Background
She was born in Newton, Kansas on October 30, 1931 to rancher and political activist Mason Crocker and his wife Florabel.
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Rita Clements
Edit ProfileEducation
She graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1953.
Career
The family relocated to Brady, Texas when she was 10 years old. Her 1952 marriage to Richard Daniel Bass produced four children. They divorced in 1974.
By 1958, she had risen to Republican party precinct chairman in Dallas County.
She served as state co-chair of the 1964 committee for the Barry Goldwater presidential campaign. Clements was appointed to the Republican National Committee in 1973.
During 1979–1982, she spearheaded the renovation of the Texas Governor"s Mansion. She and the Governor founded the non-profit organization Friends of the Governor"s Mansion to raise private money for the project, as well as to fund future maintenance of the mansion.
The non-profit organization initially raised $3 million.
The state legislature appropriated an additional $1 million for the restoration. Clements has continued to be active in civic organizations and advocacy of women"s issues. She has served on the boards of Louisiana Quinta Motor Inns and the Doctor Pepper Company.
She is an advocate for heritage preservation, and speaks out on volunteerism and educational issues.
In 1996, she was appointed to the University of Texas Board of Regents by Governor George West. Bush, and re-appointed by Governor Rick Perry, serving until November 2007. She was elected to the Texas Women"s Hall of Fame in 1996.
Politics
Her continued involvement in party politics helped elect John Tower to the United States Senate in 1961.
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Born
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Nationality
American -
Political Party
Republican party