George E. Wimberly
George E. Wimberly (February 3, 1920- ) is manager of Buice Drug Store in the Hillcrest-Stifft Station area of Little Rock. Wimberly is a former Democratic state representative and past Little Rock mayor.
Wimberly began running Buice Drug Store when the original proprietor J. W. Buice died in the 1960s. The store, which opened in 1929, is located at 3013 West Markham Street. The store is notable as a past and present hangout of police officers and the political elite of the city. The store is located a half mile west of the Arkansas State Capitol. The store generated much notoriety in 1988 when Little Rock police chief Jess F. "Doc" Hale was arrested for stealing money from the store. Police officer Keith Rounsavall accused Wimberly of setting Hale up when hidden cameras caught the police chief taking money from the till on three separate occasions. Hale committed suicide after the incident. Rounsavall's allegations were never substantiated.
Wimberly served on the Little Rock Board of Directors during the 1960s, and then as mayor twice, from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1975 to 1976. He also served ten years in the Arkansas State House of Representatives.
His parents J. T. and Eleanor Fish Wimberly farmed near Star City, Arkansas. He was married to Coy Wimberly. George Wimberly has three sisters and two brothers: Jessie Lee Wimberly Christensen, James Wimberly, Mildred Wimberly nee Hoover, Marjorie Wimberly nee Curasco, and Charles Wimberly. George Wimberly has a son John Wimberly.
References
- John Brummet, "He'll Answer Someday, Wimberly Says," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, June 15, 1988.
- John Brummet, "Pressured Prosecutor Has Played it Straight in Hale Case," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, May 1, 1988.
- "Investigate Wimberly, Former LR Officer Asks," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 23, 1988.
- Rob Mortiz, "Hale Tapes Not Altered, Goodwin Says," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 2, 1989.
