Rose Mofford

ROSE MOFFORD was born in Globe, Arizona, and was involved in state government for 50 years. She worked in the Arizona Treasurer's Office and the Tax Commission and served as business manager of Arizona Highways magazine before becoming assistant secretary of state in 1953, a position she held for 22 years. In 1975 she bacame assistant director in the department of revenue and succeeded Wesley Bolin as secretary of state in 1977. She won election to her first full term in 1978 and was reelected in 1982 and 1986. In 1988 Mofford was sworn in as governor to complete the term of impeached Governor Evan Mecham. Mofford became the first woman governor in Arizona history. As governor, she formed the Governor's Alliance Against Drugs, established the Governor's Youth Commission Against Drugs, and oversaw the creation of Arizona's first statewide Drug Prevention Resource Center. She was president of the National Association of Secretaries of State and was the first woman elected director of the Central Arizona Water Board. Born Rose Perica, Ms. Mofford grew up about 85 miles east of Phoenix in the town of Globe. She was married to T.R. ‘‘Lefty’’ Mofford, but they divorced in 1967. They had no children.