Governor John Howard Pyle

JOHN HOWARD PYLE was born in Sheridan, Wyoming, on March 25, 1906. He earned honorary LL.D. degrees from Redlands University in 1950, Chapman College in 1953, Arizona State University in 1954, Lebanon College in 1956, and Bradley University in 1957. Pyle had an extensive career in broadcasting, beginning with his broadcast report of the Japanese surrender during World War II to co-founding the nationally broadcasted Easter sunrise services at the Grand Canyon. J. Howard Pyle was elected Governor of Arizona on November 7, 1950, and he was sworn into office on January 1, 1951. He won reelection in 1952, and during his two terms the Underground Water Commission was created, the Arizona Development Board was established, and a Civil Defense Act was enacted. Also, the Compact for Western Regional Cooperation in Higher Education was sanctioned, and President Truman signed an amendment to the Arizona Statehood Enabling Act, which granted long-term leases on Arizona land allowing for gas pipelines. Pyle was unsuccessful in his third bid for reelection, and left office on January 3, 1955. Later that same year, he joined President’s Eisenhower’s staff in Washington, D.C., as director of the Federal-State Relations, serving until 1959. Pyle was then appointed president of the National Safety Council. J. Howard Pyle died on November 29, 1987.