Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Passes Away at Age 93

by Charlotte Hazard

Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman ever to be appointed to the Supreme Court, dies at 93. 

The court announced on Friday that she died due to “complications related to advanced dementia.”

O’Connor was appointed to the court by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. She retired in 2006. 

“A daughter of the American Southwest, Sandra Day O’Connor blazed an historic trail as our Nation’s first female Justice,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement, according to CBS News.

“She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor,” he continued. “We at the Supreme Court mourn the loss of a beloved colleague, a fiercely independent defender of the rule of law, and an eloquent advocate for civics education. And we celebrate her enduring legacy as a true public servant and patriot.” 

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Charlotte Hazard is a 2022 Liberty University alumni who graduated with a major in journalism and a minor in government.
Photo “Sandra Day O’Connor” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.