An Arizona Original Community Minded O’Connor volunteered for several organizations, including the Maricopa County Young Republicans, and was president of the Junior League of Phoenix. She also served on the 1964 presidential campaign for Arizona Sen. Barry M. Goldwater. Good at Everything Outdoorsy, attractive and good at sports, O’Connor was skillful at everything she tried. She cooked every recipe in Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and exuded natural authority. Breaking Barriers After returning to law, O’Connor worked as assistant attorney general of Arizona. In 1969, the governor of Arizona appointed O’Connor to fill a vacancy in the state senate. She won an election for the seat the next year, and in 1973 became the first woman to be the Senate Majority Leader of Arizona — or any state. Consensus Builder A proponent of collegiality, O’Connor was known for hosting dinners for lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, inviting whoever was working on a particular piece of legislation to her house for Mexican food and beers on the patio so they could work amiably together. And she didn’t just host the dinner — she often cooked it. “Getting out of yourself and helping others was really what she was all about. She was always very cognizant of other people, and yet she could be fun.” “They would start out on the fringes and work until they found enough common ground to get that legislation done and help Arizona.” “She played tennis, golf and fished, and looked great doing it. She was a woman for all seasons.” FEBRUARY 2022 | 50 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA O’Connor became the first woman to serve as a state Senate Majority Leader in 1973. In 1969, O’Connor was appointed to the Arizona State Senate.

Off to Washington To the Judiciary Having earned a reputation as a skilled negotiator, O’Connor left the Senate after two terms. In 1975, she moved to her first position in the judiciary after winning an election for a seat to the Maricopa County Superior Court, where she worked until she was promoted to the Arizona State Court of Appeals. Making History In 1981, President Ronald Reagan kept a campaign promise to appoint the first woman to the Supreme Court by nominating O’Connor. She learned of her nomination just a day before it was announced. Power Couple Sporty, good-looking, great at cocktail parties, the O’Connors were active in the Washington, D.C. social scene. But at the end of the evening, she and John would go home and work late into the night to finish the day’s work. “In Arizona, she was a senator, a Majority Leader — the first woman in the country ever to hold that position, elected by her peers. When you think about that, it blows your mind.” “They were the most popular couple in Washington. They danced forever.” “It was more than a domino. It was like a tsunami that helped women be recognized and have opportunity. Not just in the Court, but boardrooms and C-suites and so forth.” The First O’Connor felt a duty to show that women could do the job of Justice, and jumped into the job despite practical concerns, including no women’s restroom near the Courtroom. After a dozen years, she was joined on the Court by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whom she happily welcomed. FRONTDOORS MEDIA | 51 | FEBRUARY 2022 On Sept. 25, 1981, O’Connor was sworn in as the first female associate justice on the Supreme Court. O’Connor was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.