I was with a young woman when I found out that Sandra Day O’Connor had died. “Who is that?” she asked. “She was the first female Justice on the Supreme Court,” I replied. She told me that she was embarrassed not to know that, but that her life is full with babies, work, and staying fit. I remember those days so clearly!

“That truly is enough for anyone,” I said. But I was sad because she had no idea there was a “before” Sandra Day O’Connor, and how much it meant when President Ronald Reagan appointed her. Also, I had the pleasure of meeting Justice O’Connor soon after she had stepped down from the Bench. Her husband, in a wheelchair, was with her, on a rare night when he was away from the facility where he was living. He had advanced Alzheimer’s Disease, which, sadly, she succumbed to, as well. The night I met her, we were at a “ball” and she was gliding across the floor with the president of the organization hosting. She was aglow, tall, and well-built, and I was mesmerized. It is fascinating to me how some people light up a room with their very presence.

Justice O’Connor was unique from the start of her career. Upon graduation from Stanford University Law School in 1952, Ms. O’Connor had difficulty finding a paying job as an attorney in a law firm because of her gender. She offered to work for no salary and without an office, sharing space with a secretary until she was awarded a paying position. She went on to serve as assistant Attorney General of Arizona until she filled a vacancy in the Arizona Senate. All who speak of her describe her “no-nonsense, get the job done, whatever it takes” attitude. It served her well as she became the amazingly accomplished woman we revere today.

1952…2023! Look at where women have traveled in the work world and our impact in these past 70 years. According to government statistics, women account for close to 52% of the labor force, and close to 49% of women are the primary or co-breadwinners for their families. And that is in addition to being the primary caretaker for children, spouses, and aging parents. We interface with our children’s schools, provide medical care when needed, run the household, and support each other. We are an incredible gender.

My generation, for the most part, has left the workforce, but we have certainly made our mark. I like to believe that, like Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, we will be missed for our contributions and impact. She caught the attention of the most powerful man in the United States and President Reagan had enough confidence in her to cement her place in history. There are very few women in her sphere, but I believe she would be the first to acknowledge that we all deserve recognition for doing and being all we were able to be.

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