Susan L. (née Lawson) Farmer (May 29, 1942 – September 16, 2013) was an American politician, media executive and television personality. Born in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, she went to Garland Junior College and

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

Extension Division. Farmer got her start in politics protesting the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

with her husband Malcolm Farmer and helped start a dump-

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

rally that drew thousands to the

Rhode Island State House The Rhode Island State House, the capitol of the state of Rhode Island, is located at 82 Smith Street just below the crest of Smith Hill, Providence, Rhode Island, Smith Hill, on the border of Downtown, Providence, Rhode Island, downtown in Prov ...

. In 1972, she ran the Rhode Island campaign for California Republican

Pete McCloskey Paul Norton "Pete" McCloskey Jr. (September 29, 1927 – May 8, 2024) was an American politician who represented San Mateo County, California, as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1967 to 1983. Born in Loma Linda, Californi ...

, who was trying to deny Nixon another nomination for president. After becoming then-U.S. Senator

John Chafee John Lester Hubbard Chafee ( ; October 22, 1922 – October 24, 1999) was an American politician and officer in the United States Marine Corps. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 66th Governor o ...

’s finance director in 1976, Farmer ran for and won, in 1979, a seat on the commission drafting a new Home Rule charter for the city of

Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in some religions * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...

. She then ran for

Secretary of State of Rhode Island The secretary of state of Rhode Island is an elected office in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of 2023, the current secretary of state is Gregg Amore. Powers and duties The Rhode Island Department of State or is composed of five separate ...

in 1980, but lost to incumbent Robert Burns, before winning two years later in 1982 by defeating Democrat and future Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice Victoria Lederberg. Farmer was the first woman in

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

history to serve in statewide constitutional office and served two two-year terms, from 1982 through 1986 as a Republican. After elected office, she then served as General Manager of Rhode Island PBS until her retirement in 2004. She died in 2013, in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

, at the age of 71 of cancer. Farmer was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in 2010, and was a 2013 recipient of the Isabelle Ahearn O'Neill Award. She is memorialized to this day by a sandwich named the "Susan Farmer" at Geoff’s Superlative Sandwiches in Providence.Menu of Geoff's Superlative Sandwiches Shop
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* 1942 births 2013 deaths Politicians from Boston Politicians from Providence, Rhode Island Brown University alumni Secretaries of state of Rhode Island Rhode Island Republicans Women in Rhode Island politics Deaths from cancer in Rhode Island 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American women 20th-century Rhode Island politicians {{RhodeIsland-politician-stub