Ann Richards was born Dorothy Ann Willis on September 1, 1933, in Lacy-Lakeview, Texas. Known for her sharp wit, strong personality, and liberal political views, Richards fought for women’s and minority rights and worked to bring more women and minorities into power. She showed political promise in high school, excelling in debates.
Her strong debating skills earned her a college scholarship, graduating from Baylor University in 1954. She went on to get a teaching certificate at the University of Texas in Austin in 1955. She died at the age of 73 on September 13, 2006.
Ann Richards Husband
At 19, Richards married David Richards, whom she had dated since high school. For the next two decades, she was a wife and mother of four who taught high school to put her husband through law school.
Who Is Ann Richards’s Ex-Husband David Richards?
David Richards was a High School mate of the veteran Ann Richards. After marrying high school sweetheart David “Dave” Richards, she moved to Austin, where she earned a teaching certificate from the University of Texas. David and Ann Richards had four children: Cecile, Daniel, Clarke, and Ellen.
Richards’ marriage of almost 30 years ended in divorce in 1984, prompted in part by her longtime struggle with alcoholism. She underwent a month-long treatment at St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis and had remained sober afterward.