Woman who was last Democrat elected to statewide office in Idaho dies at 81

Marilyn Howard, who was Idaho’s superintendent of public instruction from 1998 to 2006 and was the last Democrat elected to a statewide constitutional office, died Monday after an extended illness, according to a press release sent on behalf of the family.

Howard, who served as state coordinator and president of the International Reading Association, among other activities, died at her home in Eagle, the release said. She was 81.

Howard was Idaho’s 23rd state superintendent. She led the state’s implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act and helped the State Department of Education develop the Idaho Reading Indicator, which was meant to identify and provide extra help to children who were struggling reading.

Howard’s signature program, according to the release, was “Dinner and a Book,” a campaign to encourage parents to read with their children for 20 minutes every day and to make meals a time for family conversation.

Information about services for Howard will come at a later date.

This story was originally published July 13, 2020 at 5:16 PM.