lieutenant death_date birth_date term_end alma_mater death_place imagesize profession preceded order term_start spouse image name resting_place succeeded predecessor birth_place party office state district successor religion article_title
john s. wilder 22 november 1996 10 april 1930 january 17 , 1979 january 3 , 1973 university of tennessee -lrb- b.s. -rrb- jackson , tennessee 225px businessman , farmer , teacher tom j. murray 44th january 18 , 1975 january 3 , 1967 betty divorce -rrb- , karen flint -lrb- m. 1988 -rrb- littlefield -lrb- 1949 & ndash ; 1979 , ray blanton.jpg ray blanton shiloh church cemetery ed jones winfield dunn hardin county , tennessee democrat governor of tennessee tennessee 7th lamar alexander methodist ray blanton

ray blanton

leonard ray blanton -lrb- april 10 , 1930 -- november 22 , 1996 -rrb- was an american politician who served as governor of tennessee from 1975 to 1979 .
he also served three terms in the u.s. house of representatives , from 1967 to 1973 .
though he initiated a number of government reforms and was instrumental in bringing foreign investment to tennessee , his term as governor was marred by scandal , namely over the selling of pardons and liquor licenses .
