Carolyn Squires had almost 30 years of experience in the Montana legislature. The Missoula Democrat died this week at the age of 75.
Squires is being remembered for her unwavering devotion to the working Montanan.
Carolyn Squires was a lot of things, but ‘shrinking violet’ was not among them.
"If she came in to talk to you about an issue you didn’t have to ask her — or anybody around you — what she said. You knew exactly what she said and you knew exactly where she stood on the issues. She was very much a straight talker."
That’s Montana’s senior U.S. Senator Jon Tester. The Democrat worked with Squires during his own tenure in the Montana Senate.
So did former state legislator Jim Elliot of Trout Creek who, like Tester, remembers Squires’ direct and plain spoken style.
"Most importantly, the thing to remember about Carolyn was she was so passionate in her defense and support of people who really didn’t have a voice in society, people who didn’t have a voice in politics. She was a wonderful woman."
Squires served in both the state house and state senate. The licensed practical nurse was a staunch defender of women’s rights and organized labor. Squires once served as a job councilor for the AFL-CIO. In 2005, she sponsored legislation to let Montanans permanently vote by mail. Squires also successfully led the charge for pay equity for Montana detention officers.
Jon Tester:
"I think part of it is, she came from that background. Of course, she’s a woman and felt strong that women should get equal pay for equal work. She felt strongly that they should make their own health care decisions. I also think she came from a working class family where they had to struggle to pay their bills. I think that influenced her right up until the day she passed away.”
Memorial service details for Carolyn Squires are expected later this week.
She's survived by her two sons and three grandchildren.