Booth Gardner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Booth Gardner
19th Governor of Washington
In office January 16, 1985 – January 13, 1993
Lieutenant	John Cherberg Joel Pritchard
Preceded by	John Spellman
Succeeded by	Mike Lowry
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office July 31, 1990 – August 20, 1991
Preceded by	Terry Branstad
Succeeded by	John Ashcroft
1st Pierce County Executive
In office May 1, 1981 – January 1, 1985
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Joe Stortini
Member of the Washington Senate from the 26th district
In office January 11, 1971 – December 13, 1973
Preceded by	Larry Faulk
Succeeded by	Clifford W. Beck
Personal details
Born	William Booth Gardner (1936-08-21)August 21, 1936 Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Died	March 15, 2013(2013-03-15) (aged 76) Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Jean Forstrom ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 2001)​ Cynthia Perkins ​ ​ (m. 2001; div. 2008)​
Education	University of Washington, Seattle (BA) Harvard University (MBA)

William Booth Gardner (born August 21, 1936 – died March 15, 2013) was an American politician. He served as the 19th Governor of Washington from 1985 to 1993. Before becoming governor, he was a state senator and the first Pierce County Executive. Gardner was a member of the Democratic Party. He was known for his work on education standards and protecting the environment.

Early Life and Education

Booth Gardner was born in Tacoma, Washington, on August 21, 1936. He went to Clover Park Junior High and then graduated from Lakeside School in Seattle. When he was 14, his mother and sister passed away in a plane crash.

Gardner studied at the University of Washington and later at Harvard Business School. His stepfather, Norton Clapp, was one of the original owners of the famous Space Needle in Seattle.

Early Career and Sports

Before his political career, Booth Gardner had an interest in sports. He co-owned the Tacoma Tides, a soccer team that played for one year. He also coached soccer teams part-time, including the Tacoma Cozars. Later, in 1978, he co-owned another soccer team, the Colorado Caribous.

Serving as Governor of Washington (1985–1993)

In 1984, Booth Gardner ran for governor of Washington state. He won the Democratic primary election. Then, in the main election, he defeated the current Republican governor, John Spellman.

Gardner was very popular and was easily re-elected for a second term in 1988. He decided not to run for a third term.

Key Achievements as Governor

During his time as governor, Booth Gardner achieved many important things:

• He signed a law to create a health care program. This program helped provide medical insurance for people who were working but had low incomes.
• He helped create plans for land use and growth. These plans made Washington a leader in protecting the environment early on.
• He directed a lot of money to state universities, helping them grow and improve.
• He increased the use of standardized tests in public schools to help measure student learning.
• He improved legal protections for gay people in the state.
• In 1992, he signed a law to prevent the sale of certain music to people under 18. This was meant to protect young people.

Later Years and Health Advocacy

After he retired from being governor in 1993, Booth Gardner was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1994. This is a condition that affects the brain and causes problems with movement.

Advocacy for People with Illnesses

Living with Parkinson's disease made Gardner passionate about helping others facing serious illnesses. In 2008, he led a successful campaign for Initiative 1000. This law, called Washington's Death With Dignity Act, aimed to give people with terminal illnesses more choices about their end-of-life care. He continued to be involved in making sure the law worked well. Gardner believed in supporting people who were suffering greatly, even if they didn't have a terminal condition.

Documentary Film

In 2009, a short film called The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner was made. It showed his work on the Initiative 1000 campaign. This film was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

Education Reform

Gardner also supported getting rid of the WASL test. This was a standardized test that high school students had to pass to graduate. In 2009, new tests replaced the WASL for different grade levels.

Booth Gardner passed away at his home in Tacoma, Washington, on March 15, 2013. He was 76 years old and died from Parkinson's disease.