Marilyn Lloyd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marilyn Lloyd
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | LaMar Baker |
| Succeeded by | Zach Wamp |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rachel Marilyn Laird
January 3, 1929 Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | September 19, 2018 (aged 89) Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Robert E. Davison (his death) Morton C. Lloyd (his death) Joseph P. Bouquard (divorced) Robert Fowler (his death) |
| Children | 4 |
Marilyn Lloyd (born Rachel Marilyn Laird) was an American politician and businesswoman. She was born on January 3, 1929, and passed away on September 19, 2018. She served for 20 years in the United States House of Representatives, from 1975 to 1995.
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Early Life and Business Career
Marilyn Lloyd was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1929. Her father was a pastor. She finished high school in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1945. She also went to Shorter College in Rome, Georgia.
Before becoming a politician, Marilyn owned a radio station called WTTI. This station was located in Dalton, Georgia. She also owned an aviation business named Executive Aviation. This business was in Winchester, Tennessee.
Marilyn Lloyd was married four times and had four children. Her second husband, Mort Lloyd, was a popular TV news anchor.
Becoming a Member of Congress
Marilyn Lloyd's journey into politics began in a surprising way. Her husband, Mort Lloyd, decided to run for Congress in 1974. He wanted to represent Tennessee's 3rd congressional district. Mort won the first round of voting, called the primary election.
Sadly, Mort Lloyd died in an airplane crash shortly after his primary victory. The Democratic Party then chose Marilyn to take his place on the ballot. She ran against the current Republican Congressman, LaMar Baker.
Marilyn Lloyd won the election in November. Many Republican politicians lost their seats that year. This was largely due to the Watergate scandal, which made many people lose trust in the government.
Serving in the House of Representatives
Marilyn Lloyd made history when she was elected. She became the first woman from Tennessee to be elected to the United States Congress for a full term. Other women from Tennessee had served before her, but only for short periods to finish their husbands' terms.
Marilyn was seen as a conservative Democrat. This meant she often held views that were more traditional than some other Democrats. Her ideas usually matched what her voters in Tennessee believed.
Marilyn served on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. This committee dealt with laws about science and technology. Her district included Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which has important nuclear power facilities. She strongly supported projects like the Clinch River Breeder Reactor in Oak Ridge.
She also served on other important committees. These included the Committee on Public Works and the Armed Services Committee.
Advocacy for Women's Health
In 1977, women in the House of Representatives formed a group called the Women's Caucus. At first, Marilyn Lloyd did not join this group. She was worried it might not be popular with her voters.
Later, she did join the caucus but left it in 1980. She had some political disagreements with the group. However, Marilyn Lloyd was a strong supporter of women's health.
In 1991, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After this, she became a big advocate for breast cancer treatment. She also worked to improve women's health care. She helped create the Mammography Quality Standards Act, which became a law in 1992.
Leaving Congress
In 1992, Marilyn Lloyd had a very close election. She won by only 2,900 votes against Zach Wamp. This was one of the closest races she ever had.
The closeness of this election likely influenced her decision not to run again in 1994. She chose to retire after serving ten terms in Congress. She even supported Zach Wamp, her former opponent, when he ran for Congress that year.
After Congress and Legacy
After retiring from Congress, Marilyn Lloyd lived a quieter life. In 1999, a building at Oak Ridge National Laboratory was named in her honor. It is called the Marilyn Lloyd Environmental and Life Sciences Research Complex.
Her official papers from her time in Congress are kept at the library of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Marilyn Lloyd passed away on September 19, 2018, at her home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She was 89 years old.
See also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
