Gertrude Walton Donahey (August 4, 1908 – July 11, 2004) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

of the

Democratic party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

who served as

Ohio State Treasurer The treasurer of the U.S. state of Ohio is responsible for collecting and safeguarding taxes and fees, as well as managing state investments. The Treasury was located in the Ohio Statehouse from 1861 to 1974, when it was moved to the Rhodes State ...

from 1971 to 1983.

Biography

Donahey was born in

Goshen Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio Goshen Township is one of the twenty-two townships of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 5,285 people in the township, 4,225 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township. Geography Located in the east c ...

. She earned her bachelor's at Mann's Business College in

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

, Ohio and went to work at the Office of the Ohio Adjutant General's Business and Finance Division. She was married to

John W. Donahey John William Donahey (August 26, 1905 – March 2, 1967) was an American businessman, government official, and politician from Ohio. A Democrat, he was most notable for his service as the 53rd lieutenant governor of Ohio from 1959 to 1963. A ...

, who served for a time as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. Her father-in-law,

A. Victor Donahey Alvin Victor Donahey (also known as A. Victor Donahey, A. Vic Donahey, Vic Donahey, A. V. Donahey, or Honest Vic Donahey) (July 7, 1873April 8, 1946) was an American Democratic Party politician from Ohio. Donahey was the 50th governor of Ohio and ...

, was a

Governor of Ohio A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and a member of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. She was chosen as a delegate to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...

s in 1964 and 1968 and represented Ohio on the Party's platform and resolution committee. She was hired in 1964 by U.S. Senator Stephen M. Young as his executive assistant. She ran in the Democratic presidential primary in 1976 as a "favorite daughter." She wasn't a serious candidate, but rather a placeholder for the party to control delegate votes in Ohio. In 1970, Donahey was the first woman to be elected to a statewide executive office in Ohio, and second to Ohio Supreme Court judge

Florence E. Allen Florence Ellinwood Allen (March 23, 1884 – September 12, 1966) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She was the first woman to serve on a state supreme court and one of the first two wom ...

, as Ohio State Treasurer. She held the position until 1983 in light of an embezzlement scandal which took $1.3 million from her office. The embezzlement was carried out in 1978 by head cashier, Elizabeth Jane Boerger and her private business associate, Robert W. Yeazell. The accounting firm, Price Waterhouse & Company, who undertook the 1978 audit did it in 1981 after Boerger had left her position. The pair were indicted for the embezzlement on August 12, 1982. She died in Bexley, Ohio, a suburb of

, aged 95.

References

External links

* 1908 births 2004 deaths Politicians from Columbus, Ohio State treasurers of Ohio Women in Ohio politics People from Tuscarawas County, Ohio Ohio Democrats 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American women {{Ohio-politician-stub