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| W. Fox McKeithen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Secretary of State of Louisiana | |
| In office December 1988 – July 15, 2005 | |
| Governor | Buddy Roemer Edwin Edwards Mike Foster Kathleen Blanco |
| Preceded by | James H. "Jim" Brown |
| Succeeded by | Al Ater |
| Louisiana State Representative from Caldwell, Franklin, Jackson, and Winn parishes | |
| In office 1984–1988 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas "Bud" Brady |
| Succeeded by | Noble Ellington |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Walter Fox McKeithen (1946-09-08)September 8, 1946 Columbia, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | July 16, 2005(2005-07-16) (aged 58) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (1989–2005) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (before 1989) |
| Children | Marjorie A. McKeithen, Marianne McKeithen, Rebecca McKeithen, John McKeithen |
| Alma mater | Caldwell Parish High School Louisiana Tech University (BA) |
| Occupation | Educator; businessman |
Walter Fox McKeithen (September 8, 1946 – July 16, 2005) served five terms as Secretary of State of Louisiana between 1988 and 2005. He is best known for merging the state's election divisions into one department and for the promotion of historical preservation.
Early life and education
McKeithen was born in rural Columbia, Louisiana to John Julian McKeithen and the former Marjorie Howell Funderburk. According to his tombstone, he was named for two World War II heroes, Walter Bennett and Elmer Fox. He graduated as class president in 1964 from Caldwell Parish High School, the same month in which his father was inaugurated as governor of Louisiana. One of his classmates was future associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, Chet D. Traylor. McKeithen attended Louisiana Tech University in Ruston in Lincoln Parish to obtain a bachelor's degree in history and social studies.
After graduating from Louisiana Tech, McKeithen returned to Caldwell Parish High School, located off U.S. Route 165, as a civics teacher and coach. He also established three businesses in Caldwell Parish.
Democrat for secretary of state, 1987
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Republican for Secretary of State, 1991
In the summer of 1989, McKeithen switched to the Republican Party, whose chairman, Billy Nungesser Sr., had courted him for a possible 1990 campaign for the United States Senate against the Democrat J. Bennett Johnston, Jr. Upon making the party switch, the GOP helped McKeithen pay off $400,000 in campaign debts.
In subsequent elections, McKeithen was often endorsed by Democrats and worked well with members from both parties. His folksy manner meant that he was generally popular with voters despite adopting such unpopular positions as raising the pay of elected state officials.
Death
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McKeithen resigned as secretary of state on July 15, 2005, and died just a few hours later. He left his state pension to his widow, Yvonne Y. McKeithen.
Legacy
In 2006, McKeithen was inducted posthumously into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield, an honor that his father had procured in 1993, having been among the first thirteen honorees.
Portals:
References
- "Republicans courting McKeithen", Minden Press-Herald, July 14, 1989, p. 1
- "GOP wins McKeithen", Minden Press-Herald, July 27, 1989, p. 1
Links
- Shreveport Times report on death July 16, 2005 (subscription required)
- Biography as Secretary of State
External links
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| VacantTitle last held byDick Bruce | Republican nominee for Secretary of State of Louisiana 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003 |
Succeeded byJay Dardenne |
| Louisiana House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded byThomas "Bud" Brady | Louisiana State Representative from Caldwell, Franklin, Jackson, and Winn parishes 1984–1988 |
Succeeded byNoble Ellington |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded byJames H. "Jim" Brown | Louisiana Secretary of State 1988–2005 |
Succeeded byAl Ater |
| Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- 1946 births
- 2005 deaths
- Secretaries of state of Louisiana
- Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Louisiana Democrats
- Louisiana Republicans
- Historical preservationists
- 20th-century American businesspeople
- Methodists from Louisiana
- Louisiana Tech University alumni
- People from Columbia, Louisiana
- Politicians from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Accidental deaths from falls
- Accidental deaths in Louisiana
- 20th-century members of the Louisiana State Legislature
- 20th-century American educators
- Schoolteachers from Louisiana