George Nigh
| George Patterson Nigh | |
|---|---|
| File:George Nigh.jpg | |
| 22nd Governor of Oklahoma | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 12, 1987 |
|
| Lieutenant | Spencer Bernard |
| Preceded by | David L. Boren |
| Succeeded by | Henry Bellmon |
| 10th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma | |
| In office January 9, 1967 – January 3, 1979 |
|
| Governor | Dewey F. Bartlett David Hall David L. Boren |
| Preceded by | Leo Winters |
| Succeeded by | Spencer Bernard |
| 17th Governor of Oklahoma | |
| In office January 6, 1963 – January 14, 1963 |
|
| Lieutenant | Vacant |
| Preceded by | J. Howard Edmondson |
| Succeeded by | Henry Bellmon |
| 8th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma | |
| In office January 12, 1959 – January 6, 1963 |
|
| Governor | J. Howard Edmondson |
| Preceded by | Cowboy Pink Williams |
| Succeeded by | Leo Winters |
| 18th President of the University of Central Oklahoma | |
| In office July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1997 |
|
| Preceded by | Bill Lillard |
| Succeeded by | W. Roger Webb |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 9, 1927 McAlester, Oklahoma |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Donna Nigh |
| Residence | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Alma mater | East Central State College |
| Profession | Politician |
| Religion | Presbyterianism |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1945-1946 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
George Patterson Nigh (born June 9, 1927), is a politician and civic leader in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd Governor of Oklahoma. He was the first Oklahoma governor to be re-elected and the first to win all 77 counties in the state. Additionally, short term vacancies in the governor's office twice resulted in Nigh assuming gubernatorial duties while serving as lieutenant governor.
Nigh served on the board of directors of JC Penney and as President of the University of Central Oklahoma after leaving the office of governor. Currently he is a director and public relations advisor for International Bank of Commerce. Prior to holding statewide offices, he worked as a teacher and legislator.
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Early life and career
Nigh was born in McAlester, Oklahoma, and was the son of Wilbur R. and Irene Crockett Nigh. He served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946 and graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma in 1951.[1]
Political career
From 1951 to 1959, he alternated between service in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and as a teacher in the McAlester public schools. During his tenure in the state legislature, he introduced legislation designating "Oklahoma!" as the state song.[2] He served as the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma from January 12, 1959 to January 3, 1963, having been elected to his first term in 1958.[2] Taking office at age 31, he became the youngest lieutenant governor in the United States.[2]
Upon the sudden death of U.S. Senator Robert S. Kerr in January, 1963, lame duck Governor J. Howard Edmondson resigned, elevating Nigh to the office of Governor, where he promptly appointed Edmondson to fill Kerr's remaining term.
Nigh served as the tenth lieutenant governor from January 9, 1967 to January 3, 1979 for three four-year terms having been reelected in 1966, 1970 and 1974 making him the second longest-serving Oklahoma lieutenant governor in state history with 16 years of service.[1] From January 3, 1979 to January 12, 1987, he served two elected terms as governor and was the first Oklahoma governor to serve consecutive terms, but took office five days early, as a result of outgoing Governor David L. Boren's swearing-in as a U.S. Senator. He was reelected in 1982, carrying all 77 of the state's counties, defeating the Republican Party nominee, then-State Auditor Tom Daxon. At the inaugural address for his second full term, Nigh quoted the Pogo comic strip "We have found the enemy, and he is us."
Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986
Governor Nigh appointed the Nigh Commission to recommend changes to state government.[1] During his two consecutive terms of office, Nigh signed the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986, which reorganized the executive branch into agency function categories, although stopping short of consolidation, of the more than 250 agencies, boards, and commissions.[1] Nigh also signed into law the Oklahoma Franchise Tax Code, which established the franchise tax in Oklahoma.[1]
Later life
Following his term as governor, he served as President of the University of Central Oklahoma from 1992 to 1997. During his tenure, Nigh supervised construction projects that transformed the institution from a mostly commuter institution to much more of a regional university with residential dormitories.
In 1990, he was inducted into the Oklahoma CareerTech Hall of Fame[2] and in 1992, he received the Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement Award. From November, 2005 to April, 2006, he served as Interim Director of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, during the agency's search for a permanent director.
Nigh and his wife Donna appeared in walk-on roles in episode # 19 of the NBC soap opera Texas (playing themselves as Governor and First Lady of Oklahoma). The episode aired in August 1980. Cast member Lisby Larson (Paige Marshall) serenaded the couple with a rendition of "Oklahoma!"
On April 28, 2010, Nigh and his wife were robbed at gunpoint in the driveway of their northwest Oklahoma City home. They were uninjured, though Nigh's wallet was taken. No suspect has been found.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Governor George P. Nigh, 100 Years of Oklahoma Governors (accessed May 27, 2013)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 George Nigh CareerTech Hall of Fame Bio (accessed June 30, 2013)
- ↑ Saylor, Ryan. "Former #OKGov #GeorgeNigh robbed at gunpoint" Midnight PoliticsApril 29, 2010. Retrieved 04-29-10. Archived July 14, 2011 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with George Nigh. First person interview conducted on May 1, 2009 with George Nigh. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma January 12, 1959–January 3, 1963 |
Succeeded by Leo Winters |
| Preceded by | Governor of Oklahoma January 3, 1963-January 14, 1963 |
Succeeded by Henry Bellmon |
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma January 9, 1967–January 8, 1979 |
Succeeded by Spencer Bernard |
| Preceded by | Governor of Oklahoma January 8, 1979–January 12, 1987 |
Succeeded by Henry Bellmon |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee for Governor of Oklahoma 1978, 1982 |
Succeeded by David Walters |
| Territorial (1890–1907) |
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| State (since 1907) | ||
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Italics indicate acting governors
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- Pages with broken file links
- 1927 births
- Living people
- Governors of Oklahoma
- Lieutenant Governors of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma Democrats
- People from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- People from McAlester, Oklahoma
- Members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Oklahoma State Senators
- Oklahoma gubernatorial candidates
- Presidents of the University of Central Oklahoma
- American Presbyterians
- Democratic Party state governors of the United States
- East Central University alumni
