Lenore Romney
Lenore Romney | |
---|---|
First Lady of Michigan | |
In role January 1, 1963 – January 22, 1969 | |
Governor | George Romney |
Preceded by | Alice Swainson |
Succeeded by | Helen Milliken |
Personal details | |
Born | Lenore Lafount[nb 1] November 9, 1908 Logan, Utah, U.S. |
Died | July 7, 1998 Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S. | (aged 89)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | |
Children | 4, including Mitt |
Parent |
|
Relatives | Romney family |
Education | |
Lenore LaFount Romney (
Lenore LaFount was born in
Lenore Romney was a popular first lady of Michigan, and was a frequent speaker at events and before civic groups. She was involved with many charitable, volunteer, and cultural organizations, including high positions with the
In 1970, she was urged by her husband and state Republican Party officials to run against popular, two-term Democratic incumbent Senator
Early life and education
Lenore LaFount was born on November 9, 1908, in Logan, Utah, the second of four daughters of Alma Luella (née Robison; 1882–1938) and Harold Arundel Lafount (1880–1952).[2][3] Her father was born in Birmingham in England, and her mother, born in Montpelier, Idaho, was of colonial English ancestry (with more distant French roots).[2] She had three sisters, one older and two younger.[4][5] The family belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints;[6] her father had converted to it in England and then came to the U.S., while her maternal grandmother, Rosetta Berry, had been one of the Mormon handcart pioneers.[4] Her father worked as a headphone manufacturer[7] while her mother was prominent in local charities.[8]
Lenore was raised in
She graduated from high school in 1926 after only three years and attended the
Acting career
LaFount's mother wanted her to explore a theatrical career before marrying,
A 5-foot-6-inch (1.68 m) slender woman with porcelain skin and naturally curly
After a few months in Hollywood, she had the opportunity to sign a three-year contract with MGM that was worth $50,000 if all the options were picked up.
Although Lenore had been more independent than many women of the time, she later stated that she "never had any regrets about giving up movies."[24] Another time she said that she had never had a choice of both marriage and an acting career: "In an acting career, I would have been upstaging him, and he couldn't stand that. It was never either and; it was always either or."[28] George would later consider his successful seven-year courtship of her to be his greatest sales achievement.[15][27]
Marriage and family
Lenore LaFount married George Romney on July 2, 1931, at the Salt Lake Temple.[18] Their wedding reception in the Chi Omega house at the University of Utah was attended by about four hundred guests.[18]
In Washington, Lenore's cultural refinement and hosting skills, along with her father's social and political connections, helped George in his business career, and the couple met the Hoovers, the Roosevelts, and other prominent Washington figures.[6][29] George often called upon her to host short-notice parties.[29] During 1933–1934, Lenore hosted a 15-minute weekly program, Poetical Hitchhiking, on Washington's famed radio station WRC where she selected and read the poems.[3][5][29] (The staff announcer who introduced her was Arthur Godfrey.[29]) She also directed student plays at George Washington University.[5][29]
The couple's first child, Margo Lynn (known as Lynn) was born in 1935 after a difficult childbirth,
The family moved to affluent
The couple's marriage reflected aspects of their personalities and courtship. George was devoted to Lenore, and tried to bring her a flower every day, often a single rose with a love note.[37][38] George was also a strong, blunt personality used to winning arguments by force of will, but the more self-controlled Lenore was unintimidated and willing to push back against him.[7][38] The couple quarreled often,[14] so much that their grandchildren would later nickname them "the Bickersons"[38] (there being a classic radio show of that name). In the end, their closeness would allow them to settle arguments amicably, often by her finally accepting what he wanted.[14][38] She still had a restive nature; Mitt later recalled that, "It always seemed that she wanted something a little more for herself."[39] (Mitt himself would later show a more reserved, private, and controlled nature than George's, traits he got from Lenore.[7][14])
First Lady of Michigan
When her husband decided to enter electoral politics by running for Governor of Michigan in 1962, Lenore Romney said she and the family supported him: "I know it will be difficult – not easy. But we're all dedicated with him for better government."[40] She played a productive role in the 1962 campaign, making speeches before groups of Republican women[7] at a time when it was unusual for women to campaign separately from their husbands.[14] She was given the task of campaigning in the rural and small urban, Republican-leaning outstate areas while he focused on the Democratic-leaning Detroit area.[41]
Following George's victory in November 1962, Lenore became the state's
She proved popular as a First Lady.[7][42] She was a frequent speaker at events and before civic groups and became known for her eloquence.[43] She was thus useful to his political career, just as she had been to his business one.[44] Like her husband, she did not make public appearances on Sundays.[14] He was re-elected in 1964 and 1966, and she campaigned frequently with him.[43] Moreover, she played more of an active and partisan role within her party than any other Michigan first lady in the 20th century.[42] She knew his policy positions at least as well as any of his official aides, went with him on almost all of his out-of-state trips, and gave his speeches for him if sudden events made him unable to attend.[45] Over time an impression grew among some in the public that she was smarter than he was.[45] George Romney biographer T. George Harris concluded in 1967 that "she has been considerably more than a first lady."[45]
Lenore was a traditionalist who decried the women's liberation movement as being one of "strident voices"[7] and "burning bras and railing against male-chauvinistic pigs."[14] She decried relaxed sexual mores and talk of a "New Morality", saying "the morality they discuss is the barnyard morality and it is as old as the hills."[14] However, she was also an advocate for the involvement of women in business and politics.[7] By 1966, she was telling audiences around the state, "Why should women have any less say than men about the great decisions facing our nation?"[7] She added that women "represent a reservoir of public service which has hardly been tapped."[43]
She explicitly criticized the counterculture phrase "Turn on, tune in, drop out", saying "What kind of a philosophy is that?"[25] Instead she urged young people to "Think of something outside of yourselves. Have something in yourself that is greater than self."[25] She told one high school audience, "You have the right to rebel, but make sure what you're rebelling for is greater than what you're rebelling against."[46]
She was a devout and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who taught
During
Lenore continued to have health difficulties, visiting medical centers around the country but unable to get a clear diagnosis.
Lenore Romney worked on behalf of many volunteer organizations over a number of years.
1970 U.S. Senate campaign
After the 1968 presidential election, George Romney was named the
For the
The state party had a system wherein there would be a series of meetings of its 355 leaders in order to declare a "consensus" candidate that the party would support in any primary election.[59][60] During the initial February 21, 1970, meeting, Lenore Romney faced opposition from liberal U.S. Representative
Riegle did not continue his run, but Huber did. In the ensuing primary contest, Romney's effort emphasized her sex, saying as a campaign theme, "Never before has the voice and understanding of a concerned woman been more needed."[63] Billboards featuring her face were everywhere, captioned only as "Lenore" and omitting any reference to political party.[63] She was still photogenic, but so thin that she was sometimes described as "frail" or "waiflike",[43][46][63] and her husband sometimes worried about her weight. She issued a half-hour campaign film that featured endorsements from many national and state party leaders as well as from celebrities Bob Hope and Art Linkletter, and showcased her family role and her concern for disadvantaged people.[43][63] Huber, in contrast, emphasized his edge in political experience, derided her "motherly concern", and criticized the "bossism" that he said was trying to force another Romney into statewide office.[63]
Regarding the
In the general election, with lost prestige, a divided party, and with her campaign resources partly drained by the primary fight, Romney was behind incumbent Democrat Hart from the beginning.[43][47][65] Romney issued position papers and emphasized the themes of dealing with crime and social permissiveness;[47] she also advocated a national healthcare plan and increased attention to environmental damage caused by industry.[14] She never made any personal attacks against Hart.[47] The only woman running for the U.S. Senate that year,[50] she was a tireless campaigner, traveling around the state in a chartered Cessna and making as many as twelve stops a day.[43] Nevertheless, the perception grew that she did not have any vision for what she would do as a senator and was only in the race because she was George Romney's wife.[43] In response, she said at one point, "I'm not a stand-in or a substitute for anyone".[7][43] Her campaign material continued to just refer to "Lenore".[43] She also was negatively impacted, in both the primary and general election, by fallout from her husband's effort as HUD Secretary to enforce housing integration in Warren, Michigan.[56][63][68] Consistently far ahead in polls, Hart staged a low-key campaign with few public appearances; he mostly ignored her and sometimes acted condescendingly towards her in private.[14][43][68]
The Romney children campaigned for her, including Mitt, who took student leave to work as a driver and
In the November 3, 1970, general election, Hart handily won a third term with 67 percent of the vote to her 33 percent.[43] Romney made an unusual election-night visit to congratulate Hart in person, and in saying "I hope all good things will be his," gave what the victor termed "the most graceful and really moving concession speech I've ever heard."[47]
The campaign and loss left Lenore in emotional pain.[7] In her election night remarks she had said, "I thought [running as a woman] would be an asset. It was disappointing to find that many people closed their minds just because I was a woman."[47] She expounded on this in an article she published the following year in Look magazine, describing the openly dismissive reaction she had gotten from both men and women.[7][43] She wrote that, "In factories, I encountered men in small groups, laughing, shouting, 'Get in the kitchen. George needs you there. What do you know about politics?'"[7] To a friend she wrote, "[I had no idea] how open and bare and wide my own vulnerability would be ... the body wounds are deep."[7] She told one of her children that she wished she had not run, and concluded that "It's the most humiliating thing I know of to run for office."[14]
Later years
Following the campaign, Lenore Romney returned to Washington and to being a cabinet wife.
In the 1972 U.S. presidential election, Lenore Romney worked in the women's surrogate program for the Committee for the Re-Election of the President.[71] Nevertheless, her husband's relationship with Nixon and the administration became even worse and, in August 1972, she wrote a fruitless letter to presidential aide John Ehrlichman urging a change in the "low regard" and poor treatment that the administration showed him.[56][74]
After George Romney left the administration and politics in January 1973,[56] Lenore continued with volunteerism, as vice president of the National Center for Voluntary Action.[75] In 1974, she became a commentator on the WJR radio show Point of View.[3] Subsequently, she receded from the public political eye,[76] but still remained active. She gave speeches to various local religious and civic organizations in the Midwest, focusing on her faith, the potential of "people power", and the role of women.[52][77] Regarding the prospective, much-discussed Equal Rights Amendment, she said in 1979 that she supported equal opportunity and equal pay for women, but she opposed the amendment because it was about "destroying love ... I object to the 'me' emphasis [of it] and not the family."[78]
At age 85, Lenore Romney emerged to give interviews during her son Mitt's
On July 26, 1995, George Romney died of a heart attack at the age of 88 while he was exercising on his treadmill at the couple's home in Bloomfield Hills; he was discovered by Lenore (after she went looking for him, not having found her rose for the day), but it was too late to save him.[80][81] They had been married for 64 years, and the press noted the strength of that marriage.[42]
Lenore's health declined during her final years.
Following her death, many state political figures paid tribute to her, including Governor John Engler and his wife Michelle, who called her "Michigan's rose", and Lieutenant Governor Connie Binsfeld, who characterized her as a "beloved role model for our state".[37]
Awards and honors
In 1969, Lenore Romney received the Woman of the Year Award from
For many years beginning in 1987, the successor organizations to the National Center for Voluntary Action (
Lenore Romney was awarded six
Notes
References
- ^ Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, p. 477.
- ^ a b Reitwiesner, William Addams; Robert Battle; John Bradley Arthaud; John Lisle; Gary Boyd Roberts. "The Ancestors of Mitt Romney". Wargs.com. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Who's Who of American Women, p. 761.
- ^ a b c Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, p. 70.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Lenore Romney's Still In Limelight". The Morning News. Meriden, Connecticut. Associated Press. November 6, 1963. p. last.
- ^ a b c d Swidey, Neil; Paulson, Michael (June 24, 2007). "The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 1: Privilege, tragedy, and a young leader". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on September 18, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (February 23, 2012). "Political Lessons, From a Mother's Losing Run". The New York Times. p. 1.
- ^ a b Harris, Romney's Way, p. 57.
- ^ Harris, Romney's Way, p. 54.
- ^ Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 68, 71.
- ^ a b Kirkpatrick, David D. (December 18, 2007). "For Romney, a Course Set Long Ago". The New York Times. p. 1.
- ^ Harris, Romney's Way, p. 53.
- ^ Harris, Romney's Way, pp. 53–55.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Gellman, Barton (June 4, 2012). "Dreams from His Mother". Time. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022.
- ^ a b "The Dinosaur Hunter". Time. April 6, 1959. Archived from the original on May 18, 2007.
- ^ Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, p. 74.
- ^ a b c d "Lenore Romney, mom of Senate candidate, at 89". Boston Herald. July 9, 1998. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 97–98.
- ^ a b c Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 81–82.
- ^ Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 90, 103.
- ^ a b c d e f Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 94–96.
- ^ a b c d "Back at the Mansion ..." Time. January 11, 1963. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008.
- ^ a b Current Biography Yearbook 1958, p. 367.
- ^ a b c d Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 12–13.
- ^ a b c d e Robertson, Nan (February 7, 1968). "Lenore Romney: Spellbinder" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 49.
- ^ a b c Harris, Romney's Way, p. 67.
- ^ a b c Raskin, A.H. (February 28, 1960). "A Maverick Starts a New 'Crusade'". The New York Times Magazine.
- ^ Harris, Romney's Way, p. 68.
- ^ a b c d e Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 102–105.
- ^ a b c d Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 104, 113.
- ^ a b c d e f Harris, Romney's Way, pp. 187–189.
- ^ Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, p. 109.
- ^ a b c d Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 11–12, 14.
- ^ "Harold A. Lafount, U.S. Radio Ex-Aide" (PDF). The New York Times. October 22, 1952.
- ^ Mahoney, The Story of George Romney, pp. 166–167.
- ^ a b c d Harris, Romney's Way, pp. 191–193.
- ^ a b c "Lenore Romney, widow of former governor, dies". Ludington Daily News. Associated Press. July 8, 1998. p. 2.
- ^ a b c d Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 18–19.
- ^ Scott, Mitt Romney, p.10.
- ^ Stetson, Damon (February 11, 1962). "Romney Enters Race for Governorship of Michigan" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 1.
- ^ Harris, Romney's Way, p. 234.
- ^ The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press. July 8, 1998. p. 17.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Dennis, Brady (February 24, 2012). "For Mitt Romney, mother's failed run offers cautionary tale". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b "Enigmatic Candidate: George Wilchen Romney" (PDF). The New York Times. November 20, 1967.
- ^ a b c Harris, Romney's Way, pp. 52–53.
- ^ a b c d e Miller, Joy (February 26, 1968). "Candidates' Wives Hard at Work in New Hampshire". The Owosso Argus-Press. Associated Press. p. 9.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Lenore 'Gracious in Defeat'". The Owosso Argus-Press. Associated Press. November 4, 1970. p. 7.
- ^ a b "Mormons Defended By Romney's Wife on Negroes' Status" (PDF). The New York Times. January 24, 1967.
- ^ Flint, Jerry M. (May 14, 1967). "Women Consider Detroit Club Bias" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 64.
- ^ a b c d e "Voter's Guide: U.S. Congress" (PDF). South Lyon Herald. October 28–29, 1970. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
- ^ a b "Mrs George Romney to speak at volunteer conference". Oelwein Daily Register. October 23, 1971. p. 5.
- ^ a b c "Civics Club's special luncheon guests named". The Capital Times. Madison, Wisconsin. January 14, 1975. p. 11.
- ^ Swidey, Neil; Ebbert, Stephanie (June 27, 2007). "The Making of Mitt Romney: Part 4: Journeys of a shared life: Raising sons, rising expectations bring unexpected turns". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 12, 2010.
- ^ a b Rosenbaum, David E. (December 13, 1968). "The Nixon Cabinet's Wives: A Ringside Seat at First Meeting" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 53.
- ^ a b c Flint, Jerry M. (January 31, 1970). "A Romney May Enliven Michigan Election Year" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 25.
- ^ a b c d Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 93–95.
- ^ Kotlowski, Nixon's Civil Rights, p. 53.
- ^ a b c Janson, Donald (February 22, 1970). "Mrs. Romney Fails to Get Senate Nod" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 52.
- ^ a b "Romney Refuses To Indicate His Plans for 1970". Ludington Daily News. United Press International. January 26, 1970. p. 1.
- ^ Flint, Jerry M. (February 1, 1970). "Michigan G. O. P. Lists 2 Romneys Among 25 Potential Candidates" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 30.
- ^ Flint, Jerry M. (February 24, 1970). "Mrs. Romney Enters Contest for Senate" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 1.
- ^ Flint, Jerry M. (March 8, 1970). "Michigan G.O.P Leaders Back Mrs. Romney for Senate Contest" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 36.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Michigan To Vote On Two G.O.P. Rivals" (PDF). The New York Times. August 2, 1970.
- ^ a b "Mrs. Romney Urges U.S. Pullout By '71" (PDF). The New York Times. June 2, 1970. p. 6.
- ^ a b c "Mrs. Romney Scores Narrow Victory" (PDF). The New York Times. August 6, 1970.
- ^ "'Mrs. George Romney' Google Search". Retrieved April 20, 2012.
- The Windsor Star. United Press International. August 5, 1970. p. 1.
- ^ a b c Flint, Jerry M. (November 4, 1970). "Senator Hart Defeats Mrs. Romney in Michigan" (PDF). The New York Times. p. 23.
- Deseret Morning News. Salt Lake City. Associated Press. Archived from the originalon June 26, 2008.
- ^ Scripps-Howard. p. 20.
- ^ The Los Angeles Times. p. 13.
- ^ Thomas, Helen (October 21, 1971). "Many Cabinet Members' Wives Deeply Involved in Pet Causes". The Middlesboro Daily News. United Press International. p. 14.
- ^ Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 183–184.
- ^ Kantor, Jodi (December 25, 2011). "At Harvard, a Master's in Problem Solving". The New York Times. p. A1.
- ^ Moore, Christine (January 17, 1973). "Lenore Romney Dedicates VAC Building". The Palm Beach Post. p. C3.[permanent dead link] Correction filed: "Sorry, Our Error"[permanent dead link] January 18, 1973, p. C3.
- ^ "George Romney Mormon Worker Now". St. Joseph News-Press. Associated Press. December 5, 1979. p. 7C.
- The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. April 16, 1981. p. 32.
- ^ "'Moral Perverts' Created ERA". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. United Press International. December 17, 1979. p. 4.
- ^ a b Rimer, Sara (October 25, 1994). "'Perfect Anti-Kennedy' Opposes the Senator". The New York Times.
- ^ Rosenbaum, David E. (July 27, 1995). "George Romney Dies at 88; A Leading G.O.P. Figure". The New York Times. p. A1.
- ^ Kranish; Helman, The Real Romney, pp. 197–198.
- ^ a b c "Lenore Romney critical after stroke". Deseret News. Associated Press. July 7, 1998.
- ^ "Lenore Romney, wife of former governor, dies". Deseret News. Associated Press. July 8, 1998.
- ^ a b "Pres. Lee, Lenore Romney To Address Dixie Grads". Deseret News. May 15, 1971. pp. B1, B3.
- ^ "Raymond Chambers Honored for Lifetime Achievement in Volunteer Service" (Press release). Business Wire. June 4, 2003.
- ^ "Honorary Degrees". Hope College. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
- ^ "Mrs. Romney To Get Degree". The Owosso Argus-Press. May 31, 1968. p. 11.
Bibliography
- Candee, Marjorie Dent, ed. (1958). OCLC 145427784.
- Harris, T. George (1967). Romney's Way: A Man and an Idea. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: OCLC 437793.
- Jenson, Andrew (1920). Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: Volume III. Salt Lake City: Arrow Press.
- Kotlowski, Dean J. (2001). Nixon's Civil Rights: Politics, Principle, and Policy. Cambridge, Massachusetts: ISBN 0-674-00623-2.
- ISBN 978-0-06-212327-5.
- Mahoney, Tom (1960). The Story of George Romney: Builder, Salesman, Crusader. New York: OCLC 236830.
- ISBN 978-0-7627-7927-7.
- ISBN 0-8379-0409-9.
External links
- "Lenore", the half-hour film from the 1970 U.S. Senate campaign
- Finding Aid for Lenore LaFount Romney Papers, 1960–1974 at Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
- Lynn Romney Keenan collection of George W. and Lenore Romney papers, MSS 8486 at L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University