Anne Armstrong: 1927-2008

South Texas political legend Anne Legendre Armstrong, 80, died of cancer in a Houston hospice early this morning, her office has confirmed.
Armstrong, a former U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain and sitting Kenedy County Commissioner, played a conquering role in Republican politics as a national leader of the party, serving as a cabinet-level adviser to Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford and an adviser to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush on foreign intelligence.

It's amazing that she accomplished this all while living on a ranch in south Texas between Corpus Christi and the Mexican border.

ANNE ARMSTRONG TIMELINE
1927– Born Dec. 27 in New Orleans.
1942– Met South Texas rancher Tobin Armstrong on a visit to the King Ranch.
1949– Graduated from Vassar College in New York.
1950– Married in April, moved to Armstrong Ranch in Kenedy County.
1952– Began volunteer precinct work with Republican Party in Raymondville.
1961– Named to state Republican executive committee.
1964 and 1968– State delegate to Republican National Convention; committeewoman from Texas in 1968.
1966– Named state Republican vice chairwoman.
1971– Elected co-chairwoman of Republican National Committee (first for a woman).
1972– Gave keynote speech at Republican National Convention (first by a woman).
1973– Named counselor to President Nixon, with full Cabinet status (first for a woman).
1975-77– U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain under President Ford (first for a woman).
1980– Co-chairwoman of Reagan-Bush national campaign.
1981– Named chairwoman of Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board under Reagan, serving with Henry Kissinger, James Baker, others; continued until 1990.
1986– Inducted in the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame
1987– Received Presidential Medal of Freedom
1987– Named trustee of Center for Strategic and International Studies; served in various positions until her death.
1997– Appointed a regent of Texas A&M University System by Gov. George W. Bush; term expired in 2003.
2000– Awarded the Y Women in Careers Lifetime Achievement Award by the Corpus Christi YWCA.
2001– Appointed committee member on the Texas Task Force on Homeland Security
2005– Assumed post as Kenedy County Commissioner Precinct 3 following husband Tobin Armstrong’s death; served until her death


In addition to her public life, she has also served on the boards of many important United States corporations including American Express, Boise Cascade, Halliburton, and General Motors.