Roy J. Turner

Roy Joseph Turner ( born November 6, 1894 Lincoln County, Oklahoma, † June 11, 1973 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ) was an American politician (Democratic Party) and from 1947 to 1951 the 13th Governor of the State of Oklahoma.

Early years

After high school, Turner moved to Oklahoma City, where he attended Hill's Business College. Between 1911 and 1915 he worked as an accountant and from 1916 as a dealer. During the First World War he served as a private soldier in the U.S. Army. After the war he engaged in the real estate business, in the oil business and livestock. He built on the Harper -Turner Oil Company and ran the Turner ranch where he raised the famous Hereford cattle since 1935.

Political career

Turner was a member of the School Committee of the City Oklahoma City since 1940. In 1946 he was nominated by the Democrats as a candidate for the gubernatorial election, in which he almost within the party prevailed in the runoff election against Dixie Gilmer. He then defeated Olney F. Flynn, the Republican mayor of Tulsa, with 52:46 percent of the vote. He took up his new post on January 13, 1947. During his tenure, the government was reorganized and reformed it especially the household departments. Other authorities such as the Highway Administration or the State Planning Commission have been reclassified. In the area of ​​education supervisory boards have been set up for the higher educational institutions ( Board of Regents ) and in this region the racial segregation was abolished.

Less successful was the governor with his attempt to improve the financing of education policy. The introduction of the performance principle for public sector workers failed. When the Democratic Party split into two wings in the elections of 1948, the Governor of the old party line remained loyal and refused the southern wing ( Dixiecrats ) her support.

Further CV

After the end of his tenure, Turner devoted again to the oil business and animal husbandry. Between 1959 and 1963 he was chairman of the Highway Administration ( State Highway Commission ). Roy Turner died in June 1973. He was married to Jessica E. Grimm, with whom he had two children.