Louise Goff Reece (November 6, 1898 – May 14, 1970) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

businesswoman and politician. She was a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

, succeeding her husband after his death.

Early life

Born in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, Reece was a daughter of Guy D. Goff and granddaughter of Nathan Goff, both of whom were

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

s from West Virginia. She was educated at Miss Treat's School,

Milwaukee-Downer Seminary Milwaukee-Downer Seminary was a private non-sectarian private school, private girls' elementary, junior high school, junior high and high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was separated from Milwaukee-Downer College in 1910 (prior to that date it ...

, and Miss Spence's School in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

Career

During the long service of her husband, Representative

Brazilla Carroll Reece Brazilla Carroll Reece (December 22, 1889 – March 19, 1961) was an American Republican Party politician from Tennessee. He represented eastern Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives for all but six years from 1921 to 1961 ...

, she regularly campaigned with him, serving as his chauffeur since he didn't drive. She became as well known as her husband.

Congress

Reece was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-seventh Congress to fill the vacancy when her husband died. She served from May 16, 1961, until January 3, 1963. She was not a candidate for renomination in 1962 to the Eighty-eighth Congress.

Later career

Remaining active in State and national politics, Reece was a businesswoman with wide interests in Tennessee and West Virginia. She was a member of the board of the First Peoples Bank,

Johnson City, Tennessee Johnson City is a city in Washington, Carter, and Sullivan counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, mostly in Washington County. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 71,046, making it Tennessee's eighth-most populous cit ...

, and

chairman of the board The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a Board of directors, board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by ...

of Carter County Bank,

Elizabethton, Tennessee Elizabethton () is a city in, and the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is the historical site of the first independent American government (known as the Watauga Association, created in 1772) located west of ...

. She was also

proprietor Ownership is the state or fact of legal possession and control over property, which may be any asset, tangible or intangible. Ownership can involve multiple rights, collectively referred to as ''title'', which may be separated and held by diffe ...

and manager of Goff Properties in

Clarksburg, West Virginia Clarksburg is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 16,039 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in West Virginia, tenth-most populous city ...

Death

Reece died in Johnson City, Tennessee, on May 14, 1970 (age 71 years, 189 days). She is

interred Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and object ...

at Monte Vista Memorial Park.

References

External links

* 1898 births 1970 deaths Politicians from Milwaukee American bankers Female members of the United States House of Representatives Women in Tennessee politics American women bankers Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee 20th-century American women politicians Spence School alumni 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives {{Tennessee-politician-stub