Jay Rockefeller: key obituary facts
Is Jay Rockefeller dead? Yes. Jay Rockefeller died on November 6, 2026, at age 89.
Cause of death: Jay Rockefeller's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Jay Rockefeller known for?
He was an American politician (born 1937).
More about Jay Rockefeller
Born: 18 June 1937.
Place of birth: New York City.
Gender: male.
Occupation: politician.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Harvard College, Phillips Exeter Academy, International Christian University, St. Albans School, Eliot House, Yale University.
Employer: AmeriCorps VISTA.
Awards: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Father: John D. Rockefeller III.
Mother: Blanchette Ferry Rockefeller.
Spouse: Sharon Percy Rockefeller.
Children: Justin Rockefeller, Valerie Rockefeller Wayne, John D. Rockefeller V.
Also known as: John D. Rockefeller IV, John Davisson Rockefeller, John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV.
Jay Rockefeller, an American Democratic politician who served as governor of West Virginia and a U.S.
senator, died on November 6, 2026, aged 89. Born John Davison Rockefeller IV in New York City on June 18, 1937, he moved to Emmons, West Virginia, in 1964 to work as a Volunteers in Service to America worker.
His early public service included election to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1966 and service as the state’s secretary of state from 1968 to 1973. He later served as president of West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1973 to 1975. Rockefeller was elected governor in 1976 and held the office from 1977 to 1985, before beginning three decades in the U.S. Senate, where he represented West Virginia from 1985 to 2015. In the Senate, he served on the Finance Committee and chaired its Subcommittee on Medicare and Long-term Care, later known as the Subcommittee on Health Care. He became a prominent advocate for health-care reform, including expanded access and coverage for children, and authored the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Rockefeller was the son of John D. Rockefeller III and Blanchette Ferry Rockefeller. He was married to Sharon Percy Rockefeller, and their children were Justin, Valerie and John D. Rockefeller V. He died in Washington, D.C.