New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver has died, her family announced Tuesday. She was 71.
Oliver, a Democrat, was recently hospitalized for an undisclosed medical emergency. At the time, she was serving as acting governor while Gov. Phil Murphy (D) was out of the country on vacation.
“She was not only a distinguished public servant but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and hero,” her family said in a statement. “May her memory be a source of comfort and strength to all who knew her.”
New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D) has assumed the role of acting governor in Oliver’s place.
In a lengthy statement honoring Oliver’s legacy, Murphy pointed to her work leading the Department of Community Affairs and addressing the state’s homelessness issues.
“As someone who was born and raised in Newark, and who has called East Orange home for more than 40 years, Sheila did not view these issues in the abstract because she lived with them every day of her life,” Murphy said. “She brought a unique and invaluable perspective to our public policy discourse and served as an inspiration to millions of women and girls everywhere, especially young women of color.”
Oliver became the first woman of color ever elected to statewide office in New Jersey in 2017, when her and Murphy’s campaign won out over the Republican ticket. She was also the first Black women to serve as New Jersey’s lieutenant governor. Earlier, in 2010, she became the first Black woman to serve as speaker of the New Jersey state Assembly.
“Beyond all of that,” Murphy said, “she was an incredibly genuine and kind person whose friendship and partnership will be irreplaceable.”