Henry Bellmon, former Oklahoma governor and US senator, dies at 88
Henry Louis Bellmon, who in 1963 became Oklahoma's first GOP governor since statehood and is known as the father of the state's modern Republican party, died Tuesday. He was 88.
Bellmon, who also served two terms in the U.S. Senate, died shortly before 11 a.m. after a long battle with Parkinson's disease, said Andrew Tevington, Bellmon's former chief of staff and general counsel. Bellmon died at St. Mary's Mercy Hospital in Enid, where he had been hospitalized since Sunday morning, he said.
Bellmon served two nonconsecutive terms as governor, one that began in 1963 and one that started in 1987. As the state's first GOP governor, Bellmon was credited with making the party a viable force in state politics.
In 1967, he served as national chairman of the Nixon for President campaign. Bellmon then went on to win election to the U.S. Senate in 1968 and again in 1974.
During his first term as a U.S. senator, Bellmon supported a federal court order that called for crosstown busing to achieve racial balance in Oklahoma City public schools. Many state newspapers criticized him for his stance.
At the end of his second term as governor, Bellmon saw passage of the Education Reform and Funding Act of 1990. The legislation called for an increase in funding for public schools by 27 percent, as well smaller class sizes, compulsory kindergarten and teacher incentive pay...
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Bellmon, who also served two terms in the U.S. Senate, died shortly before 11 a.m. after a long battle with Parkinson's disease, said Andrew Tevington, Bellmon's former chief of staff and general counsel. Bellmon died at St. Mary's Mercy Hospital in Enid, where he had been hospitalized since Sunday morning, he said.
Bellmon served two nonconsecutive terms as governor, one that began in 1963 and one that started in 1987. As the state's first GOP governor, Bellmon was credited with making the party a viable force in state politics.
In 1967, he served as national chairman of the Nixon for President campaign. Bellmon then went on to win election to the U.S. Senate in 1968 and again in 1974.
During his first term as a U.S. senator, Bellmon supported a federal court order that called for crosstown busing to achieve racial balance in Oklahoma City public schools. Many state newspapers criticized him for his stance.
At the end of his second term as governor, Bellmon saw passage of the Education Reform and Funding Act of 1990. The legislation called for an increase in funding for public schools by 27 percent, as well smaller class sizes, compulsory kindergarten and teacher incentive pay...