Joseph P. Teasdale | Former Mo. governor, 78

Joseph P. Teasdale, 78, elected as Missouri's 48th governor in 1976, died Thursday in Kansas City from complications of pneumonia, his family said.

Mr. Teasdale, a Democrat who was born in Kansas City, defeated Republican Gov. Christopher S. Bond by 13,000 votes and was in turn defeated by Bond in a bitter campaign in 1980.

He billed himself "Walkin' Joe" for his treks covering 1,000 miles on foot across the state over two years during his nearly victorious primary election campaign for governor in 1972.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Thursday ordered flags at all state facilities to be flown at half-staff until Mr. Teasdale's funeral.

- Kansas City Star