Dick Cheney

official photo of Cheney, c. 2003, from the U.S. Air Force website

Birth Name: Richard Bruce Cheney

Date of Birth: January 30, 1941

Place of Birth: Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.

Date of Death: November 3, 2025

Place of Death: McLean, Virginia, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, as well as smaller amounts of Scottish, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, French, and German

Dick Cheney was an American politician and businessperson. A Republican, he served Vice President of the United States, from January 20, 2001 to January 20, 2009. He was elected to the position in 2000 and 2004. He was previously White House Deputy Chief of Staff, from December 18, 1974 to November 21, 1975, White House Chief of Staff, from November 21, 1975 to January 20, 1977, a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming, from January 3, 1979 to March 20, 1989, Chair of the House Republican Policy Committee, from January 3, 1981 to June 4, 1987, Chair of the House Republican Conference, from June 4, 1987 to January 3, 1989, House Minority Whip, from January 3, 1989 to March 20, 1989, and U.S. Secretary of Defense, from March 21, 1989 to January 20, 1993.

Vice President Cheney was the son of Marge/Marjorie Lorraine (Dickey), who had been a softball star, and Richard Herbert Cheney, a soil conservation agent for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He was mostly raised in Casper, Wyoming. He was married to author, scholar, and talk show host Lynne Ann (Vincent) Cheney, until his death. Lynne was Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, from 1986 to 1996. The couple had two children, Liz Cheney and Mary Cheney, who were also involved in politics. Liz was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming, from January 3, 2017 to January 3, 2023. She held Vice President Cheney’s former congressional seat, the state’s one district. Mary is an LGBT activist.

Most of Vice President Cheney’s ancestry was English, and a significant amount of it traced back to Colonial America. Vice President Cheney also had small amounts of Scottish, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, French, and German ancestry. He was a Methodist.

Vice President Cheney’s paternal grandfather was Thomas Herbert Cheney (the son of Samuel Fletcher Cheney and Ella/Ellen A. Phillips). Thomas was born in Defiance, Ohio. Samuel was born in Boscawen, Merrimack, New Hampshire, the son of Elias Eaton Cheney and Lucy Fletcher. Ellen was born in Silver Creek, Chautauqua, New York, the daughter of Jeremiah William Phillips and Louisa/Louise Langdon.

Vice President Cheney’s paternal grandmother was Margaret Ellen Tyler (the daughter of James A. Tyler and Sarah E. Swift). Margaret was born in Franklin, Indiana. James was born in Indiana, the son of Willett/Willet Tyler and Rachel Montgomery. Sarah was born in Indiana, the daughter of Thomas Swift and Margaret Hill.

Vice President Cheney’s maternal grandfather was David Eli Dickey (the son of Alonzo “Lon” Dickey and Laura Nora Dillman). David was born in Nebraska. Edward was born in Ray County, Missouri, the son of Eli Dickey and Martha Ann McGaugh. Laura was born in Iowa, the daughter of David Bowman Dillman and Rebecca Jane Byers.

Vice President Cheney’s maternal grandmother was Clarice E. Miller (the daughter of William T. Miller and Emma/Emily L. Breazeale). Clarice was born in Nebraska. William was born in Iowa, the son of James Franklin Miller and Merial Matilda Kirkpatrick. Vice President Cheney’s great-grandmother Emma was born in Tennessee, the daughter of Robert Houston Breazeale and Elizabeth B. Wells, whose mother was born in Ireland.

Sources: Genealogies of Vice President Dick Cheney – http://www.wargs.com
http://www.geni.com
http://famouskin.com
https://www.wikitree.com

Genealogies of Vice President Cheney’s parents – https://www.findagrave.com

Marriage record of Vice President Cheney’s maternal grandparents, David Eli Dickey and Clarice E. Miller – https://www.familysearch.org