In 1981 President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Connor to serve as a justice on the United States Supreme Court. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate 99 to 0. As the first woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court, Justice O’Connor inspired a generation of women — including the five female Justices that succeeded her — to chart a path that previously seemed unattainable. She was a well-respected jurist her whole career, being both pragmatic and moderate.
“Sandra Day O’Connor gave up lifetime tenure on the Supreme Court – a job she loved and one with extraordinary power – to care for her husband of 52 years as he deteriorated from dementia.
“That decision, in 2005, began a poignant final chapter of her extraordinary life. Her choice, at age 75, reflected her attempt to integrate the often conflicting demands of professional achievement and family expectations to changing gender roles and an aging population.
“Justice O’Connor, who died on Friday at the age of 93, had hoped to care for her husband at their home in Arizona. But when that soon became untenable, she moved him to an assisted living facility. He was unhappy about the move, but then something remarkable happened: he found romance with another woman who was a patient there.
“And Justice O’Connor, who not long before had been the most powerful woman in the country, was thrilled because he was content and comfortable again–even like a ‘teenager in love,’ as their son Scott put it. The justice kept up her regular visits, beaming next to the happy couple as they held hands on a porch swing.” (New York Times, Sunday, December 3, 2023]
Her deep commitment to her husband affects me deeply. Not only did she give up her career to care for him, but she continued to love and care for him when, in a state of dementia, he loved another woman.
I want to display that depth of love to my family and friends.
Travel with Friends Information Meeting
Join me on January 22, 7:00p.m. CST for a 45-minute information meeting on Zoom about the 2024 Travel with Friends trip to the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe.
We’ll discuss the itinerary, accommodations, and ports of calls. The Q&A will answer all your questions. If you want to attend, let me know and I’ll send you an invitation. You can download Zoom for free. You can also participate via a conference call using your mobile phone.
Here’s the brochure that we’ll discuss. Baltic-Sea-Trip-2024-Brochure-110823-Fillable
If you want to attend, email me at [email protected] or call me at 214.783.4414
Thank you for sharing this powerful story of love. What significant choices Justice O’Connor made – so selfless. She gives us much to consider.
Thanks, Sandi. It touched me deeply. BTW, I used the joke about the squirrel in our services yesterday. Thanks for the reminder.
This is an amazing peace of history. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Bill, for taking the time to respond.
Thanks, Bill.