BISMARCK, N.D. – William L. Guy, a farmer and North Dakota's longest-serving governor, died Friday. He was 93.

"Bill Guy was a giant," former U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad said. "All of us who served in office stood on his shoulders."

Guy was elected to four terms as governor from 1960 through 1972.

Nancy Guy said her father loved "every minute" of his time in politics.

"He entered politics when there was much graft and corruption and he worked hard to clean that up," she said.

The State Historical Society said Guy's election as governor on the Democratic-Non Partisan League ticket established the two-party system in North Dakota, which had been largely dominated by Republican politics. It also credited him with bringing three sugar beet refineries and large scale coal-fired electrical generation to North Dakota.

Guy is survived by his wife, Jean, and their five children.