Lurleen Wallace earned respect as state's first female governor | INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE

Kay Ivey is Alabama’s second female governor. Lurleen Burns Wallace was the first. Appropriately, Ivey’s idol and impetus for striving to be governor was Lurleen Wallace. Ivey's first involvement in state politics was as a campaign worker for Lurleen Wallace’s 1966 race for governor when Ivey was a student at Auburn University.

It was 55 years ago, in May 1968, that our first female governor, Lurleen Wallace, died. She was a genuinely humble person. Lurleen Wallace was very popular. The state fell in love with her. She was not only beloved, she was also a good governor for the 18 months she served before she succumbed to cancer.

Her husband, George Wallace, was first elected governor in 1962. He had ridden the race issue to the governorship and had made segregation the hallmark issue of his first four years. He had become theking of segregation in the nation. He was very popular. However, he was forbidden by the Alabama Constitution from seeking a second consecutive term. At that time, the governor could not succeed himself.

The idea of George Wallace running his wife as his proxy had been tossed out by a few of his cronies as a joke. After a few weeks, the idea grew on George Wallace. He made calls around the state and began to realize that dog might hunt.

George Wallace and Lurleen Burns met when he was a 22-year-old law student at the University of Alabama. He met her at a dime store in Tuscaloosa, where she was a 16-year-old clerk. She was born and raised in Northport. They soon thereafter got married.

George Wallace’s life and devotion was to politics and being governor of Alabama. Lurleen Wallace was content to be a behind-the-scenes mother. George Wallace’s passion was politics. Lurleen Wallace’s passion was being a mother and going fishing.

Lurleen Wallace was a genuinely sweet lady. Her humble background as a dime store clerk in Northport endeared her to Alabamians. She was gracious and sincere, and people fell in love with her.

Lurleen Wallace had been diagnosed with cancer two years before the 1966 election. Although it seemed to be in remission, her health was not excellent. The campaigning was a challenge to her. She did not cherish the spotlight like George Wallace. Instead, she preferred her quiet time. She had been mother and father to four children.

However, after Lurleen Wallace agreed to run, it seemed to grow on her. She was a quick study. She got better day after day. As the crowds grew, you could feel the momentum and a surge in popularity. She seemed to experience the thrill of campaigning.

Lurleen Wallace’s landslide victory in May 1966 was astonishing. She set records for vote-getting, some of which still stand today.

She defeated nine opponents, all men, without a runoff. Left in the carnage was an illustrious field of proven veteran politicians. Included in the field she demolished were sitting Alabama General Richmond Flowers; U.S. Rep. Carl Elliott of Jasper; state Sen. Bob Gilchrist; Dothan businessman Charles Woods; two former governors, John Patterson and James "Big Jim" Folsom; popular state Agriculture Commissioner A.W. Todd; and, of course, Shorty Price.

She then went on to trounce the most popular Republican in the state, U.S. Rep. Jim Martin, by a two-to-one margin.

Lurleen Wallace became governor in January 1967. She warmed to the job and made a very good governor. She let George Wallace know that she was governor. However, she lived less than two years after she took office.

Soon after her inauguration she visited the state’s mental hospital in her native Tuscaloosa County. She was so moved by the deplorable conditions that she made it her mission to improve the mental health facilities in the state. She gave one of the most moving speeches ever delivered before a Legislature, which resulted in passage of a major bond issue to support mental health.

Lurleen Wallace was also instrumental in the creation of a major cancer center at UAB. It came to pass after her death.

She became beloved by Alabamians. She showed amazing grace and courage as she battled against cancer. When she died, the outpouring of sympathy from people of the state was unparalleled. Thousands of Alabamians filed by her casket in the Capitol rotunda. Schools let out and students came to Montgomery from all over the state to pay their final respects for our lady governor.

Steve Flowers served 16 years in the Alabama Legislature. Readers can email him at steve@steveflowers.us.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Lurleen Wallace made history as governor | INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE