Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, has died at 93 on Friday.
She died in Phoenix, Ariz., “of complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, and a respiratory illness,” according to a statement released by the Supreme Court.
“A daughter of the American Southwest, Sandra Day O’Connor blazed an historic trail as our Nation’s first female Justice,” said chief justice John Roberts. “She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor.”
“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,” he added. “And we celebrate her enduring legacy as a true public servant and patriot.”
O’Connor was appointed to the High Court in 1981 by Ronald Reagan and served until her retirement in 2006.
During her tenure, O’Connor was joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was appointed by Bill Clinton in 1993. Ginsburg served as the second female justice on the High Court until her death in 2020. Four other women have since joined the Court: Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
O’Connor stepped away from public life in 2018 after being diagnosed with early stages of dementia.
“While the final chapter of my life with dementia may be trying, nothing has diminished my gratitude and deep appreciation for the countless blessings in my life,” she wrote in a letter at the time, while noting her trailblazing career.
“How fortunate I feel to be an American and to have been presented with the remarkable opportunities available to the citizens of our country,” the retired justice added. “As a young cowgirl from the Arizona desert, I never could have imagined that one day I would become the first woman justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.”
O’Connor provided several key votes throughout her judicial career in consequential cases such as Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992, which upheld abortion 30 years before Roe v. Wade was overturned, and Bush v. Gore in 2000, which stopped the recounting of votes in Florida after that year’s presidential election. The latter decision reversed the Florida supreme court’s ruling, giving George W. Bush the election victory over former vice president Al Gore.