Vic Atiyeh | Former Oregon governor

Vic Atiyeh, Oregon's last Republican governor, who shepherded the state through a deep recession during two terms in the 1980s, died Sunday night, a family spokesman said.

The former governor died at Portland's Providence St. Vincent Medical Center of complications from renal failure, said Denny Miles, who had formerly served as Mr. Atiyeh's press secretary. He said Mr. Atiyeh was at home but had returned to the hospital Saturday due to health setbacks.

The son of a Syrian immigrant, Mr. Atiyeh turned down an offer to play for the Green Bay Packers to take over his family's rug business.

He entered politics in the Oregon Legislature, then ran for governor and won on a platform of cutting taxes.

He wound up raising taxes because of the recession, but was also remembered for cutting his own salary as governor three times to help balance the budget. Mr. Atiyeh made frequent trips around Oregon, and was proud of having visited every county fair and every city in Oregon as governor. - AP