Once-revered SC lawmaker (Juanita Goggins) freezes to death alone

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

When Juanita Goggins became the first black woman elected to the South Carolina Legislature in 1974, she was hailed as a trailblazer and twice visited the president at the White House.

Three decades later, she froze to death at age 75, a solitary figure living in a rented house four miles from the gleaming Statehouse dome.

Goggins, whose achievements included key legislation on school funding, kindergarten and class size, had become increasingly reclusive. She spent her final years turning down help from neighbors who knew little of her history-making past. Her body was not discovered for more than a week.

... She taught in the state's segregated schools, married a dentist and got into politics. In 1972, she became the first black woman to represent South Carolina as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Two years later, she became the first black woman appointed to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/10/2597715/once-revered-sc-lawmaker-freezes.html

[cali]

1. how terribly sad. RIP, Ms Goggins.

[apples and oranges]

2. RIP. Did she have kids?

If so, shame on them!

[hunter]

5. You never know what her situation was.

It took the police and paramedics several hours to drag my grandma from her house and she was kicking and biting and screaming bloody murder all the way.

In a colder climate I can see how my grandma might have frozen to death all alone.

[Hekate]

13. My mom practically beat us off with a stick, she was so determined to be "independent"...

She moved out of state 15 years before she died, a thousand miles from any of her children, but still in her right mind then. She had many health issues, but was not exactly grateful to my sister and me for flying in to help.

She did make a lot of friends, although she alienated many of them when she began to get paranoid in her last couple of years.

When she went into decline our youngest brother negotiated with her for a year to get her to move to an assisted living facility near to him -- she had long made it plain she'd rather die than be dependent on her children (and that is a direct quote) -- when he told me and our sister about the negotiations he said that mom had sworn him to secrecy "Don't tell your sisters, or I'll stop taking to you, too!"

She had a complete meltdown after she made the move, and I am sure it wounded my brother deeply. Fortunately for mom, she passed away not long after that. She was that determined to not make any adjustment to her changed circumstances.

One of my cousins told me she'd had to get our widowed auntie into a nursing home after she became too senile to live alone, and that it took the police to help her make it happen. That's just heartbreaking.

No, you can't tell.

Hekate

[Journeyman]

3. She froze to death in a home where the heat was working. . .

Coroner found signs of dementia. Terribly sad way for her to go, devastating for her family, friends, and neighbors, who are now left to mull the rest of their lives on what more could or should have been done for her.

One of those terribly sad cases all the way around.

[Mithreal]

4. Damn

:cry:

[Vidar]

6. Ver sad. I wish you a happier life next time, Ms. Goggins. Yo've certainly earned it.

[dipsydoodle]

7. Nobody deserves to die that way

RIP.

[TheMadMonk]

21. When people are sufficiently determined to refuse help, dying this way...

...becomes inevitable.

Neglect is a terrible thing and must be combatted. Bloody minded oposition to assistance is another, for which the only counter amounts to assault/unlawful detention.

[superconnected]

28. It's not a bad way to go at all. People are said to feel warm at the end and a sense of euphoria.

I figure she actually died from complications of senility. It could have been for worse. She likely really did just go to sleep and not wake up.

[DeSwiss]

8. K&R

http://www.heraldonline.com/2010/03/08/1999622/goggins-blazed-trail-for-black.html">http://media.heraldonline.com/smedia/2010/03/08/00/0308goggins_G5C16AJ9P.1+gogginsmug.standalone.prod_affiliate.6.jpg

- She reminds me of one my own HS teachers. RIP

[TheDebbieDee]

11. Thanks for the photo DeSwiss. It's nice to put a face with the story.

RIP Legislator Coggins.

[Uncle Joe]

9. RIP Juanita Goggins and thank you, for your service.

:patriot:

[onethatcares]

10. thank you for acting while in fear.

you showed what it takes to take a step. May you rest in Peace.

[Delphinus]

12. Amen. eom

[Hekate]

14. RIP Ms. Goggins, and thank you for your pioneering work...

:patriot:

[Liberal_in_LA]

15. Horrible! Thank you for posting this story. People need to know about this!

[mod mom]

16. How could she freeze to death in doors if her heat was working? So very sad. RIP

[Still Blue in PDX]

19. People with dementia can starve to death with food in the house.

My dad had organic brain syndrome (not the same as dementia, but he still wasn't himself). He was Just capable enough to prevent anyone in the family from doing anything for him that he didn't want done. I'm sure there are countless stories of older people who won't allow their families to help.

:cry:

Peace to her and to all who remember her and benefited from her.

[unkachuck]

17. now that's a goddam shame....

....a disgusting event in a disgusting country....

[wisteria]

18. What a shame. She deserves to be remembered in some way for all her efforts.

May she rest in peace.

[UpInArms]

20. rest in peace, Jaunita Goggins

[DesertDiamond]

22. This is so sad. I praise the Sacramento Bee for their so often excellent choices of what to report

[bluerum]

23. Chalk this one up to our fabulous health care industry.

Mental health is one area where insurance companies should be dragged through the mud.

[susanna]

27. Agreed. n/t

[WriteDown]

35. So the men in white coats should have come and gotten her a long time ago? nt

[happyslug]

24. The South Carolina Legislature passed a Concurrent Resolution in her honor on hearing of her death

Concurrent Resolution:
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/bills/4714.htm

1974 South Carolina Newspaper Article on her being the First elected Black female legislator in South Carolina:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19741230&id=xlMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B80EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6336,6543308

Local South Carolina report on her death:
http://www.heraldonline.com/2010/03/07/1999477/rock-hills-juanita-goggins-scs.html

[RKP5637]

25. Always so sad to hear of things like this. Thanks for sharing, she certainly

sounded a strong gallant lady. Dementia is a terrible thing to have happen. I once worked for a brilliant professor as a student who at this age ended up with Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer’s disease at the same time. It has always bothered me when I think back of him in his early dashing days as a noted physicist. We all probably die in ways differently than we might have thought as young. Well it's over for her now as it is for him and certainly more peaceful for them.

Thanks for sharing.

[Liberty Belle]

26. Very tragic. Having lost my Dad to Alzheiemer's & Parkinsons, though,

I can say that the way he died in the end was far worse than this. Nobody should wind up starving to death in a nursing home, their mind completely gone, in terrible pain, unable to swallow a thing.

[puebloknot]

29. We can do better. Rest in peace, Juanita Goggins, Woman Extraordinaire! not

[Bluenorthwest]

30. A Christian nation

Yes. I'm convinced now!

[JNelson6563]

31. An amazing woman!

We are so much richer for having had her among us. I hope her end was peaceful and painless.

Julie

[RedRoses323]

32. Rest in peace my dear....

:cry:

[MsLeopard]

33. Oh, how sad

Rest in peace.

[SlingBlade]

34. sigh. How does something like this occur America ?