U.S. political leaders remember former Tennessee first lady Honey Alexander

Leslee "Honey" Buhler Alexander, a longtime children's advocate and the wife of former Tennessee governor and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, died Saturday at age 77.

Political leaders from the state and the nation expressed their condolences Sunday, remembering Honey Alexander's legacy as an accomplished businesswoman and philanthropist and a partner throughout her husband's political career.

"Through decades in the political limelight, Honey Alexander modeled grace, charity, and public service," U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell wrote in a statement. "She brought her passion for helping children and families to the Governor's Mansion in Nashville, the University of Tennessee, the Department of Education, and — to the great good fortune of so many lucky friends — the U.S. Senate."

Honey is known for her work on policy issues related to expectant mothers and newborns. She helped shape the Healthy Children Initiative in Tennessee during Lamar Alexander's eight years as governor.

She also partnered with Marguerite Sallee and others to found the Corporate Child Care Inc., which merged with Bright Horizons in 1997.

More:Honey Alexander, longtime wife of Sen. Lamar Alexander, has died

In Nashville, she was a longtime supporter of local nonprofit Family and Children's Services, which named its new headquarters the "Honey Alexander Center" in 2019 in recognition of her contributions. She also helped found the Leadership Nashville organization in 1976. The organization now has more than 1,600 alumni.

U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney wrote that Honey and Lamar's relationship "was a love story for the ages — a partnership in every sense of the word."

"Our hearts go out to Lamar and his family with the loss of Honey," former U.S. Senator Robert Corker and his wife Elizabeth Corker wrote Sunday. "We cherish Honey's rich life of service and are grateful that Lamar and Honey have been able to be inseparable since leaving the Senate."

Tennessee Lt. Governor Randy McNally wrote that though Honey "avoided the limelight whenever possible, she was always quietly working on behalf of the children and families of our state and the nation."

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff said she was a "shining example of all that is right in our great state and our country," and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn lauded Honey as a "great champion for children and families."

Tyler Whetstone contributed.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee first lady Honey Alexander remembered by U.S. political leaders