Jay Rockefeller, heir to famed dynasty and healthcare advocate in US Senate, dies at 89

Jay Rockefeller, the great-grandson of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller and a Democratic US Senator from West Virginia for 30 years, died at age 89. He was a healthcare advocate who expanded coverage for poor children and coal miners, and later criticized the Iraq War as based on false premises.

John D. "Jay" Rockefeller IV, the great-grandson of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller and a Democratic US Senator from West Virginia for 30 years, died on Friday at his home in Washington at age 89, as reported by The Washington Post. His family did not provide a cause. Rockefeller was a healthcare advocate who expanded medical coverage for poor children and coal miners, and he later became a vocal critic of the Iraq War, which he initially supported. He served as governor of West Virginia before being elected to the Senate in 1984, where he chaired the intelligence, commerce, and veterans affairs committees. He was married to Sharon Percy Rockefeller and had four children.