Nov-06-2009Kansas remembers Bill Avery
(topic overview)
CONTENTS:SOURCESFIND OUT MORE ON THIS SUBJECTAvery served one term as governor in the 1960's. He was in charge when the deadly tornado hit Topeka in 1966. '''Governor Avery led our state during a time of tragic loss and national attention; Kansas honors his long life and service to our state. Our thoughts and prayers are with his children and family,''' Parkinson said.
[1] The murders were featured in Truman Capote's true-crime novel In Cold Blood. "Governor Avery led our state during a time of tragic loss and national attention; Kansas honors his long life and service to our state. Our thoughts and prayers are with his children and family."
[2] Kansas honors his long life and service to our state. Our thoughts and prayers are with his children and family,''' Parkinson said in a statement.
[3] Gov. Mark Parkinson ordered flags be lowered across the state until Nov. 14. Beatty interviewed Avery in December 2003 at his Wakefield home as part of the Kansas Governors Recorded History and Documentary Project. Beatty said Avery, although he was more than 90 years old at the time, was "living on his own and still chopping wood." "He was just so lively and so full of life," he said, adding that he was mesmerized for more than three hours as Avery shared his memories of the state and his years as governor. "What most people don't know is the massive impact he had on their lives," Beatty said.
[4] William Avery, Kansas' 37th governor, died Wednesday evening at the age of 98.Governor Mark Parkinson has directed flags across Kansas to fly at half-staff from now until sundown November 14 in recognition of his death.
[1] Gov. Mark Parkinson's office said Thursday that Avery, a Republican who served as governor from 1965-66, died Wednesday night. He served for 10 years as a congressman from the 2nd District before running for governor.
[5] In 1964 Avery left the U. S. House and was elected 37th governor of Kansas. He served one term as governor, losing a re-election bid to Robert Docking in 1966. In 1968 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination to the U. S. Senate.
[1] A Republican, Avery was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1950 and served to 1955. In 1954, he campaigned for the Republican nomination for the U. S. House of Representatives on an '''anti-big-dam''' platform, opposing the Tuttle Creek Dam project on the Blue River. He won both the nomination and election, beginning a congressional career which would span the next 10 years.
[6] Born Aug. 11, 1911, Avery grew up on the family farm in Wakefield. After graduating from the University of Kansas he returned to Wakefield to farm and raise livestock. Avery entered politics as a local school board member after a stint as a pilot in World War II. He then served in the Kansas House from 1951-55 before being elected to Congress.
[5] William Avery was born on August 11, 1911, near Wakefield in Clay County, Kansas. After attending Wakefield High School, he graduated from the University of Kansas in 1934. He returned to farming and ranching in Wakefield and married Hazel Bowles in 1940. He has four children.
[1] Avery was born August 11, 1911, in Wakefield. He was a 1934 graduate of the University of Kansas' law school.
[2] 
Avery also signed legislation boosting the funding of community colleges, legalizing studded snow tires and banning trading stamps, which were popular in the 1960s. He established the first private club law at a time when liquor by the drink in public establishments was banned. Beatty said Avery helped increase funding for programs serving those with developmental disabilities. "Everything he championed and got passed is still there," he said. While governor, Avery denied a reprieve request from Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, who were hanged at Lansing State Prison on April 14, 1965, for the 1959 slayings of Herbert Clutter, his wife and two children in Holcomb. The murders were immortalized by Truman Capote in his novel "In Cold Blood." He also allowed a bill directing the state Board of Health to dispense birth control information along with contraceptives to married couples to become law without his signature. Beatty said the change in school funding that Avery championed later proved to be his political demise. Avery once said the number of taxpayers after the withholding law took effect indicated 10 percent of Kansans hadn't been paying their state income tax. "Quite obviously, I didn't endear myself to those people who weren't paying their taxes," the governor said.
[4] Beatty described Avery as an "activist governor" who "didn't want to stand still." As promised during his 1964 campaign, Avery changed the way public schools were funded. He recommended the establishment of a state income tax withholding system that was part of a package of income and sales tax increases to improve public schools. "Before him, it was a yearly process of allocating money," Beatty said, adding the new system allowed school districts to know how much funding they would receive from year to year.
[4] Avery's short time in office included the ratification of the current Education Article of the state constitution and the adoption of the first ever organized statewide education funding formula. He humorously attributed this latter success, actually adopting radical education funding reform coupled with increased taxes, to his short tenure as governor.
[2] Avery was defeated for re-election by Democrat Robert Docking, receiving 44 percent of the vote. At that time, governors served two years. Avery moved to Wichita where he became an oil company executive. In 1968, he tried to re-enter politics but lost the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate to Bob Dole. In 1977, he returned to Wakefield to resume a role with the Farmers and Merchants Bank.
[4] I had the pleasure of meeting William Avery several years ago at a conference on Kansas public policy which involved 4 living governors including Avery (the oldest among them). He was truly an exceptional and honest man who took the time to provide me (an east coast guy) a thorough political history of Kansas - in a lengthy conversation outside the mens room.
[2] Washburn University political science professor Bob Beatty on Thursday described former Gov. William Avery as a "hidden gem of Kansas."
[4] During his tenure, Gov. William Avery helped to increase funding to programs serving those with mental and physical handicaps.
[4] Avery, a one-term Republican governor from 1965 to 1966 and a former U.S. House member, died Wednesday at age 98. [4] In 1950, the Republican was elected to the Kansas state Legislature. After four years, he was elected to the U.S. Congress. He held the seat until 1965, when he was elected governor of Kansas.
[2] Kansas Executive Order 07-22 states that '''Upon the death of the Governor or a former Governor, the flag of the United States shall be displayed at half-staff throughout the State of Kansas from the day of death until interment.'''
[1] A press release from the governor's office says services are scheduled for November 14 in Wakefield, Kansas.
[2] Avery returned to private life and settled in Wichita, Kansas. He was with Garvey Enterprises (1967-1968), the Clinton Oil Company (1969-1971), and later served as president of the Real Oil Company.
[1] Congressman Avery also served as President Eisenhower's congressman during Eisenhower's presidential terms. Although he made some serious political mistakes, he was a true and great Kansans, and I hope remembered as such.
[4] Avery, who served one term as governor from 1965-66, died Thursday at the age of 98.
[4] BOSTON (AP) — The Rev. Thomas P. O'Malley, who served as president of two Jesuit universities, Loyola Marymount and John Carroll, has died. He was 79. Boston College, where O'Malley was a dean early in his career and had taught for the past decade, announced his death Thursday. The school said he died suddenly Wednesday of a suspected heart attack.
[5] Submitted by gwrider on Fri, 11/06/2009 - 9:03am. I met Gov. Avery several times - he was one of the nicest, most genuine people I've ever met - it's too bad there aren't more Americans like him. He lived a long and full life, but his integrity and honesty will be sorely missed.
[4] Avery's passing is a reminder of a much different era in Kansas political history.
[2] SOURCES1.
Former Governor Dies At Age 982.
Kansas Gov. William H. Avery, 1911-2009 - Kansas City News - Plog3.
Kansas remembers Bill Avery | KansasCity.com Prime Buzz4.
Professor: Avery a 'hidden gem' | CJOnline.com5.
The Associated Press: Obituaries in the news6.
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