By Chase Hunter and Maria Polletta | Arizona Republic
Carolyn Warner, an education leader and advocate who nearly became Arizona’s first female governor, died of cancer Tuesday.
She was 88.
“Arizona has lost an icon,” Phoenix Mayor Thelda Williams said in a statement Wednesday. “A trailblazer in her own right — Carolyn Warner leaves a legacy of tireless dedication and advocacy for public education that will always be remembered.”
The chairwoman and founder of Corporate Education Consulting began her political career nearly 50 years ago as a Phoenix Union High School District board member. The mother of six said she was approached to run after moving to Phoenix from Oklahoma in 1953.
“Carolyn was my mentor. It’s no exaggeration to say (and I told her this many times) that every single time I spoke to her she gave me advice I will always remember. I’ll miss her wisdom, her always optimistic attitude, her ability to command any room she entered, her raspy voice and her love of life. God bless her and her amazing family.”
