LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Gus Wingfield, a long-time fixture in Arkansas politics, passed away Jan. 21 at his home in Delight. He was 97 years old.
Wingfield was born Sept. 17, 1926, in Antoine in Pike County and attended school in Delight. After graduating from high school, he joined the Army Air Corps, where he served in World War II. He remained with the service after the war ended and served in the Air Force during the Korean conflict.
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After his service, he completed his bachelor’s degree at UA Fayetteville, took a job with the Bank of Delight after graduation, and joined the bank’s Board of Directors in 1968. He was also a member of the Delight School Board from 1973 to 1978.
In 1980, he became a member of the state legislature as a Democrat, serving seven terms. This led to him becoming state auditor in 1994, where he served for two terms before successfully running for state treasurer in 2002.
In 2006, Wingfield announced he would not run for reelection, and he stepped down in 2007 to return to Delight. He was the last World War II and Korean War veteran to serve in the state legislature.