Robert J. LaFortune | |
|---|---|
| 31stMayor of Tulsa | |
| In office May 5, 1970 – May 2,1978 | |
| Preceded by | James M. Hewgley Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Jim Inhofe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert James LaFortune (1927-01-24)January 24, 1927 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | March 27, 2024(2024-03-27) (aged 97) Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Jeanne Morse |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | Bill LaFortune (nephew) G. T. Bynum (grandson) |
| Alma mater | Purdue University |
| Occupation | Engineer, politician, philanthropist |
Robert James LaFortune (January 24, 1927 – March 27, 2024) was an American philanthropist and politician from the U.S. state ofOklahoma. LaFortune was mayor ofTulsa, Oklahoma from 1970 to 1978.
LaFortune was born inTulsa, Oklahoma, on January 24, 1927, toJoseph Aloysius LaFortune and Gertrude Leona Tremel LaFortune, who had moved there in 1920 fromSouth Bend, Indiana. Joseph worked for thirty years at Warren Petroleum Company, becoming executive vice president and a noted local philanthropist.[1] Lafortune wasCatholic.[2]
LaFortune attended Marquette Elementary School and graduated fromCascia Hall Preparatory School in 1944. He served in theUnited States Merchant Marine Cadet Corps for two years.[1] After receiving his discharge, he attended theUniversity of Tulsa from 1946 to 1948 and then transferred toPurdue University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering in 1951.[3]
LaFortune then joined Reilly Tar and Chemical Company, where he worked for five years before becoming a part owner of Reed Drilling Company. He also served in theU.S. Air Force Reserves for 10 years, reaching the rank of Captain.[1]
LaFortune, a member of theRepublican Party, served three terms as Tulsa's commissioner of streets and public property from 1964 to 1970.[4] In 1966, he became the first person elected to the city commission without opposition.[3] As commissioner, he was active in developing theTulsa Port of Catoosa.[1]
LaFortune was elected Mayor of Tulsa in 1970, and sworn in on May 5, 1970.[5] As mayor, he got passage of bond issues for the city'sfreeway system,[1] as well as theWilliams Center andTulsa Performing Arts Center in downtown Tulsa.[6] He also helped initiate the start of the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG).[7] He was a delegate to the1972 Republican National Convention.[8] He left office in 1978.[7] His successor,Jim Inhofe, was sworn in on May 2, 1978.[9]
LaFortune was a director of Apco Argentina Inc.,BOK Financial Corporation and theWilliams Companies.[1] LaFortune was a 1982 recipient of theSilver Buffalo Award from theBoy Scouts of America, and in 1995 theUniversity of Tulsa granted him an honorary doctor of laws degree.[3][6]
In 2017, a portrait of LaFortune was unveiled at theTulsa Performing Arts Center. The portrait was made by Nathan Opp, professor of art at Oral Roberts University. LaFortune was mayor when the building was first planned, and participated in forming the public-private partnership that funded its construction.[10]
Jeanne Morse LaFortune, Robert's wife, died November 15, 2003. Born August 25, 1929, she was a native of Missouri. She and Robert married in 1951. They had six children, three sons and three daughters, and 16 grandchildren.[11] He was the uncle ofBill LaFortune, who served as Mayor of Tulsa (2002–2006).[4][7]
LaFortune died in Tulsa on March 27, 2024, at the age of 97. His death was announced the following day by his grandsonG. T. Bynum, mayor of Tulsa at the time.[12]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | 31st Mayor of Tulsa 1970–1978 | Succeeded by |
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