ST. GEORGE — Current and former politicians from around the state paid tribute Thursday to Jan Graham, the first woman to serve as Utah Attorney General, who died Monday in St. George. She was 74.
“Jan Graham was a trailblazer,” Gov. Spencer Cox posted on “X.” “Abby and I are grateful for her public service and express condolences to her family.”
Former Gov. Gary Herbert lauded Graham for her “life and career of public service.”
“Like the recent loss of Justice O’Connor was for America, the passing of Attorney General Jan Graham is a titanic loss for Utah’s legal community and our extended Utah AG family,” Herbert posted on “X.”
Current Attorney General Sean D. Reyes said in a statement that Graham served with distinction as Utah’s Solicitor General in 1990 and then as Utah’s twice-elected Attorney General from 1993 to 2001. As Attorney General, she vigorously defended Utah’s laws and the independence and integrity of the AG’s Office.
“She was a steadfast advocate for speaking directly to people, prioritizing their voices over political interests,” Utah House Democratic Leader Angela Romero said in a statement. “As a founding member of the Women Lawyers of Utah, she tirelessly advocated for the rights of women in the legal profession.”
Among her accomplishments, Reyes said in the statement, she guided Utah’s role as part of groundbreaking national litigation and settlement with large tobacco companies to protect the health and safety of all Utahns. She also laid the foundation for much of the success Utah has achieved with programs like the Children’s Justice Centers. Even more important than her pioneering achievements and professional accolades, however, was her role as a loving mother and devoted family member and friend.
“On behalf of the entire Utah Office of the Attorney General, past and present, we convey our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of former Utah Attorney General Jan Graham upon her recent passing,” Reyes said. “General Graham was a historic legal and political figure as the first and only woman in Utah history to be elected as Attorney General, and the last Democrat elected to statewide office.
“Beyond these unique and significant milestones, she was a dedicated public servant and substantive lawyer who championed noteworthy causes as AG that continue to benefit many in Utah.”