Bill Orr (Nebraska first gentleman)
| Bill Orr | |
|---|---|
| First Gentleman of Nebraska | |
|
In role January 9, 1987 – January 9, 1991 |
|
| Governor | Kay Orr |
| Preceded by | Sarah Kerrey |
| Succeeded by | Diane Nelson (First Lady) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Dayton Orr March 15, 1935 Waukon, Iowa |
| Died | May 5, 2013 (aged 78) Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Kay Orr |
| Children | John Suzanne |
| Parents | Lester Duncan (father), Carolyn (Dayton) Orr (mother) |
| Residence |
Nebraska Governor's Mansion Lincoln, Nebraska |
William Dayton "Bill" Orr (March 15, 1935 – May 5, 2013) was an American insurance executive and author. The husband of former Nebraska Governor Kay Orr, he served as the state's first and only First Gentleman to date from 1987 to 1991. Orr's position as a state First Gentleman, an unusual political occupation for a man at the time, earned him national attention. In 1989, Orr published a popular cookbook, the First Gentleman's Cookbook, which sold thousands of copies nationwide. Orr's cookbook included recipes contributed by Nancy Reagan, Warren Buffett, Johnny Carson, and Katharine Hepburn.
Orr was born in Waukon, Iowa, on March 15, 1935, to Lester Duncan and Carolyn (née Dayton) Orr. His father was a high school coach. He was raised in Columbus Junction, Iowa, just two blocks from his grandparents.
Orr was diagnosed with spinal polio as a child, but made an excellent recovery. He was highly active in school sports, including quarterback of his high school football team, a 440-yard dash runner in track and field, and a basketball player. Bill Orr received a business degree from the University of Iowa.
Bill Orr met his future wife, Kay Stark, at a track meet in 1955. The couple married September 26, 1957, and had two children, Suzanne and John William Orr. The Orrs lived in Illinois until 1963, when the couple moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, so Bill could take a job with Woodman Insurance. Kay Orr became actively involved in state Republican politics as a fundraiser and campaign coordinator. She was elected to her first statewide office, Nebraska State Treasurer, in 1981.
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