Claiborne Pell, R.I. senator

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Claiborne Pell, 90, the quirky blueblood who represented blue-collar Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate for 36 years and was the force behind a grant program that has helped tens of millions of Americans attend college, died yesterday at his Newport home after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Mr. Pell, a Democrat, was first elected to the Senate in 1960. A Princeton University graduate and the son of a New York congressman, he spoke with an aristocratic tone but was an unabashed liberal who spent his political career championing causes to help the less fortunate.

He disclosed he had Parkinson's in 1995 and left office in January 1997 after his sixth term.

Members of Rhode Island's all-Democratic congressional delegation lauded the Pell legacy. Sen. Jack Reed called him "a remarkable statesman and legislator who worked tirelessly to promote peace and expand opportunity through education."

When asked his greatest achievement, Mr. Pell always was quick to answer: "Pell Grants."

He sponsored legislation creating the Basic Educational Opportunity Grants, which passed in 1972 and provided direct aid to college students.

The awards were renamed "Pell Grants" in 1980. By the time he retired, they had aided more than 54 million low- and middle-income Americans.

Thomas Hughes, Mr. Pell's chief of staff from 1975 until his retirement, said the senator believed financial aid should be given directly to students rather than distributed by colleges and universities.

Quiet, thoughtful, and polite to a fault, Mr. Pell seemed out of place in an era of in-your-face, made-for-television politicians. A multimillionaire, he often wore old, ill-fitting suits and sometimes jogged in a tweed coat.

Although criticized by some for his fascination with UFOs and extrasensory perception, he was best remembered for his devotion to education, maritime and foreign-affairs issues.

He also shared a strong interest in the arts, and was chief Senate sponsor of a 1965 law establishing the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Mr. Pell was well-liked among peers from both parties, who respected his nonconfrontational style.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Nuala O'Donnell Pell; a son, Christopher; a daughter, Dallas; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. A son, Herbert, died in 1999 and a daughter, Julia, died in 2006.