Overview
- Gov. Andy Beshear announced Collins’ death on Saturday and praised her as a “powerhouse” who made an undeniable difference.
- Collins served one term as Kentucky’s 56th governor from 1983 to 1987, the only woman elected to the office in the state’s history.
- She is widely credited with securing Toyota’s first U.S. assembly plant in Georgetown, a deal long credited with reshaping Kentucky’s economy.
- Her administration advanced notable education changes, including mandatory kindergarten, teacher testing and internships, and interventions for failing schools.
- Condolences poured in from leaders across parties, including Attorney General Russell Coleman and Sen. Mitch McConnell, while no cause of death or funeral arrangements have been released and coverage notes the later scandal tied to her husband’s 1993 extortion conviction.