George Nigh

George Nigh
17th and 22nd Governor of Oklahoma
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 12, 1987
LieutenantSpencer Bernard
Preceded byDavid Boren
Succeeded byHenry Bellmon
In office
January 6, 1963 – January 14, 1963
LieutenantVacant
Preceded byJ. Howard Edmondson
Succeeded byHenry Bellmon
8th and 10th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
In office
January 9, 1967 – January 3, 1979
GovernorDewey F. Bartlett
David Hall
David Boren
Preceded byLeo Winters
Succeeded bySpencer Bernard
In office
January 12, 1959 – January 6, 1963
GovernorJ. Howard Edmondson
Preceded byCowboy Pink Williams
Succeeded byLeo Winters
18th President of the University of Central Oklahoma
In office
July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1997
Preceded byBill Lillard
Succeeded byW. Roger Webb
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
In office
1951 – 1959
Personal details
Born (1927-06-09) June 9, 1927 (age 97)[1]
McAlester, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDonna Nigh
ResidenceOklahoma City, Oklahoma
Alma materEast Central State College
ProfessionPolitician
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1945–1946
Battles/warsWorld War II

George Patterson Nigh (born June 9, 1927) is an American politician and civic leader from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd governor of Oklahoma and as the eighth and tenth lieutenant 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.

Following his service as governor, Nigh served on the board of directors of JCPenney, as president of the University of Central Oklahoma and as director and public relations advisor for International Bank of Commerce. Prior to his election to statewide office, he worked as a teacher and legislator. Since the death of John M. Patterson of Alabama in June 2021, Nigh has been the earliest-serving living former American governor, having first served as governor of Oklahoma in 1963.

  1. ^ Burke, Bob. ""Nigh, George Patterson (1927– )." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". Oklahoma Historical Society. Retrieved July 14, 2016.