Corinne Wood, the first female Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, has died after a 15-year battle with breast cancer. Wood served as the state’s first female lieutenant governor from 1999 to 2003 under Governor George Ryan. She would have turned 67 years old on May 28th. Wood, an attorney, served as a Republican state house member, representing the 59th District for 1 term, before becoming lieutenant governor.
In 2002, she sought the Republican nomination for governor to succeed the retiring Ryan. She finished third in the primary losing to then-Attorney General Jim Ryan. That year, Rod Blagojevich became the first Democrat to win the governor’s office since 1977.
CBS2 in Chicago and the Chicago Tribune report that Wood passed away with family by her side last night. Funeral arrangements are pending.