Okey Patteson
Okey Leonidas Patteson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Dingess, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | July 3, 1989 (aged 90) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Years active | 1935–1953 |
| Known for | 23rd Governor of West Virginia |
Okey Leonidas Patteson (September 14, 1898 – July 3, 1989) served as the 23rd governor of West Virginia from 1949 until 1953. Affiliated with the United States Democratic Party, he was a prominent figure within the dominant political organization controlling the state during that period.
Biography
Patteson was born in Dingess, West Virginia and grew up in Mount Hope, located in Fayette County. In 1923, he wed Lee Hawse Patteson, and together they had two daughters. A hunting mishap in 1932 led to the amputation of both legs below the knees.
He obtained his undergraduate degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College and pursued graduate studies at Carnegie Institute of Technology. In 1949, he was honored with honorary L.L.D. degrees from both West Virginia University and West Virginia Wesleyan College.
His initial professional endeavors included working in automobile sales and real estate based in Mount Hope. Patteson held the office of President of Fayette County Court from 1935 to 1941 and then served as sheriff of Fayette County between 1941 and 1944. During the 1944 election cycle, he acted as Democratic campaign manager and served as a Presidential elector. He was appointed personal assistant to Governor Clarence W. Meadows but resigned in 1948 to pursue the governorship. He secured the Democratic nomination by a margin of 62,000 votes and won the general election by approximately 110,000 votes, serving a single term.
His leadership extended to roles such as trustee at West Virginia Wesleyan College and memberships in organizations including the Free masons, Knights Templar, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, and American Legion. Additionally, he completed three years of service with the National Guard.
Following his tenure as governor, Patteson became general manager of the Turnpike, resumed activities in real estate, and assumed the presidency of Raleigh County Bank. In 1969, Governor Arch A. Moore, Jr. appointed him to the newly formed Board of Regents.
Governorship
One of Patteson’s significant accomplishments was establishing West Virginia's inaugural medical school at West Virginia University in Morgantown rather than placing it in Charleston, which is more centrally located within the state. In recognition of this contribution, a portion of West Virginia Route 705 leading to WVU Hospitals bears the name Patteson Drive.
He launched the development of the West Virginia Turnpike envisioned as a four-lane highway system across the state; however, only a two-lane stretch between Charleston and Princeton was completed before being overtaken by the interstate highway network.
During his administration, Patteson made a contentious decision to terminate the state inquiry into the disappearance of the Sodder children, declaring any further investigation "hopeless."
Legislatively, his administration introduced the creation of a state Tax Commissioner position and empowered municipalities to impose sales taxes.
Patteson earned commendation from crime novelist Erle Stanley Gardner for reopening scrutiny into Robert Ballard Bailey’s conviction amid questions regarding its legitimacy. Gardner dedicated his book Top of the Heap to Patteson in acknowledgment of this effort.