Joan Finney

ABOUT JOAN FINNEY

First female governor of Kansas, an office she served from 1991 to 1995. She was also her state's first Roman Catholic Governor and one of the few pro-life Democrats of her time.

She graduated from Washburn University in 1978.

She was Kansas's oldest governor, taking office at the age of 65.

She was married to her husband Spencer until her death.

In 1996 she ran for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Bob Dole but was defeated.