Winthrop Paul Rockefeller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Winthrop Paul Rockefeller
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Rockefeller in 1992
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| 17th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas | |
| In office November 19, 1996 – July 16, 2006 |
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| Governor | Mike Huckabee |
| Preceded by | Mike Huckabee |
| Succeeded by | Bill Halter (2007) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 17, 1948 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 16, 2006 (aged 57) Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Deborah Cluett Sage
(m. 1971; div. 1979)Lisenne Dudderar
(m. 1983) |
| Children | 8 |
| Parents | Winthrop Rockefeller Jievute "Bobo" Paulekiute |
| Relatives | See Rockefeller family |
| Education | American College of Switzerland Pembroke College, Oxford Texas Christian University |
| Profession | Politician, farmer, businessman |
Winthrop Paul "Win" Rockefeller (born September 17, 1948 – died July 16, 2006) was an American politician and businessman. He was a member of the famous Rockefeller family. Winthrop served as the 17th lieutenant governor of Arkansas from 1996 until he passed away in 2006. He belonged to the Republican Party.
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Winthrop Paul Rockefeller's Early Life
Winthrop Paul Rockefeller was born in New York City, New York. He was the only child of Arkansas Governor Winthrop Rockefeller and actress Jievute "Bobo" Paulekiute. His parents separated when he was young. His grandparents on his mother's side were from Lithuania.
Winthrop grew up in both the United States and Europe. He went to schools in New York, England, and Switzerland. He studied at the American College of Switzerland. He also spent a year at Pembroke College, Oxford. In 1974, he earned a certificate from the Ranch Management program at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.
Winthrop Paul Rockefeller's Political Journey
Winthrop Rockefeller was involved in public service for many years. From 1981 to 1995, he served on the Arkansas State Police Commission. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush chose him to be on the President's Council on Rural America. He later became the chairman of this council. He also led the Quapaw Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He was on the national board of directors for the Scouting organization.
Rockefeller first ran for public office in 1996. He won a close election against Charlie Cole Chaffin for Lieutenant Governor. This special election happened because the previous Lieutenant Governor, Mike Huckabee, became Governor. Rockefeller was re-elected in 1998 with a large number of votes. He won again in 2002.
As Lieutenant Governor, Rockefeller worked hard to help Arkansas's economy. He often traveled to other countries at his own expense to find new business partners. He also gave his government salary to charity. On September 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked, he was acting Governor. He asked Arkansans to stay calm and donate blood. He supported Project ChildSafe, a program that gives out free gun safety locks. He was also a chairman for the Arkansas Literary Festival. In 1997, he started "Books in the Attic." This program used volunteers and Boy Scouts to help children get books to read. In 2004, he became the chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party.
Winthrop Paul Rockefeller's Family Life
Winthrop Paul Rockefeller married Deborah Cluett Sage in 1971. They met while studying in Oxford, England. They had three children:
- Andrea Davidson Rockefeller (born 1972)
- Katherine Cluett Rockefeller (born 1974)
- Winthrop Paul Rockefeller Jr. (born 1976)
In 1983, Winthrop married Lisenne Dudderar. She worked for the Arkansas Nature Conservancy. They had four sons:
- William Gordon Rockefeller (born 1986)
- Colin Kendrick Rockefeller (born 1990)
- John Alexander Camp Rockefeller (born 1992)
- Louis Henry Rockefeller (born 1996)
They also adopted a daughter named Grace from Hong Kong. Win and Lisenne started a school in Little Rock for children with learning disabilities. It is now called the Academy at Riverdale.
Business and Philanthropy
Winthrop Rockefeller was the chief executive of Winrock Farms, Inc. His father had started this company. He also had interests in many small businesses across Arkansas. These included retail stores, car dealerships, farms, and resorts. He was an active member of the National Federation of Independent Business. In 2005, Forbes magazine listed him as one of the wealthiest people in the nation. His fortune was estimated at $1.2 billion. Even though he was wealthy, he donated his $34,673 state salary as lieutenant governor to charity.
Health Challenges and Passing
Winthrop Rockefeller had planned to run for governor in 2006. However, he had to withdraw from the race. He was diagnosed with a serious blood disorder. This condition could turn into leukemia if not treated. In late 2005 and early 2006, he had two bone marrow transplants. These treatments took place in Seattle, Washington. Sadly, the transplants were not successful.
On July 8, 2006, he returned to Little Rock. He passed away eight days later at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. On July 19, his body was placed in the rotunda of the Arkansas State Capitol. A memorial service was held the next day at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. At the time of his death, he was survived by his mother, his wife, his children, and one granddaughter.
In November of that year, Mike Beebe won the race for Governor of Arkansas. He spoke about Winthrop Rockefeller, saying that if Winthrop had lived, he would have been the next Governor. Beebe called him "a good friend and a great Arkansan."
See also
