In support of ALL women -

[dee]

Although not a breast cancer survivor, a cancer survivor, nontheless, and a courageous woman - her shoes will be hard to fill.

dee
9/14/06


Pioneering politician from Texas dies at 73
By KELLEY SHANNON



The Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas - Former Gov. Ann Richards, the witty and flamboyant Democrat who went from homemaker to national political celebrity, died Wednesday night after a battle with cancer, a family spokeswoman said. She was 73.

She died at home surrounded by her family, the spokeswoman said. Richards was found to have esophageal cancer in March and underwent chemotherapy treatments.

The silver-haired, silver-tongued Richards said she entered politics to help others - especially women and minorities who often were ignored by Texas' male-dominated establishment.

"I did not want my tombstone to read, 'She kept a really clean house.' I think I'd like them to remember me by saying, 'She opened government to everyone,' " R ichards said shortly before leaving office in January 1995.

She was governor for one term, losing her re-election bid to Republican and future President George W. Bush.

Her four adult children spent Wednesday with her, said family spokeswoman Cathy Bonner, a longtime family friend.

Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry described Richards as "the epitome of Texas politics: a figure larger than life who had a gift for captivating the public with her great wit."

She grabbed the national spotlight with her keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention when she was the Texas state treasurer. Richards sealed her partisan reputation with a blast at George H. W. Bush, who was vice president at the time: "Poor George, he can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth."

Richards rose to the governorship with a come-from-

behind victory over millionaire cowboy Clayton Williams in 1990. She cracked a half- century male grip on the governor's mansion and celebrated by holding up a T-shirt that showed the state Capitol and read: "A woman's place is in the dome."