Arizona's 1st female governor, Rose Mofford, dies at 94

PHOENIX (AP) - A former spokeswoman says Arizona's first female governor, Rose Mofford, has died at age 94.

Former Mofford spokeswoman and longtime friend Athie Hardt says Mofford died Thursday morning at a hospice she entered last month after being injured in a fall.

Mofford, a Democrat, served as governor from 1988 to 1991. She was the elected secretary of state when she took over for Republican Gov. Evan Mecham, who was impeached and driven from office.

Mofford did not run for her own term in 1990. She was succeeded by Fife Symington, who later resigned amid a real estate scandal in 1997.

She was the first of four female governors to lead the conservative state over the next two decades, including Jane Hull, Janet Napolitano and Jan Brewer.

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