridge Baptist Church cemetery in [[Jupiter, North Carolina]].<ref name="d" />
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:DeBruhl, Claude}} [[Category:1982 deaths]] [[Category:People from Madison County, North Carolina]] [[Category:Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives]] [[Category:University of North Carolina at Asheville alumni]] [[Category:Lenoir–Rhyne University alumni]] [[Category:1915 births]] [[Category:American Freemasons]] [[Category:People from Buncombe County, North Carolina]] [[Category:Veterans of Foreign Wars]] [[Category:20th-century Methodists]] [[Category:20th-century Baptists]] [[Category:University of Georgia alumni]] [[Category:American real estate and property developers]] [[Category:Insurance agents]] [[Category:20th-century American publishers (people)]] [[Category:20th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly]]