Liz Carpenter has passed

[sonias]

AAS 3/20/10
Liz Carpenter dead at 89

Liz Carpenter, a prolific author and humorist who served as press secretary in the White House to both Vice President Lyndon Johnson and later to Lady Bird Johnson when Mrs. Johnson was first lady in the 1960s, died this morning at University Medical Center Brackenridge in Austin.

She was 89.

Carpenter, who once described dying as "going to that great Democratic convention in the sky," was known for her quick wit and political humor. With roots sunk deep in the Lone Star State - her relatives fought for women's suffrage, one died at the Alamo and a great-great-uncle wrote the Texas Declaration of Independence - the sixth-generation Texan was a much sought after storyteller for events ranging from dinner parties to elaborate conventions.

She worked for four presidents and was a tireless champion of women's rights. But most of all, she is remembered as a true friend by those who knew her well.

"She has always been a touchstone, the kind of original, irreplaceable friend about whom one thinks in good times and bad, "What would Liz do?" or "I wish Liz were here," or "I'm going to call Liz," said Gloria Steinem, a close friend who worked with Carpenter during the women's rights movement. "I don't want to think about a world in which she's not at the other end of the phone."

"Liz Carpenter was a force of nature, " said Luci Johnson. She was passionate about and fiercely loyal to her gender, her family, the Democratic Party, her countless friends, journalism, the University of Texas and the President and First Lady she served with relentless enthusiasm and talent."

May Liz Carpenter rest in peace. May she now dance freely with all the great Texas women, at that great Democratic convention in the sky, who are there to welcome her - Barbara Jordan, Ann Richards, Lady Bird Johnson, Molly Ivins. Have a hell of welcome party for her!

:grouphug:

[sonias]

1. Here's a couple of fiesty ladies

I'm sure Granny D. will recognize Liz and welcome her too.



:dem:

[Lithos]

2. She was a great lady

The world is much richer because of her work and poorer now she has passed.

L-

[sonias]

3. Well said

:toast:

I found out at our Democratic Party Convention today. He had a moment of silence for her. I knew she had moved into an assisted living community recently, but it was still sad. She lived a hell of a good life and I'm sure she was happy for most of it too.

:dem:

[sonias]

4. Texas Tribune video

Evan Smith with some Texas Monthly video interview with Liz:

TribBlog: Liz Carpenter Leaves Us
(snip)
I knew her for many years as one of the most dogged advocates you'd ever meet for, well, whatever she was advocating for at the time. Her phone calls would come at all hours of the day and night, and they would always start in the middle, as if we'd already been talking about the thing in question for hours and I knew perfectly well what she wanted me to do and how and when. In recent years, the sight of her in that scooter, tearing down an aisle to the front of an event where, naturally, crowds would part and chairs would disappear to make room for her in the first row, was something to behold.

Five years ago I brought a crew from Austin's public television station, KLRU, to her house in Westalke to interview her for Texas Monthly Talks. Funny to watch that video now, as she seems very much with us. I half-expect her to call me demanding that we re-air the show RIGHT THIS MINUTE. Rest in peace, Tiger.

:applause:

[Lithos]

5. Tiger

A fitting description of this lady. I met her only a handful of times as a bystander at some event or another. There was no denying her can-do attitude and energy.

L-

[sonias]

6. Talent as big as Texas led Carpenter to Washington

AAS changed the story link. The link in the OP doesn't work anymore.

AAS 3/21/10
Talent as big as Texas led Carpenter to Washington
Liz Carpenter, 1920-2010
(snip)
She was born Mary Elizabeth Sutherland on Sept. 1, 1920, in a 24-room antebellum plantation home in Salado built by her great-grandfather, Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson, who founded the town of Salado and served in the Civil War.

The middle child in a family of five children, she moved to Austin when she was 7. She graduated from Austin High School, where she met her future husband. She and Leslie Carpenter attended UT, where she got her first taste of politics — she was elected vice president of the student body, the first woman to achieve that rank.

Growing up during the Depression, she became a staunch champion of the underdog and the downtrodden. She covered, and fervently believed in, Roosevelt's New Deal programs and helped Johnson launch his Great Society.

It's a nice long story on her.

:kick:

[sonias]

7. NY Times article

NY Times 3/10/10
Liz Carpenter, Journalist, Feminist and Johnson Aide, Dies at 89

(snip)
The cause of death was pneumonia, her daughter, Christy Carpenter, said in a telephone interview on Saturday. She said her mother had been admitted to University Medical Center Brackenridge in Austin on Wednesday.

A dedicated feminist, Ms. Carpenter was a founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus and joint chairwoman of ERAmerica, an organization that unsuccessfully fought for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s.

Before joining the White House staff, she had covered Washington as a reporter for a news service she founded with her husband, Les Carpenter.

Widely known for her caustic and sometimes bawdy wit, Ms. Carpenter was irreverent about herself and her access to power during the Johnson years in Washington. She was also one of the few White House staff members who had no qualms about giving as good as she got, no matter the source.

"Why don’t you use your head?" Mr. Johnson once bellowed at her. She bellowed back: "I’m too busy trying to use yours!"

:rofl:

[sonias]

8. Services for Liz Carpenter

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Friday at the L.B.J. Library on the University of Texas campus.

Fitting tribute!

[sonias]

9. Watching the memorial live streaming now

AAS 3/26/10
Carpenter memorial speakers

Journalist Bill Moyers, Roe v. Wade attorney Sarah Weddington and former LBJ Library Director Harry Middleton will be among the speakers at Friday's memorial service for Liz Carpenter, her family announced Wednesday.

The service, which is open to the public, is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the LBJ Auditorium on the University of Texas campus. Carpenter, an author, activist and humorist who served as press secretary to then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson and later in the same role for Lady Bird Johnson, died Saturday at 89.

The family said public seating will be limited, and the library will provide a live webcast of the service at www.lbjlibrary.org/carpenter. The auditorium doors will open at 8:30 a.m., and seating will be first-come, first-served, the family said.

Family members will also speak at the service, and Lynda Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson will also participate. A private final service is planned for Carpenter's hometown of Salado.

The LBJ Library link didn't work for me, but this one did:
www.kxan.com/generic/news/live_streaming

Her secret service code name was "Springtime". How fitting!

[sonias]

10. The memorial was lovely

I didn't get a chance to go but I watched the live stream. It was like a wake. Much more enjoyable with all the laughter.

One of my favorite stories was that Liz had a "rehearsal" funeral - it was actually a fundraiser but supposedly she dressed as an angel and insisted that everyone "eulogize her". She wanted laughter and sobbing tears at the same time.

I wish I had known her personally. I met her a few times, but I mean as a friend. She sounded like my kind of woman.

She would be one of the first women to think about when you think:
Well-behaved women rarely make history.

I bet Molly and Liz are going to shake things up in the hereafter too. O8) O8)