George Docking
| George Docking | |
|---|---|
| 35th Governor of Kansas | |
| In office January 14, 1957 – January 9, 1961 |
|
| Lieutenant | Joseph W. Henkle, Sr. |
| Preceded by | John McCuish |
| Succeeded by | John Anderson, Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 23, 1904 Clay Center, Kansas |
| Died | January 20, 1964 (aged 59) Kansas City, Kansas |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Virginia Blackwell |
| Profession | bond salesman, banker, gas businessman |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
George Docking (February 23, 1904 – January 20, 1964) was the 35th Governor of Kansas, (1957–1961).
Docking was elected governor of Kansas in 1956 and reelected in 1958, serving two terms as governor. He was the first member of the Democratic Party to serve more than a single term as governor in Kansas. In the elections of 1960 he lost to Republican candidate John Anderson, Jr. in part because of his stance on the death penalty. He was known to say "I just don't like killing people." Was a delegate to the 1960 Democratic National Convention. He was born in 1904 in Clay Center, Kansas and died from emphysema in 1964 in Kansas City, Kansas. His son Robert Docking served four terms as governor of Kansas, and the Docking family remains one of the most prominent in Kansas politics. He is buried at the Highland Park Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas.
[edit] Trivia
- Docking was a champion amateur tennis player and a master Contract bridge player.
- He changed party affiliations when Franklin D. Roosevelt was first nominated for president.
