Former Oklahoma Gov. George Nigh approached people with an outstretched hand, not a clinched fist, and honestly believed public life could be decent and honorable.
That is how former U.S. President Bill Clinton remembered his longtime friend during a eulogy at Nigh's memorial service on Thursday, Aug. 14. Nigh, one of Oklahoma's most prominent politicians of the 20th century, died July 30 at the age of 98.
Clinton said he last hugged Nigh in April, after he delivered the keynote address at the ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. Clinton said he spotted Nigh's trademark shock of white hair and went straight to embrace him after he finished his speech. It was a hug he would remember forever, he said.
Clinton said Nigh decided every day to do his job as best as he could, no matter the political headwinds he faced.
"He certainly worked his heart out, and his job was often harder than you could tell it was by looking at it, because he made a decision to be a happy, uplifting, positive, loving person," Clinton said.
Other speakers and performers included historians Bob Burke and Bob Blackburn; Nigh's former pastor, Wendell Estep; and opera singer Leona Mitchell.
Former Gov. George Nigh remembered with 'Oklahoma!' which he helped make state song
Born and raised in McAlester, Nigh served in the state’s highest office four times and guided it through the early stages of the 1980s oil bust. As governor, he appointed the first two female justices to the state highest civil court. Later in life, he presided over the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond for five years.
The university's choir sang "Oklahoma!" at the memorial service, the state song that Nigh was instrumental in adopting.
Dozens of Oklahoma politicians, educational administrators and civic leaders attended the memorial, including Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and Kari Watkins, the executive director of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Several former governors also were at the service.
Many people recalled their memories of Nigh and his unfailing optimism for the state and the greater good. He was also remembered for his ability to cut through partisan politics.
Michael Clingman served as Nigh’s senior assistant in the governor’s office from 1982 to 1985.
“I probably staffed 100 meetings with him, and in those 100 meetings, he never struck a wrong note with somebody who he was meeting with. To me, he always said exactly the right thing.”
“He understood the job so well that I never saw him create a false note, be discourteous, or say anything that politically that would hurt him. I mean, in the end, he had to make decisions that sometimes countered the people he met with. But he was just perfect in every meeting.”
During former Gov. Mary Fallin’s time in the Governor’s Mansion, a tradition began where Oklahoma’s former governors would gather there for dinner. The jokingly titled “Governor’s Club” later grew from those informal parties into charity efforts at least once a year.
The friendship between Fallin, a Republican, and Nigh, a Democrat, continued after Fallin’s final term ended in 2019. The two families lived nearby and would visit each others homes and share stories.
“George had the most remarkable memory. He would say, and I'll just give an example, he would say, ‘I remember back in 1952, 9:03 in the morning, I was in Poteau and Bob Smith came up and told me, blah, blah, blah,’” Fallin said. “He had such a wonderful memory and was a walking history book of things about Oklahoma. And plus, he was just a kind, humble, gentle man.”
(This is a developing story and will be updated.)
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bill Clinton, Oklahoma leaders remember George Nigh at memorial service
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