Sandra Day O’Connor, the First Female Supreme Court Justice, Has Died at 93
on Friday morning, her death was due to “complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, and a respiratory illness." was appointed to the court by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and held the role until her retirement in 2006. Her nomination inspired generations of women to pursue law, including five female justices who'd eventually follow in her footsteps (four of whom are currently serving).She will be remembered, in particular, for the defining role she played in court decisions on hotly contested issues such as abortion, affirmative action, voting rights, religion, and discrimination on the basis of sex.