Minner, Ruth Ann, 1935-

<p>Ruth Ann Minner (née Cloverdale; born January 17, 1935) is an American politician and businesswoman from Milford, in Kent County, Delaware. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the 72nd (and, to date, only female) Governor of Delaware from 2001 to 2009. She previously served as the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Delaware and in the Delaware General Assembly.</p>

<p>Minner was born Ruth Ann Coverdale at Slaughter Neck in Cedar Creek Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware, near Milford. While growing up, she left high school at age 16 to help support her family. Subsequently, she married Frank Ingram with whom she had three children: Frank Jr., Wayne and Gary. When she was 32 her husband died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving her a single mother with three children. She earned her GED in 1968 and later attended Delaware Technical and Community College, while working two jobs to support the family. In 1969 she married Roger Minner and together they operated a family towing business, the Roger Minner Wrecker Service. Roger Minner died of cancer in 1991.</p>

<p>Ruth Ann Minner began her political career as a clerk in the Delaware House of Representatives and as a receptionist in the office of Governor Sherman W. Tribbitt. In 1974 she was elected to the State House as a member of the "Watergate Class," a group of newly elected legislators from both parties, who came into office on a "good government" mission and a strong sense of their ability to make significant improvements. Minner rose to become Delaware's most powerful female politician, but she did it in a very conventional way, representing a rural, small town constituency, and building relationships and expertise by working in the legislative process over many years. She served four terms in the State House, from the 1975/1976 session through the 1981/82 session.</p>

RUTH ANN MINNER was born in Milford Neck in Kent County, Delaware. She left school at age 16 to help on her family’s farm, later marrying Frank Ingram. Widowed suddenly at 32 with three sons to raise, she worked two jobs while going to school to earn her General Education Development (GED) diploma. She built a family towing business with her second husband, Roger Minner, who died of lung cancer in 1991. Minner began in politics by stuffing envelopes, then worked as an aide in the state legislature and as receptionist to then-Governor Sherman Tribbitt. She was elected to four terms in the state House of Representatives beginning in 1974, to three terms in the state Senate beginning in 1982, and to two terms as lieutenant governor in 1992 and 1996. Minner was elected governor of Delaware in November 2000. Governor Minner was elected to a second term in 2004. As Governor, she worked to improve schools, preserve and protect the environment, improve health care and fight cancer, as well as create and keep jobs.