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Patrick was born to Dan Ervin Patrick (1912-1971) and the former Audie M. Van Brunt (1916-1997)<ref>Social Security Death Index</ref> in the unincorporated community of Delaney near Huntsville, the seat of Madison County. [[Orval E. Faubus]], the state's Democratic governor from 1955 to 1967, was also from Madison County. Patrick was personally friendly with both Rockefeller and Faubus, who were political rivals in Arkansas during the 1960s. When Rockefeller was governor, Representative Patrick frequently attended meetings in the governor's offices in both the state capitol in [[Little Rock]] and at WinRock Farms in nearby Morrilton in Conway County. And Patrick recalls having met Faubus many times over the years beginning when Patrick was still a young boy. "I loved him", says Patrick of Faubus.<ref name=statement>Statement of Danny Lee Patrick, June 2007</ref> Patrick supported Republican Governor Frank D. White's decision in 1981 to hire Faubus as the head of the Arkansas Veterans Affairs Department, an appointment that drew the opposition of several former Rockefeller Republicans, such as Leona Troxell of Rose Bud in White County.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', August 5, 1981; Troxell, later Leona Troxell Dodd was defeated in her 1974 race for lieutenant governor by the Democrat Joe Purcell, who was the acting Arkansas governor for six days in January 1979.</ref>  

Patrick was born to Dan Ervin Patrick (1912-1971) and the former Audie M. Van Brunt (1916-1997)<ref>Social Security Death Index</ref> in the unincorporated community of Delaney near Huntsville, the seat of Madison County. [[Orval E. Faubus]], the state's Democratic governor from 1955 to 1967, was also from Madison County. Patrick was personally friendly with both Rockefeller and Faubus, who were political rivals in Arkansas during the 1960s. When Rockefeller was governor, Representative Patrick frequently attended meetings in the governor's offices in both the state capitol in [[Little Rock]] and at WinRock Farms in nearby Morrilton in Conway County. And Patrick recalls having met Faubus many times over the years beginning when Patrick was still a young boy. "I loved him", says Patrick of Faubus.<ref name=statement>Statement of Danny Lee Patrick, June 2007</ref> Patrick supported Republican Governor Frank D. White's decision in 1981 to hire Faubus as the head of the Arkansas Veterans Affairs Department, an appointment that drew the opposition of several former Rockefeller Republicans, such as Leona Troxell of Rose Bud in White County.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', August 5, 1981; Troxell, later Leona Troxell Dodd was defeated in her 1974 race for lieutenant governor by the Democrat Joe Purcell, who was the acting Arkansas governor for six days in January 1979.</ref>  

To win his legislative seat, Patrick twice defeated the Democrat (and former "Faubus Republican") F. A. "Pat" Teague 1904-1975), a turkey farmer from Berryville in the newly-formed District 2 (Madison and Carroll counties). Teague was the previous incumbent for Carroll County. He was sixty-two years old in his 1966 race against the 25-year-old Patrick and had been an Arkansas delegate to the 1952 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]].<ref>The previous representative from Madison County was Democrat Ralph Buck (1912-1976).</ref> Patrick defeated Teague by only thirty-three votes in 1966 and by some three hundred ballots in 1968. In 1970, when Rockefeller was crushed for a third term, Patrick, then twenty-nine, was unseated by the Democrat Stephen A. Smith (born 1949), who received 54 percent of the vote.<ref>"Election Statistics, 1966, 1968, and 1970'' (Little Rock, Arkansas: Secretary of State)</ref>  

To win his legislative seat, Patrick twice defeated the Democrat (and former "Faubus Republican") F. A. "Pat" Teague 1904-1975), a turkey farmer from Berryville in the newly formed District 2 (Madison and Carroll counties). Teague was the previous incumbent for Carroll County. He was sixty-two years old in his 1966 race against the 25-year-old Patrick and had been an Arkansas delegate to the 1952 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]].<ref>The previous representative from Madison County was Democrat Ralph Buck (1912-1976).</ref> Patrick defeated Teague by only thirty-three votes in 1966 and by some three hundred ballots in 1968. In 1970, when Rockefeller was crushed for a third term, Patrick, then twenty-nine, was unseated by the Democrat Stephen A. Smith (born 1949), who received 54 percent of the vote.<ref>"Election Statistics, 1966, 1968, and 1970'' (Little Rock, Arkansas: Secretary of State)</ref>  

    

    

In 1966, Patrick had been the youngest person ever elected to the Arkansas legislature. Four years later, 21-year Stephen Smith had not only unseated Patrick but taken the "youngest legislator" appellation for himself.<ref name=findgrave>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=241&GScid=380072&GRid=39969340&|title=Danny Lee Patrick|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref> In the campaign, Smith had challenged Patrick for having been "absent or not voting” on 263 recorded roll calls during the past legislative session. Smith later wrote that this issue was "a cheap shot, but an effective one. It was probably about average for all legislators, and most of the votes were on minor amendments or budget bills that had passed without opposition." Smith estimated that Patrick outspent him, with support from Rockefeller funds, by eighty-to-one. Smith later worked in the [[George McGovern]] presidential campaign in Arkansas; in 1979 he became the executive assistant to newly-elected Governor [[Bill Clinton]]. When Clinton was defeated for reelection in 1980, Smith left active politics for a career in college teaching.

In 1966, Patrick had been the youngest person ever elected to the Arkansas legislature. Four years later, 21-year Stephen Smith had not only unseated Patrick but taken the "youngest legislator" appellation for himself.<ref name=findgrave>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=241&GScid=380072&GRid=39969340&|title=Danny Lee Patrick|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref> In the campaign, Smith had challenged Patrick for having been "absent or not voting” on 263 recorded roll calls during the past legislative session. Smith later wrote that this issue was "a cheap shot, but an effective one. It was probably about average for all legislators, and most of the votes were on minor amendments or budget bills that had passed without opposition." Smith estimated that Patrick outspent him, with support from Rockefeller funds, by eighty-to-one. Smith later worked in the [[George McGovern]] presidential campaign in Arkansas; in 1979 he became the executive assistant to newly elected Governor [[Bill Clinton]]. When Clinton was defeated for reelection in 1980, Smith left active politics for a career in college teaching.

<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acjournal.org/holdings/vol2/Iss1/articles/smith.html|title=Stephen A. Smith, [[University of Arkansas]], "People, Power, and Realpoliticks in the Provinces"|publisher=acjournal.org|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref>  

<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acjournal.org/holdings/vol2/Iss1/articles/smith.html|title=Stephen A. Smith, [[University of Arkansas]], "People, Power, and Realpoliticks in the Provinces"|publisher=acjournal.org|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref>  

   

   

Patrick obtained bachelor's, master's, and specialist degrees in professional education from the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville. From 1964-1971, he was a science teacher and basketball coach in Huntsville.<ref name=findgrave/> The school district allowed Patrick generous personal leave for his legislative duties. For a time, he was a colleague of Farrell Faubus, the son of Orval and Alta Haskins Faubus.<ref>Farrell Faubus (1939-1976) left teaching to procure a  law degree but committed suicide while combating drug addiction in [[Seattle]], [[Washington]].</ref>  

Patrick obtained bachelor's, master's, and specialist degrees in professional education from the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville. From 1964-1971, he was a science teacher and basketball coach in Huntsville.<ref name=findgrave/> The school district allowed Patrick generous personal leave for his legislative duties. For a time, he was a colleague of Farrell Faubus, the son of Orval and Alta Haskins Faubus.<ref>Farrell Faubus (1939-1976) left teaching to procure a  law degree but committed suicide while combating drug addiction in [[Seattle]], [[Washington]].</ref>  

   

   

From 1971 to 1987, Patrick was the superintendent of the small St. Paul School in southwestern Madison County.<ref name=findgrave/> In Arkansas, [[public school]]s are decentralized; each community normally has its separate independent school district unless it agrees to a merger plan with an adjoining system. On leaving the superintendency, Patrick joined the administration of the vocational school now known as Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, Arkansas. For two years, he directed truck driving instruction, through which capacity he was responsible for the training of drivers for interstate companies, including the locally-based J. B. Hunt Company.<ref name=statement/>  

From 1971 to 1987, Patrick was the superintendent of the small St. Paul School in southwestern Madison County.<ref name=findgrave/> In Arkansas, [[public school]]s are decentralized; each community normally has its separate independent school district unless it agrees to a merger plan with an adjoining system. On leaving the superintendency, Patrick joined the administration of the vocational school now known as Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, Arkansas. For two years, he directed truck driving instruction, through which capacity he was responsible for the training of drivers for interstate companies, including the locally based J. B. Hunt Company.<ref name=statement/>  

   

   

From 1989 until his retirement from public education in 1996, Patrick was superintendent for the Winslow School District<ref name=findgrave/> in Washington County, Arkansas. The Winslow district was consolidated with Greenland schools in 2004 and renamed the "Greenland School District".  Patrick was also a  school board member in St. Paul after he vacated the superintendency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/12/27/news/121906fzgreenlandteachers.txt

From 1989 until his retirement from public education in 1996, Patrick was superintendent for the Winslow School District<ref name=findgrave/> in Washington County, Arkansas. The Winslow district was consolidated with Greenland schools in 2004 and renamed the "Greenland School District".  Patrick was also a  school board member in St. Paul after he vacated the superintendency.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/12/27/news/121906fzgreenlandteachers.txt