Joe Purcell
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Joe Purcell

NameJoe Purcell
Date of birthJune 29, 1923
Birth placeWarren, Arkansas
Death dateMarch 1987 (aged 63)
Death placeBenton, Arkansas
ProfessionAttorney
PartyDemocrat
Acting Governor of Arkansas
In officeJanuary 3, 1979-January 9, 1979
LieutenantN/A
Preceded byDavid Pryor
Succeeded byBill Clinton
9th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
In office1975-1981
GovernorDavid Pryor&
Bill Clinton
Preceded byBob C. Riley
Succeeded byWinston Bryant
Arkansas Attorney General
In office1967-1971
Preceded byBruce Bennett
Succeeded byRay Thornton

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Joseph Edward Purcell (July 29, 1923 - March 1987) was the Acting Governor of Arkansas for six days in 1979 as well as Arkansas Attorney General from 1967-1971 and the ninth Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1975-1981.
Purcell was born in Warren, the seat of Bradley County, in southern Arkansas. He graduated from Little Rock Junior College and served in the United States Army during World War II. He graduated from the University of Arkansas Law School in 1952 and practiced law in Benton, Arkansas.
From 1955-1959 he served as a city attorney in Benton. He was municipal judge from 1959 until 1966, when he was elected attorney general. He defeated the Republican Jerry Thomasson in 1966 and again in 1968. As attorney general, Purcell instituted a number of reforms and innovations, including a pro-active consumer protection office which sided with ratepayers and borrowers against public utilities and banks and which strictly enforced election laws to ensure honest balloting.
Purcell developed a reputation for integrity which led many to encourage him to run for governor in 1970. In that race, he placed third, behind former Governor Orval Eugene Faubus and Dale Leon Bumpers, a 45-year old Charleston lawyer whose boiling, telegenic appeal edged out Purcell's laconic, almost wooden speaking style. Bumpers went on to defeat Faubus in the runoff and then Republican Governor Winthrop Rockefeller in the general election. Purcell ran again in 1982 and secured a runoff berth, but he lost the nomination to former Governor Bill Clinton. U.S. Representative Jim Guy Tucker, State Senator Kim Hendren of Benton County in northwestern Arkansas, and Monroe Schwarzlose of Cleveland County, ran in that same primary but finished in third, fourth, and fifth place, respectively. Clinton then toppled incumbent Republican Governor Frank D. White in November, who had unseated Clinton in 1980.
Purcell was elected lieutenant governor in 1974. He handily defeated the Rockefeller Republican Leona Troxell of Rose Bud in White County. He was reelected to the post in 1976 and 1978. He served as Acting Governor for six days in 1979, having filled the unexpired term of then senator-elect David Hampton Pryor of Camden.
Purcell resided in Benton until his death at the age of sixty-three.
Purcell married the former Helen Hale, and the couple had two daughters, Lynelle and Ede.
Purcell has three grandchildren: Brian Hogue, David Hogue, and Erin Hogue.

Category:Governors of Arkansas
Category:1923 births
Category:1987 deaths
Category:People from Bradley County, Arkansas
Category:Arkansas Attorneys General
Category:Lieutenant Governors of Arkansas
Category:Arkansas Democrats
Category:Arkansas lawyers
Category:People associated with the University of Arkansas
Category:American military personnel of World War II
Category:People from Benton, Arkansas
de:Joe Purcell
fi:Joe Purcell




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Global Cash Card Becomes a Choice Hotels International Qualified Vendor - PR Web (press release) Tweet this news
PR Web (press release)--"Choice Hotels' selection of Global Cash Card for its Qualified Vendor Program came at an opportune time," said -Joe Purcell-, President and CEO of Global ... - Date : Thu, 13 May 2010 13:06:58 GMT+00:00
In performance: Washington Chorus - Washington Post (blog) Tweet this news
Washington Post (blog)--The explosion of sound on the first sung phrase of Handel's anthem “Zadok the Priest,” which opened Friday's concert by the Washington Chorus ... - Date : Mon, 24 May 2010 14:21:41 GMT+00:00
Platinum Plus bouncer charged in patron's death - Greenville News Tweet this news
Greenville News--Jason Allen -Purcell- appears for his bond hearing at the Greenville LEC where he is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of -Joe- Collura in ... - Date : Fri, 07 May 2010 06:14:06 GMT+00:00
Joe Azzolina: An Extraordinary Life Lived - Bayshore Courier Tweet this news
Bayshore Courier--I met -Joe- Azzolina Sr. in April, 1998. He was a sitting assemblyman in the 13th Legislative District, who was also the president of Food ... - Date : Sat, 17 Apr 2010 15:50:02 GMT+00:00
Spartans softball wins big, baseball falls in Paradise - Red Bluff Daily News Tweet this news
Red Bluff Daily News--Jerilynn -Purcell- then pushed a bunt past the pitcher and first baseman to score Perino and put runners on first and second base. ... - Date : Wed, 05 May 2010 13:10:01 GMT+00:00
Pete Purcell: A 'Diamond' In The Sky - Jim Prevor's Perishable Pundit Tweet this news
Jim Prevor's Perishable Pundit---...- from May through July - call -Joe-,” and we thought we could help professionalize the industry and that was really in lockstep with Mr. -Purcell's- mantra. ... - Date : Tue, 13 Apr 2010 02:37:54 GMT+00:00



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