A former Iowa Governor has died at the age of 89.
Governor Robert D. Ray died on Sunday at an Iowa nursing home. His former Chief of Staff, David Oman, said Ray battled Parkinson's disease for several years before his death. Ray was heralded for helping relocate thousands of Vietnam War refugees to Iowa.
After helping rebuild the Iowa Republican Party following national GOP losses in 1964, Ray was elected governor in 1968. He would go on to serve as governor for fourteen years, never having to face a serious election challenge during his tenure.
Ray's work of helping Vietnam refugees resettle in Iowa began in 1975, with the Hawkeye State becoming one of the largest resettlement locations in the United States.