Person in history

Jim Guy Tucker

Jim Guy Tucker, American lawyer and politician, 43rd Governor of Arkansas (born 1943)

Life at a glance

Died
2025 · February 13

Their story

Who they were

Personal life In 1975, Tucker married Betty Allen; they had two children and he became stepfather to her two children from a prior marriage. [ 1 ] Illness and death Beginning during his college years at Harvard, Tucker suffered from an autoimmune disease, later diagnosed as Primary sclerosing cholangitis . It created severe liver problems which seriously debilitated him and threatened his life (he had nearly died from gastrointestinal bleeding in 1994, and had steadily worsened since).

James Guy Tucker Jr. was an American politician, businessman and attorney who served as the 43rd governor of Arkansas from 1992 until his resignation in 1996 after his conviction for fraud during the Whitewater affair. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 15th lieutenant governor, state attorney general, and as a U.S. representative.

Early life

Early life Tucker was born in Oklahoma City on June 13, 1943, and moved to Arkansas before school age. [ 1 ] He attended public schools in Little Rock , [ 2 ] graduating from Hall High School in 1961. [ 3 ] He had his first taste of politics when he ran for and was elected vice-president of Key Club International (the largest and oldest high school service organization in the United States). He served in that organization from 1960 to 1961.

Path and career

Political career Tucker (left) meets with President Bill Clinton at the White House , 1993 Tucker was a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention and was elected Arkansas Attorney General in November 1972 at the age of 29. He easily defeated the Republican nominee Edwin Bethune , then of Searcy in White County , and later Tucker's successor as the U.S. representative from Arkansas's 2nd congressional district which is Little Rock–based. Tucker served two 2-year terms as attorney general, 1973–1977.

Why this date

Jim Guy Tucker appears on our February 13 calendar for 2025 as a death entry.

Sources

Cite this page

“Jim Guy Tucker”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/people/jim-guy-tucker, accessed October 25, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about Jim Guy Tucker

When did Jim Guy Tucker die?

February 13 2025.

Who else was born on this day?

The date page lists everyone we hold for that calendar day.

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