403:. Matheson recruited and campaigned for candidates for state and national office. Meghan Holbrook, head of the state party, credited Matheson with the success of both of the party and the Matheson family in politics, calling her "politically shrewd", saying, "She could play three-dimensional chess. I know she advised her sons, and their father was a terrific man, but I think Norma had the political instinct in the family. And all in a velvet glove." In 2000, Norma Matheson recommended her son,
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elections in Utah. Matheson, Leavitt, and his wife, former Utah first lady Jackie
Leavitt, worked alongside each other on other projects over several decades, including electoral reform, voting rights legislation, and the preservation of the governor's mansion. Leavitt called Matheson "one of Utah's
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Matheson also served on a number of other civic, governmental, education and philanthropic boards and committees. These included the Utah
Governor's Commission on Aging, Salt Lake League of Women Voters, the Utah Women's Legislative Council, the Alliance for Unity, the
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declined to seek re-election for a potential fourth term, leading Scott
Matheson to enter the gubernatorial election. By her own accounts, Norma Matheson was the last in her family to endorse her husband's decision to enter the race.
348:
Norma
Matheson served as First Lady of Utah from 1977 to 1985 during the two terms of her husband. Matheson focused on projects related to children, the elderly and education during her tenure as first lady. She visited every
474:, and University of Utah School of Nursing. She also headed the Scott M. Matheson Leadership Forum, named for her husband, where she conducted interviews for Matheson Leadership Scholarship candidates, including for
238:, was considered a pioneer for women in Utah politics and the matriarch of the Matheson political family. Her prominent role in state politics earned her the nickname "godmother" of the
509:
Matheson remained active until her diagnosis with leukemia. She died from complications of the illness on July 28, 2019, at the age of 89. Matheson was survived by her four children -
454:, despite local controversy surrounding the plan. Additionally, Matheson served on the board of directors for the Grand Canyon Trust, which works to preserve the region surrounding the
521:, and Tom Matheson; her brother, Jim Warenski; nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Tributes poured in from across Utah's political spectrum, including from Republican
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525:, who called her "the perfect teammate" for Governor Matheson during both their careers. Norma Matheson was buried next to her husband in Parowan City Cemetery in
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of the
Governor and their families. Years after leaving the position, Matheson also assisted then-Governor Mike Mike Leavitt and First Lady
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486:, "Receiving it gave me the opportunity to pursue politics and public policy and to endeavor to follow in their very large footsteps."
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in Utah to call attention to issues affecting the state's senior citizen population. Matheson also oversaw the restoration of the
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263:, on September 13, 1929, to Leo and Ardella Warenski. Her father was a rural doctor. As a child, she moved with her parents to
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442:, which are now protected as the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve. Norma Matheson also advocated for the creation of new
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384:. Scott M. Matheson died from the illness on October 7, 1990, at just 61-years old, leaving the former first lady a
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Following her husband's death, Matheson continued to champion numerous political, civic, environmental, and
478:. McAdams credited the scholarship awarded by Matheson with launching his political career as the Mayor of
309:. The couple moved back to Utah and constructed a home next to her parents house. They had four children -
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317:(born 1960), and Tom Matheson. Norma Matheson raised the children while serving as president of the
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501:. Leavitt, Matheson, Miller, and their organization successfully lobbied for a new law allowing
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388:. At the time of his death, Matheson was quoted as saying, "All I wanted was 10 more years."
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with their restoration efforts of the governor's residence following a fire in 1993.
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434:, an environmental organization. During her tenure, The Nature Conservancy acquired
785:"In their words: Utah political leaders remember Norma Matheson, former first lady"
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causes. She was highly active as a political strategist for the national and state
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On August 25, 1951, she married Scott
Matheson while he was still studying at
224:
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601:"Norma Matheson, the 'godmother' of the Utah Democratic Party, dies at 89"
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greatest first ladies" and " stalwart Utahn" following her death in 2019.
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before entering politics in 1976. That same year, incumbent Utah
Governor
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In 2013, Norma
Matheson partnered with former Republican Utah Governor
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817:"Family, friends pay tribute to former Utah first lady Norma Matheson"
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to create "Count My Vote", a bipartisan effort to push for state
215:(September 13, 1929 – July 28, 2019) was an American politician,
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135:
37:
722:"Prospective first ladies supportive in very different ways"
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so her father could attend medical school to become an
754:"Norma Matheson, Leavitt to help lead Count My Vote"
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United States Court of
Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
372:in 1989, which was believed to have been caused by
231:from 1977 until 1985. Matheson, the wife of former
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450:at the declaration ceremony for the creation of
399:, earning her the nickname "matriarch" of the
8:
660:"Former Utah first lady Norma Matheson dies"
426:Matheson served as a longtime member of the
452:Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument
50:January 3, 1977 – January 7, 1985
18:
533:in Salt Lake City on September 1, 2019.
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446:in Utah. In 1996, she joined President
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529:. Her memorial service was held at
864:First ladies and gentlemen of Utah
368:Scott Matheson was diagnosed with
14:
409:Utah's 2nd congressional district
411:during a brainstorming session.
829:from the original on 2019-09-14
797:from the original on 2019-07-31
766:from the original on 2020-01-28
734:from the original on 2020-01-28
720:Stewart, Kirtsen (2004-10-25).
672:from the original on 2020-01-26
613:from the original on 2019-07-29
531:This Is The Place Heritage Park
278:The family returned to live in
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16:American politician (1929–2019)
419:and served seven terms in the
286:. She met her future husband,
1:
815:Maffley, Brian (2019-09-01).
752:Gehrke, Robert (2013-09-13).
658:Romboy, Dennis (2019-07-29).
599:Gehrke, Robert (2019-07-29).
904:21st-century American women
517:, Lu Matheson, former U.S.
329:Scott Matheson worked as a
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899:People from Salt Lake City
313:(born 1953), Lu Matheson,
889:University of Utah alumni
879:American conservationists
700:Utah History Encyclopedia
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417:2000 congressional race
355:Utah Governor's Mansion
894:The Nature Conservancy
869:Women in Utah politics
432:The Nature Conservancy
338:Union Pacific Railroad
319:League of Women Voters
407:, as a candidate for
401:Utah Democratic Party
336:and a lawyer for the
257:Norma Louise Warenski
240:Utah Democratic Party
213:Norma Louise Matheson
102:Norma Louise Warenski
468:USU Botanical Center
413:James David Matheson
405:James David Matheson
217:political strategist
874:Activists from Utah
695:"Scott M. Matheson"
484:U.S. Representative
374:radioactive fallout
307:Stanford Law School
515:Scott Matheson Jr.
493:and businesswoman
444:national monuments
428:board of directors
359:official residence
311:Scott Matheson Jr.
300:University of Utah
255:Matheson was born
223:who served as the
201:University of Utah
112:September 13, 1929
822:Salt Lake Tribune
790:Salt Lake Tribune
759:Salt Lake Tribune
727:Salt Lake Tribune
693:McCormick, John.
606:Salt Lake Tribune
292:bachelor's degree
288:Scott M. Matheson
236:Scott M. Matheson
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158:Scott M. Matheson
83:Colleen Bangerter
59:Scott M. Matheson
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219:, activist, and
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793:. 2019-07-30.
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674:. Retrieved
665:Deseret News
663:
615:. Retrieved
604:
523:Gary Herbert
519:Jim Matheson
508:
503:open primary
491:Mike Leavitt
488:
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456:Grand Canyon
448:Bill Clinton
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315:Jim Matheson
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273:obstetrician
265:Philadelphia
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127:(2019-07-28)
78:Succeeded by
45:
859:2019 deaths
854:1929 births
495:Gail Miller
476:Ben McAdams
342:Cal Rampton
261:Nephi, Utah
115:Nephi, Utah
66:Preceded by
848:Categories
833:2020-01-28
801:2020-01-28
770:2020-01-28
738:2020-01-28
706:2020-01-28
676:2020-01-28
617:2020-01-28
537:References
440:Moab, Utah
380:in nearby
334:Prosecutor
251:Early life
225:First Lady
196:Alma mater
146:Democratic
108:1929-09-13
34:First Lady
472:Hogle Zoo
298:from the
246:Biography
827:Archived
795:Archived
764:Archived
732:Archived
670:Archived
611:Archived
458:and the
438:outside
436:wetlands
415:won the
233:Governor
180:Children
55:Governor
296:zoology
174:
166:
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46:In role
513:judge
482:and a
470:, the
382:Nevada
357:, the
325:Career
152:Spouse
117:, U.S.
386:widow
376:from
185:Scott
168:(
164:
430:for
267:and
229:Utah
187:and
136:Utah
122:Died
98:Born
38:Utah
294:in
259:in
227:of
189:Jim
36:of
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