Joan Finney
Encyclopedia
Joan Finney served as the 42nd Governor of Kansas
from 1991 to 1995.
She was born Joan Marie McInroy in Topeka, Kansas
, the daughter of Leonard and Mary Sands McInroy. She graduated from high school
in Manhattan, Kansas
in 1942. In 1957, she married Spencer Finney, Jr. and had three children, Sarah "Sally" Finney Timm, Richard Finney, and Mary Finney Holladay. In 1978, she graduated from Washburn University
with a degree in economic history. From 1953 to 1969, she served on the staff of Republican
U.S. Senator Frank Carlson
. From 1970 to 1972, she served as Commissioner of Elections for Shawnee County, Kansas
. In 1972, running as a Republican, she was an unsuccessful candidate for a U.S. House seat. After switching her political affiliation from Republican to Democrat, she served as State Treasurer from 1975 to 1991. Her staff her first term as Treasurer included Nancy Claggett and Kathleen Boston Cole as Deputies. After upsetting former Governor John W. Carlin
in the 1990 Democratic primary for Governor, she defeated incumbent Republican Mike Hayden
in the general election becoming the first woman to defeat an incumbent Governor in a general election in the United States.
In addition to being the State of Kansas's first female governor, she was Kansas' oldest governor, taking office at age 65, Kansas' first Roman Catholic Governor, and also one of the few pro-life
Democratic Governors of her timehttp://www.euthanasia.com/feminist.html.
Following her term as Governor, in 1996, she ran for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Bob Dole
, but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Jill Docking, who later lost the general election to Sam Brownback
. While her pro-life
stance was seen as one of the main reasons she lost the primary elections, it was widely believed that she would have been a stronger general election candidate against her Republican opponent.
She died from complications of liver cancer
at the St Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Topeka, and is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Topeka.
Governor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
from 1991 to 1995.
She was born Joan Marie McInroy in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, the daughter of Leonard and Mary Sands McInroy. She graduated from high school
Manhattan High School
Manhattan High School is a fully accredited public high school in Manhattan, Kansas, serving students in grades 9-12. It is part of the Unified School District No. 383. For the 2010–2011 school year, Manhattan High had an enrollment of 1,984 students....
in Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281...
in 1942. In 1957, she married Spencer Finney, Jr. and had three children, Sarah "Sally" Finney Timm, Richard Finney, and Mary Finney Holladay. In 1978, she graduated from Washburn University
Washburn University
Washburn University is a co-educational, public institution of higher learning in Topeka, Kansas, USA. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and business. Washburn has 550 faculty members, who teach more than 6,400 undergraduate students and...
with a degree in economic history. From 1953 to 1969, she served on the staff of Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
U.S. Senator Frank Carlson
Frank Carlson
Frank Carlson was an American politician who served as the 30th Governor of Kansas and United States Representative and United States Senator from Kansas.-Biography:...
. From 1970 to 1972, she served as Commissioner of Elections for Shawnee County, Kansas
Shawnee County, Kansas
Shawnee County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States of America. Its most populous city, Topeka, is the state capital and county seat. The county's population was 177,934 for the 2010 census...
. In 1972, running as a Republican, she was an unsuccessful candidate for a U.S. House seat. After switching her political affiliation from Republican to Democrat, she served as State Treasurer from 1975 to 1991. Her staff her first term as Treasurer included Nancy Claggett and Kathleen Boston Cole as Deputies. After upsetting former Governor John W. Carlin
John W. Carlin
John William Carlin served as fortieth Governor of Kansas from 1979 to 1987, and Archivist of the United States from May 30, 1995, to February 15, 2005.-Biography:...
in the 1990 Democratic primary for Governor, she defeated incumbent Republican Mike Hayden
Mike Hayden
John Michael Hayden, was the 41st Governor of Kansas. He subsequently served as Secretary of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Department under governors Kathleen Sebelius and Mark Parkinson.-Early life:...
in the general election becoming the first woman to defeat an incumbent Governor in a general election in the United States.
In addition to being the State of Kansas's first female governor, she was Kansas' oldest governor, taking office at age 65, Kansas' first Roman Catholic Governor, and also one of the few pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
Democratic Governors of her timehttp://www.euthanasia.com/feminist.html.
Following her term as Governor, in 1996, she ran for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
, but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Jill Docking, who later lost the general election to Sam Brownback
Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996...
. While her pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
stance was seen as one of the main reasons she lost the primary elections, it was widely believed that she would have been a stronger general election candidate against her Republican opponent.
She died from complications of liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
at the St Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Topeka, and is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Topeka.