Leo Winters (November 7, 1922 – March 5, 2005) was the ninth

lieutenant governor of Oklahoma The lieutenant governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the lieutenant governor becomes the new governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resi ...

and the 11th State treasurer for the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Winters, a member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

, served alongside Oklahoma's first Republican governor, Henry Bellmon.

Early life

Winters was born November 7, 1922, in

Hooker, Oklahoma Hooker is a city in Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,918. It is located approximately 20 miles northeast of Guymon on US Route 54 highway. Toponymy The city name honors local cattle forem ...

, to David and Gertrude Winter, who were German immigrants from the Ukraine.Leo Winters obituary
''The Oklahoman'', March 8, 2005. (accessed July 23, 2013) Winters attended Panhandle State University, but left college to join the United States Army Air Corps. After serving in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

as a B-17 and B-29 pilot and a total of 5 years of active duty service, he returned to Panhandle State University and earned a bachelor's degree. He earned a law degree from the University of Oklahoma School of Law in 1957.

Political career

Winters began his political career as Secretary of the

Oklahoma State Election Board The Oklahoma State Election Board is the governing body regarding elections in the state of Oklahoma. The Board is responsible for maintaining uniformly in the application, operation and interpretation of State and Federal election laws. Additiona ...

from 1955 through 1963. He served as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1956.The Political Graveyard
(accessed July 23, 2013) He was elected lieutenant governor on November 6, 1962, after beating former US Representative

Wilburn Cartwright Wilburn Cartwright (January 12, 1892 – March 14, 1979) was a lawyer, educator, U.S. Representative from Oklahoma, and United States Army officer in World War II. The town of Cartwright, Oklahoma is named after him. Early life Born on a farm ...

in the primary with 63% and defeating Republican Dale J. Briggs in the general election with 54%. He served alongside Oklahoma's first Republican governor, Henry Bellmon.Gibson, Arrell Morgan
Oklahoma: A History of Five Centuries
p. 252. (accessed July 23, 2013) In 1966, Winters successfully campaigned to become state treasurer.

Later life and death

Winters died Saturday, March 5, 2005, in Oklahoma City at the age of 82.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winters, Leo 1922 births 2005 deaths Oklahoma Panhandle State University alumni University of Oklahoma College of Law alumni Oklahoma lawyers State treasurers of Oklahoma Lieutenant Governors of Oklahoma 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American lawyers United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II