IN MEMORIAM: Molly Ivins

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Only three times in our history have we at Capitol Annex declared a moratorium on posting. In both instances, it was for former state leaders. We did so for the death of former Senator Lloyd Bentsen and for former Governor Ann Richards.

Today, we do so in memory of Molly Ivins. Though she was not a publicly elected official, she was a journalist. And, in our book, journalists and elected officials are both public servants. And there was no more dedicated a public servant to the progressive cause than Molly Ivins.
Following this article, unless there is some breaking news that simply cannot wait, we will "go dark" until 10:00 a.m. Thursday with the exception of publishing additional information about arrangements for Ms. Ivins or reaction to her passing.—VL]

IN MEMORIUM: MOLLY IVINS (1944-2007)

Molly Ivins was born August 30, 1944 as Mary Tyler Ivins. She died today at her Austin home after a seven-year battle with breast cancer.
Molly Ivins completed her secondary education at St. John’s School in Houston and earned a BA from Smith College in 1966 and a Masters in Journalism from Columbia University, one of the nation’s premier journalism schools.

Ivins first media job was in the complaint department of the Houston Chronicle. Later, she worked as a beat reporter for the Chron covering city government. After a stint at the Chronicle, she went to the Minneapolis Tribune where she ecame the first female police reporter in that city’s history.
In 1970, Ivins returned to Texas where she worked at the Texas Observer until 1976, including serving for a time as its editor.

Following her tenure with the Observer, Ivins went to work for the New York Times from 1976 until 1982. After a departure from the NYT, Ivins worked for the Dallas Times Herald until its “fire sale,” in 1992 when she went to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

IN 2001, Ivins became an independent writer and her column, distributed by Creators Syndicate, appeared in nearly 400 newspapers nationwide at the time of her death.