Dixy Lee Ray

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Dixy Lee Ray

Dixy Lee Ray (born September 3, 1914 in Tacoma , Washington , † January 2, 1994 on Fox Island , Washington) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ) and from 1977 to 1981 governor of Washington state .

Early years

Dixy Ray was born under the name Marguerite Ray. At the age of twelve she had her name changed. She attended Tacoma Stadium High School and then continued her education in California . She studied marine biology at Mills College in Oakland until 1945 . She then finished her education at the renowned Stanford University . Her studies in California were funded by her work as a teacher in regular schools. She held this position between 1939 and 1942.

Academic career and political advancement

Since 1945 Ray has been an academic professor. From 1945 to 1976 she held a chair in zoology at the University of Washington. Between 1960 and 1963 she was also an advisor to the National Science Foundation in the field of marine biology. Between 1963 and 1972 she directed the Pacific Science Center in Seattle .

In addition to her academic career, Ray was also active in politics. She was a proponent of atomic energy and for this reason was appointed to the US Atomic Energy Agency by President Richard Nixon in 1972 , of which she was chairman from 1973 to 1975. There she supported the establishment of her own safety departments in order to make nuclear energy safer. Between January and July 1975, she served as the first Secretary of State for Marine, Environment and Science Affairs ( Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs ) in the US State Department .

Washington governor

In 1976, Dixy Ray was elected Governor of Washington. On January 12, 1977, she became the first woman to take office. She campaigned for a completely free elementary school in Washington and promoted trade and the economy. During her tenure, she had to deal with a severe drought. At times, water and energy had to be rationed. In line with her attitude towards nuclear energy, she promoted the construction of nuclear power plants. Her tenure also included the explosion of Mount St. Helens in 1980. Her careful precautionary measures before the eruption of the volcano saved many lives. Ray was well respected internationally in her day. In 1978 she received the United Nations Peace Prize.

On the other hand, Dixy Ray also had many opponents in his own state. Especially the supporters of their own party were put off by their sometimes very conservative views. Their support for the controversial nuclear energy and for the large oil tankers that constantly passed the coast of the country made them even less popular in more liberal circles. In addition, towards the end of her term in office, there was an economic crisis that led to a budget deficit of over a billion dollars. All of this resulted in her defeat in the 1980 gubernatorial primaries to her party competitor Jim McDermott . This was defeated in the election for governor of the Republican John Spellman .

After retiring from the governorship, Dixy Ray has retired. She never married and passed away in 1994.

literature

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personal data
SURNAME Ray, Dixy Lee
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ray, Marguerite (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH September 3, 1914
PLACE OF BIRTH Tacoma , Washington
DATE OF DEATH January 2, 1994
Place of death Fox Island , Washington