Mark Parkinson
Politician, Governor. Democrat. Born: June 24, 1957, Wichita, Kansas. Married Stacy Abbott, March 7, 1983. Served as 45th Governor of Kansas: April 28, 2009, to January 10, 2011.
March Parkinson was born June 24, 1957, in Wichita Kansas. He attended Wichita Heights High School and graduated from Wichita State University in 1980. He earned a law degree from the University of Kansas in 1984. He married Stacy Abbott on March 7, 1983. They have three children: Alex, Sam, and Kit.
Parkinson, an attorney and former state legislator from Olathe, became the state’s 45th governor when he assumed that position upon the resignation of Governor Sebelius, April 28, 2009. The one-time chairman of the Kansas Republican Party changed his party affiliation to Democratic in 2006, joined the Sebelius ticket, and became lieutenant governor in January 2007. Governor Parkinson is only the third Kansas lieutenant governor to take over as chief executive upon the resignation of a governor and only the sixth ever to fill the state’s highest office. He did not seek election at the end of his term.
Entry: Parkinson, Mark
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: June 2011
Date Modified: December 2015
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
