Originally published in the Deseret News.
The pages of this newspaper have been filled with tributes to our beloved former governor Olene Walker, who will be interred today in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. On the day of her funeral I wish to add one more voice to the chorus.
Others have commented on her mighty legacy of service to this state. To this I will only add an exclamation point. We are better and stronger people and live in a more prosperous and just state because of her extraordinary contributions.
The perspective I wish to add is extremely simple and, perhaps, more personal. It’s something Walker, or Olene, as she was called with affection, would want us to have on this day. She would want us to be inspired to lead better lives.
The need for inspiration feels especially acute right now. I wear an Apple Watch on my wrist and receive regular news alerts throughout the day. I’m thinking about disabling the feature because of the mass shootings, terrorist acts and other sad events that keep happening.
At a more personal level, life throws at each of us seemingly intractable problems. Whether these challenges are personal or professional, we often struggle to find the right path forward. We go through our days yearning for, sometimes finding and sometimes falling short of, the inspiration needed to lead fulfilling lives. When we are disheartened, depressed and discouraged we underperform. When we are inspired, we do great things.
This is where Olene comes in. She was all about inspired living.
I’ve struggled for the right words to capture the inspiration I experienced as a colleague of hers in the Utah Governor’s Office for 11 years. She always made me feel like her best friend, even though I wasn’t. Others felt this way too. She possessed a brilliance that came from a wild combination of grit, determination and levity expressed through love. Perhaps a few examples will convey what I mean.
President Bill Clinton got a taste of her grit when she visited the White House as the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State shortly after the president declared a national monument in Utah. He did so without any local input and chose to announce it from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (in Arizona). Undeterred by his dirty deed, Olene said to Clinton, “If you ever want to declare a national monument in Arizona you are welcome to visit Utah.”
This is classic Olene and just one of hundreds of similar stories. She wanted the leader of the free world to know Utah took a hit but is still standing. Pure Olene moxie! We should all take note.
Many people don’t know that Olene struggled to varying degrees with her health most of her adult life. She suffered from asthma and had a lung disease called pulmonary fibrosis. This was a struggle she had every day and that intensified in her later years. As staff to her we were keenly aware of how she used her sheer will to power through. It’s another example of inspiration shown through determination.
Levity was also a daily feature in her life, and it extended to her loving companion, Myron. At the news conference in 2003 announcing Olene as Utah’s 15th governor, a member of the media asked Olene’s husband what he should be called. Without hesitation he responded, “the first lover.” In later conversations he joked we should call him “her main squeeze!” Inspired by the fun, someone took a piece of paper to the sign for the first lady’s office in the Capitol and blocked out the last two letters so it read “First Lad.”
As we bid final farewell to this amazingly loving, genuine, graceful and trailblazing woman, let us remember the way she inspired us. Let us learn from her grit, determination and sense of humor. Let us all find more inspiration and love in life. This is our best tribute to a stateswoman who will long be remembered.