Ruth Ann Minner: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Ruth Ann Minner (born January 17, 1935) is an American politician and the current governor of Delaware. Minner, a Democrat, is Delaware's first female governor.

Biography

Minner was born and grew up on a small farm near Milford. While growing up, she left high school at age 16 to help support her family and marry Frank Ingram, with whom Minner had three children: Frank Jr., Wayne and Gary. When Minner was 32, her husband died suddenly of a heart attack while one in the fields, leaving Minner a single mother with three children. Minner earned her GED in 1968, and later attended Delaware Technical and Community College while working two jobs to support the family.

Minner remarried in 1969 to Roger Minner. Together the couple operated a family towing business. After Roger died of cancer in 1991, the business was passed down to one of Minner's sons.

Minner began her political caeer as a page in the Delaware House of Representatives. In 1974, Minner was elected as a state representative in the House Delaware General Assembly, where she later served in as House Majority Whip and chair of the Bond Bill Committee. In 1982, Minner was elected as a state senator. While in the Senate, Minner was noted for her sponsorship of the Delaware Land and Water Conservation Act, which protected 30,000 acres of land.

She was elected governor in 2000, receiving 60 percent of the vote to the 40 percent of Republican candidate John Burris. After entering office in 2001, Minner...