The court says she died in Phoenix on Friday, of complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness.
In 2018, she announced that she had been diagnosed with “the beginning stages of dementia, probably Alzheimer’s disease.” Her husband, John O’Connor, died of complications of Alzheimer’s in 2009.
O’Connor’s nomination in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan and subsequent confirmation by the Senate ended 191 years of male exclusivity on the high court. A native of Arizona who grew up on her family’s sprawling ranch, O’Connor wasted little time building a reputation as a hard worker who wielded considerable political clout on the nine-member court.
She retired to care for her husband, who wound up dying 3 years later. It was no benevolent choice. She also was free to do so as Republican Bush got to pick the replacement, who would up being Alito.
This seems pretty benevolent?
What I mean is it’s not like she said justices should retire by that age. If not for her husband’s poor health, she would have stayed much longer. She also likely would have ignored her husband’s health had Gore or Kerry had been president. She had the convenience of being a Republican with a Republican President with a Republican 55-45 Senate majority to ensure a Conservative replacement.
Ah ok that makes more sense to me