Former WV US Sen. Rockefeller, ‘a compassionate, decent, and true leader,’ dies at 89

Jay Rockefeller, a former West Virginia governor and a five-term U.S. senator representing the state, died Friday at the age of 89. 

A native of New York and heir to the Rockefeller family fortune, Rockefeller first came to West Virginia as an anti-poverty worker in 1964. He was elected to the House of Delegates in 1966 and to secretary of state in 1968, according to his biography with the National Governors Association.

Rockefeller was first elected governor in 1976 and served until 1984. He went on to serve in the U. S. Senate from 1985 until 2015, spending most of his tenure as junior senator under the longserving Robert C. Byrd. 

As a senator, Rockefeller was a lead author of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, a joint state and federal program that provides healthcare to low-income children. He championed the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which expanded healthcare to millions of low-income people. 

Former U.S. Rep. Nick Joe Rahall, a Democrat, served in Congress alongside Rockefeller. He said Rockefeller was a leader in expanding access to healthcare and helping West Virginians affected by violent floods. 

“I just cannot thank him enough for his decades and decades of service to our people in West Virginia, to our nation, and indeed to all of humankind,” Rahall said. “Jay was a compassionate, decent and true leader of this nation, and his works, his many deeds, will stand on the top of our highest mountains in West Virginia forever.” 

Wes Holden worked for Rockefeller in the Senate as his director of constituent services, where he helped West Virginians with a litany of problems, from shoring up a creekbank behind someone’s house to pulling strings to get people on organ transplant lists. 

“The thing that I loved about him, he gave me free rein and allowed me to do things he was unaware of, and he trusted me that much, and I didn’t have a leash on me,” Holden said. “And he only found out about it after it made the press or some sort of thank you letter. So I will always appreciate that.” 

In a statement Friday, West Virginians for Affordable Health Care called Rockefeller a “steadfast champion of accessible, affordable health care.”

“Sen. Rockefeller understood that access to quality, affordable health care is fundamental to the strength and well-being of our families and communities,” Executive Director Ellen Allen said in the statement. “He devoted much of his life to making sure that children, working families, seniors, and some of our most vulnerable neighbors were not left behind. His commitment to West Virginia was evident in the way he listened to people, understood their struggles, and carried their concerns into the halls of government. 

“His legacy will live on in the countless lives made better by his service and his unwavering belief that every West Virginian deserves the opportunity to live a healthy life,” she said. 

Andy Richardson, a former Charleston city councilman, was a liaison for Rockefeller’s campaign at the West Virginia University campus during his successful gubernatorial run in 1976. Richardson was a freshman at the university at the time. Volunteering for Rockefeller’s campaign was his first foray into politics, he said. 

“He was a younger candidate, and I think that it is natural for young people to connect with young people,” Richardson said. “So I think that that was an important part of it. And I think that in West Virginia became less of a factor as time went on. 

“The luster of that Rockefeller name was attractive to a lot of people as I think back on it,” he said. “But for a person that had such affluence, being a northeastern blue blood, he honestly could also be very down to earth, and people like that.”

Richardson remembered Rockefeller as a friend and a “tremendous advocate” for the state. 

Several of West Virginia’s elected officials shared tributes to Rockefeller Friday morning. Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Rockefeller’s legacy will live on in West Virginia history. 

“From his early work in some of our state’s most disadvantaged communities to his efforts to strengthen healthcare, protect coal miners and their families, and support our veterans, Sen. Rockefeller demonstrated a deep commitment to the people of West Virginia,” Morrisey said. “His work helped shape our state and left a lasting mark on the lives of generations of West Virginians.” 

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, shared her condolences on social media. 

“He was always a true gentleman who treated me with respect, kindness, and encouragement,” she said. “Over the years, we developed a wonderful friendship that transcended politics, and I will always be grateful for that.” 

Sen. Jim Justice, R-West Virginia, also remembered Rockefeller’s contributions. 

“His years of dedicated service as Governor and Senator truly reflect the love he had for his great state,” he said. “Sen. Rockefeller worked hard for West Virginians and made a difference in countless lives.” 

Del. Mike Pushkin, chair of the West Virginia Democratic Party, noted that Rockefeller didn’t have to devote his life to public service. 

“Jay Rockefeller was born into one of the wealthiest and most privileged families in American history. He could have spent his entire life enjoying every comfort and opportunity that wealth could provide,” Pushkin said in a statement. “Instead, he chose a different path. He came to the hills of West Virginia as a young VISTA volunteer, saw the struggles of working families firsthand, and made it his life’s mission to do something about them.”

Rockefeller was more than a statesman. He also had a bit of a jokester side to him, as Rahall and Holden recalled. 

Holden said he remembered in the later part of his career being texted a photo of a tree by Rockefeller, who was riding in a car with staff. The senator wanted to know what type of tree it was. 

“Who am I going to call for what’s what?” Holden recalled saying to himself.   

So he called a garden and found out. When he replied to Rockefeller 10 minutes later, Holden said the boss wasn’t surprised at all. 

“He was just wanting to show this other person that I was the go-to guy to get things done,” Holden said. 

During campaign season, Rahall said Rockefeller would stay at his house from time-to-time. In the mornings, the two candidates would stop at a gas station to get a cup of coffee. 

“He didn’t have any money,” Rahall said, with a laugh. “He never carried money around with him. It was always up to me to pay the bill.” 

Rockefeller leaves behind his wife Sharon, four children and nine grandchildren. 

This story may be updated.