The Utah State Senate announced the death of longtime state Sen. Karen Mayne Thursday night.
"Today, we lost an extraordinary stateswoman and one of our dearest friends. Sen. Karen Mayne was a trailblazer and exceptional leader who showed us how working together, despite political differences, can strengthen our state," the Senate's statement said.
Senate President J. Stuart Adams and Minority Leader Luz Escamilla said Mayne's memory and legacy will "remain forever in our hearts" and that she was an example of "living and serving with love."
"We will forever be grateful for the years we were lucky enough to spend working alongside Sen. Mayne. During this time, we witnessed her unwavering dedication, compassion and grace in serving the people of Utah. Not only was she a confidant of ours but also a source of inspiration, both personally and professionally," the statement continued.
The Democratic senator from West Valley City joined the Senate in 2008. She announced her retirement from the Legislature in January 2023 due to health concerns from a cancer diagnosis that caused her health to decline after being reelected in November 2022.
"Throughout her 15 years as a senator, she has passionately and successfully advocated for impactful improvements for our state. She was one of the most effective legislators and consistently passed the most bills during sessions," the Senate's statement said.
Mayne was originally appointed to the Senate to fill the seat of her late husband, Ed Mayne, after he died of lung cancer. She then went on to be reelected. She became minority leader in 2018.
“We are looking forward to working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers to do the work the people of this state have elected us to do,” she said at the time. “Utah faces many challenges, and we owe it to the citizens of this state to come together to find solutions that will ensure a secure and prosperous future for all Utahns.”