Location: Butte, Silver Bow County
On November 1, 2017, news spread across Montana of the passing of Judith 'Judy' Helen Martz, the state's first and only female governor. Martz, who had battled pancreatic cancer, died on October 30, 2017, at the age of 74 in Butte, Montana. A trailblazer in Montana politics, Martz served as the 22nd Governor of Montana from 2001 to 2005. Before her governorship, she made history as the first female Lieutenant Governor, serving from 1997 to 2001 under Governor Marc Racicot. Her political career was preceded by an impressive athletic one, as she was an Olympian speed skater, competing in the 1964 Winter Olympics. Throughout her life, Martz was a prominent figure, known for her dedication to public service and her pioneering spirit in breaking gender barriers in Montana's political landscape. Her legacy includes efforts to turn a state deficit into a surplus, reduce taxes, and increase funding for education.