Former state senator and U.S. District Judge Bruce S. Jenkins, the last Democrat to be president of the Utah Senate, has died at age 96.
Utah Senate Democrats announced his death on Tuesday and said he leaves behind a "legacy of dedicated public service."
"From his early days in the Utah State Senate, where he was appointed at the remarkable age of 31, Bruce demonstrated a profound commitment to representing the interests of Utahns. His impressive reelections and subsequent role in leadership further attested to his ability to connect with and serve the people of our great state," the Utah Senate Democrats statement says.
Jenkins also served as a U.S. district judge where he used a "fair-minded approach" in his commitment to justice, according to the statement.
"Utah has lost a devoted public servant, and his legacy will forever be etched in our state's history. May he rest in peace," the statement says.