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Former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry, also a congressman, dies

FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, file photo, former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry is introduced from the gallery in the House chamber before Gov. Chris Gregoire's final State of the State speech to a joint session of the legislature at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Lowry, a Democrat who served in Congress for a decade before ultimately being elected governor in 1992, died Monday, May 1, 2017, following complications from a stroke, according to a news release issued by his family. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, file photo, former Washington Gov. Mike Lowry is introduced from the gallery in the House chamber before Gov. Chris Gregoire's final State of the State speech to a joint session of the legislature at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Lowry, a Democrat who served in Congress for a decade before ultimately being elected governor in 1992, died Monday, May 1, 2017, following complications from a stroke, according to a news release issued by his family. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

By Associated Press May 1, 2017 1 min read

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Former Washington state Gov. Mike Lowry, who also served in Congress for a decade, has died.

A news release from his family says Lowry, a Democrat elected governor in 1992, died Monday following complications from a stroke. He was 78.

In a statement, Gov. Jay Inslee said Lowry “served with compassion and humility.”

He was born in the tiny town of St. John, where his family homesteaded in 1882, before statehood. After serving in Congress until 1989, he twice lost races for the U.S. Senate.

He also served as a legislative aide, King County Council member and a staffer for nonprofit health care organization.

He decided to run for governor when the retirement of then-Gov. Booth Gardner opened up the post.