Winthrop Paul Rockefeller

Winthrop Paul "Win" Rockefeller
Winthrop Paul "Win" Rockefeller
Born	Template:Birth date; New York City, U.S.
Died	July 16, 2006 (aged 57)
Occupation(s)	Businessman, politician
Years active	1981–2006
Known for	17th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas (1996–2006)

Winthrop Paul "Win" Rockefeller (September 17, 1948 – July 16, 2006) was an American businessman and Republican politician who held the office of the 17th lieutenant governor of Arkansas from 1996 until his passing in 2006. He belonged to the prominent Rockefeller family.

Early life

Born in New York City, Rockefeller was the sole offspring of Arkansas Governor Winthrop Rockefeller and actress Jievute "Bobo" Paulekiute. His parents separated in 1950 and finalized their divorce in 1954. His maternal lineage traced back to Lithuania.

His education spanned both the United States and Europe, attending institutions in New York, England, and Switzerland. He pursued studies at the American College of Switzerland and completed a year at Pembroke College, Oxford. In 1974, he earned a Certificate from the Ranch Management program at Texas Christian University.

Political career and terms as lieutenant governor

From 1981 through 1995, Rockefeller served on the Arkansas State Police Commission. In 1991, he was appointed by President George H. W. Bush as chairman of the President's Council on Rural America. Additionally, he held significant roles within the Boy Scouts of America, including president of the Quapaw Area Council and membership on the national board.

His political journey commenced with a tight victory over Arkansas State Senator Charlie Cole Chaffin in the 1996 special election for Lieutenant Governor, which was held following Governor Jim Guy Tucker's resignation and Lieutenant Governor Mike Huckabee's advancement to governor. Rockefeller secured re-election in 1998 with 67% of the vote against Dr. Kurt Dilday, surpassing his father's electoral performances during gubernatorial bids in the 1960s. In 2002, he again triumphed with a 60% majority over Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Ron Sheffield, who was notably the first Black Democrat nominated statewide. Campaign financing played a crucial role in these electoral successes.

During his tenure as Lieutenant Governor, Rockefeller championed Arkansas’s economic development by frequently undertaking trips at his own expense to attract foreign investors while donating his official salary to charitable causes. On September 11, 2001, acting as Governor, he called for public calm and encouraged blood donations rather than declaring a state emergency. He sponsored Project ChildSafe, facilitating the distribution of hundreds of thousands of complimentary firearm trigger locks throughout Arkansas, and led the Arkansas Literary Festival. In 1997, he initiated Books in the Attic, a program utilizing volunteers and existing resources to broaden children’s access to literature. He also served as chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party in 2004.

Personal life

Rockefeller married Deborah Cluett Sage on March 22, 1971; they met while attending school in Oxford, England. The couple had three children: Andrea Davidson Rockefeller (b. 1972), Katherine Cluett Rockefeller (b. 1974), and Winthrop Paul Rockefeller Jr. (b. 1976). Their marriage ended in divorce in 1979.

In 1983, he wed Lisenne Dudderar, who worked as an administrative assistant for the Arkansas Nature Conservancy. Together they had four sons: William Gordon Rockefeller (b. 1986), who serves as managing director at Bank OZK and holds a leadership role within Rockefeller Capital Management; Colin Kendrick Rockefeller (b. 1990); John Alexander Camp Rockefeller (b. 1992); and Louis Henry Rockefeller (b. 1996), who received a federal prison sentence of 52 months in 2022 related to weapons offenses.

The couple also adopted a daughter named Grace from Hong Kong. Win and Lisenne established the Academy at Riverdale, an educational institution dedicated to children with learning disabilities located in Little Rock.

Wealth

Rockefeller served as the chief executive officer of Winrock Farms, Inc., a company founded by his father with diverse business interests including retail, automotive, agriculture, and the hospitality sector in Arkansas. He was actively involved in the National Federation of Independent Business. In 2005, Forbes placed him at number 283 on its list of the nation's wealthiest individuals, estimating his net worth at approximately $1.2 billion. During his tenure as lieutenant governor—a position held on a part-time basis—he chose to contribute his state salary of $34,673 entirely to charitable causes.

Illness and death

Having announced his intention to run for governor and anticipated to compete against Asa Hutchinson in the 2006 Republican primary, Rockefeller withdrew from the race on July 20, 2005, due to a myeloproliferative blood disorder that has the potential to progress into leukemia. He underwent two bone marrow transplants at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle between late 2005 and early 2006; both procedures were unsuccessful. Following the failure of the second transplant, he returned to Little Rock where he passed away on July 16, 2006, at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. His remains were honored with a lying in state at the Arkansas State Capitol, followed by a memorial service held at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, where he was an active member. He was survived by his mother, wife, children, and granddaughter.

In November 2006, then-Attorney General Mike Beebe, who had defeated Hutchinson to become Arkansas Governor, paid homage to Rockefeller: "Had he lived, we all know I would not be serving now; instead, we would be celebrating a good friend and an outstanding Arkansan as our next Governor, Win Paul Rockefeller."

External links

"Arkansas Lt. Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller Dies at 57", The New York Times, July 17, 2006
"Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller Dies Peacefully", Todaysthv.com, July 17, 2006