Albert Dean Rosellini ( born January 21 , 1910 ) is a lawyer from the U.S. state of Washington . Rosellini is part of the Democratic Party and was the Governor of Washington ( 1957 -- 1965 ) for two terms . Albert Dean Rosellini ( born January 21 , 1910 ) was the 15th Governor of the state of Washington for two terms from 1957 to 1965 and was the first Italian American , Roman Catholic governor elected west of the Mississippi River .