New Mexico Gov. Bruce King, right, wearing earphones for immediate translation, and Texas Gov. Bill Clements, left, applaud as governors from bordering states met Friday, June 26, 1980 in Juarez. (AP Photo/Ted Powers)
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Updated: Friday, 13 Nov 2009, 2:36 PM MST
Published : Friday, 13 Nov 2009, 11:11 AM MST
Bruce King served 40 years in various political positions, starting with his election to the Santa Fe County Commission in 1954 and ending with his third term as governor, which ended in 1994.
1924: Bruce King is born in Stanley, N.M., to William and Mollie Sue King.
1936: Gov. Clyde Tingley dedicates the new Stanley school, inspiring King to a career in politics
1944: King enlisted in the Army. He was discharged in 1946 as a corporal.
1947: King marries Alice Martin.
1951: Bill King is born.
1954: Gary King is born. Bruce King, 29, runs for and wins a seat on the Santa Fe County Commission.
1959: King is elected to the state House of Representatives.
1962: King is elected Speaker of the House.
1966: King runs for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, but dropped from the race after a weak showing in the nomination process.
1968: King runs again for governor, but loses to Fabian Chávez in the primary.
1970: King elected governor, defeating Pete Domenici, who would later become a U.S. senator.
1974: Because of a state law prohibiting a governor from succeeding himself, King does not run for re-election. Fellow Democrat Jerry Apodaca is elected.
1976: King is considered for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President Carter, but is not selected.
1978: King elected governor, narrowly defeating Joe Skeen.
1980: Following a two-day riot at the State Penitentiary, King develops a new correctional policy.
1982: King leaves governor's office.
1990: King elected to third term as governor, defeating Frank Bond by more than 30,000 votes.
1992: Based on recommendations from a task force on children and families, which was chaired by Alice King, Bruce King organizes the Children, Youth and Families Department.
1994: King runs again for governor. (A state law was changed to allow sitting governors to run again.) He lost to Gary Johnson.
1997: King suffers a heart attack and has a pacemaker implanted.
2008: Alice King dies of a stroke.
2009: King dies at his Stanley, N.M., ranch.
Source: University of New Mexico School of Law Library and KRQE reports
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