Republican senator’s wife dies after cancer battle

The wife of Republican senator John Barrasso has died after a two-year battle with glioblastoma brain cancer.

Mr Barrasso’s office released a statement thanking everyone on behalf of their family for their prayers and continued support.

“After a courageous battle with cancer, Bobbi is now at peace and at home with the Lord,” Mr Barrasso wrote.

“In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Bobbi was a leader, fierce advocate for Wyoming, and friend to everyone she met. We miss her dearly,” he added.

Bobbi Barrasso passed away in Casper, Wyoming, on Wednesday evening, Mr Barrasso’s office told Fox News Digital. 

She was a Wyoming native and grew up in Thermopolis, according to a profile of her on the Meridian International Center’s website, a non-profit diplomacy centre, whose 48th annual ball the couple co-chaired in 2016.

She graduated from the University of Wyoming, with degrees in both speech pathology and law and had a long career in public service, working for senators such as Malcolm Wallop and Craig Thomas.

She is most noted by Meridian for her work with the group Congressional Spouses for Suicide Prevention and Education.

“Through this group, she’s been able to lend her voice to promote awareness in an effort to save lives in Wyoming and across the country,” the website stated.

Through this work, she was recognised with the award of the 2015 National Alliance on Mental Illness Wyoming Champion of Suicide Prevention.

Meridian also disclosed that she was a breast cancer survivor, which led her to work with the Susan G Komen for the Cure breast cancer foundation.

The Wyoming congresswoman Harriet Hageman also released a statement following the death of Barrasso, reminiscing about their time at law school together.

“I first remember Bobbi Barrasso as Bobbi Brown, that was her name when we met while attending law school together in Laramie,” she wrote.

“Bobbi was always warm to everyone, welcoming them with a big smile and a kind word. She served our state both in her career and alongside her husband, Senator Barrasso. My prayers are with Bobbi’s entire family.”

Other politicians also sent their sympathies to Mr Barrasso, such as Mike Pence, speaker Mike Johnson and the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, whom Mr Barrasso is a member of.

The couple reportedly wed in 2008, and Mr Barrasso “wore his love for Bobbi on his sleeve”, the minority leader Mitch McConnell wrote in a statement on Bobbi Barrasso’s passing.