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'Gov.' John Wilder dies: Was among Tennessee's most powerful stalwarts for 36 years

David Oatney's photo
Tennessee Statehouse Examiner
Former Lt. Governor John Wilder bangs the gavel one last time, presiding on his last Senate day.
Former Lt. Governor John Wilder bangs the gavel one last time, presiding on his last Senate day.
Mark Humphrey/Memphis Commercial Appeal

His stroke is in our top 10 Tennessee political stories of 2009, but former Lt. Governor John Wilder only saw about 10 minutes of 2010:

John S. Wilder, a wily, eccentric and towering figure in Tennessee politics as lieutenant governor/Senate speaker for 36 years, died early today at Baptist Hospital in Memphis. He was 88.

Wilder's son, Shelton Wilder, confirmed that his father died at 12:10 a.m. at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. John Wilder was hospitalized Monday after being airlifted to Baptist; Shelton Wilder found his father at Wilder's Fayette County home. A Democratic party official said he had a stroke.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Peebles Fayette County Funeral Home West Chapel at 10670 Highway 64 near Oakland. Private burial will be at Belmont Cemetery near the Wilder family residence in Fayette County.

Visitation for family and friends will be from 11:30 a.m. Sunday until service time.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Governor Wilder's family, and there are no appropriate words of appreciation for the years of service he gave Tennesseans.

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, Tennessee Statehouse Examiner

David Oatney is a freelance political writer, blogger, and conservative activist. He is active in local Republican and municipal politics, and lives with his wife in the Great Smoky Mountains in White Pine, Tennessee. He can be reached at oatney@gmail.com.

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