Flags across the state of Kansas are flying at half-staff today after the death of former William H. Avery.
Avery died yesterday at age 98.
Avery was born August 11, 1911, in Wakefield. He was a 1934 graduate of the University of Kansas' law school.
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.
Avery lasted only one-term, losing to Robert Docking.
Avery condemned Perry Smith and Richard Hickock to the gallows for murdering the Clutter family. The murders were featured in Truman Capote's true-crime novel In Cold Blood.
Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson issued this statement:
"Governor Avery led our state during a time of tragic lossand national attention; Kansas honors his long life and service to our
state. Our thoughts and prayers are with his children and family."
Flags will fly at half-staff until Avery's interment. A press release from the governor's office says services are scheduled for November 14 in Wakefield, Kansas.
Photo via the Kansas State Historical Society.
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Hello Author may I be permitted to quote some of the details from your above post if credit for the post is given in a link back to your site?
I met Governor Avery once at my Great Aunt's 90th birthday party in Seneca. He was an amazing presence, very congenial and very much in tune with the politics of the day. I found out that my Aunt at one time worked for his wife at the State Capitol. Also, he was a friend of C. C. Gaston, my great uncle. I am saddened to just now learn of his passing. What a long and extraordinarily productive life.
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. 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. Avery's passing is a reminder of a much different era in Kansas political history.
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