TENNESSEE, USA — Former Governor of Tennessee Winfield Dunn has passed away at 97 years old, according to a release from the Office of Governor Bill Lee.
Dunn passed away peacefully in his home on Saturday afternoon surrounded by family, the release said.
The 43rd Governor of Tennessee was born in Meridian, Mississippi on July 1, 1927. Dunn graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1950 and served as a reserve lieutenant in the United States Air Force, before later continuing his education at the University of Tennessee Medical Units in Memphis and practicing dentistry, the release said.
Dunn was first elected Governor of Tennessee in 1970 and served at the time as the first Republican governor of the state in 50 years. Dunn served as governor from 1971 to 1975 and had never held a public office position prior, according to the release.
As governor, Dunn helped create a statewide kindergarten program, establish public parks, prioritize highway construction and create the Department of Economic and Community Development. He also served as chairman of both the University of Tennesse Board of Trustees and the Tennessee State Board of Regents, the release said.
“Governor Winfield Dunn was, simply put, a genuine statesman,” Governor Bill Lee said in a statement. “He was a true servant of the people of Tennessee. He led with principled integrity, a strong faith, and a gracious love for others. Our state is a better place because of his service and leadership. Maria and I join all Tennesseans in honoring Governor Dunn’s life, and we pray for Betty and the Dunn family in the days ahead."
