Frances Farley
Frances Farley was born 1923 in North Dakota. She was raised by her mother Eva Carson Ball after her father passed away when she was only 3 years old. Farley attended the University of North Dakota and earned a bachelors degree in business administration before graduating from New York University with a master’s degree in marketing. While in New York she met her future husband Gene Farley. The two married and raised two children in St. Paul Minnesota from 1958-1970. [1]
It was in Minnesota where Farley first began her political activism, managing the political campaign of her friend who ran for City Council. The family moved to Salt Lake in 1970 where Farley continued her political activism. She was elected as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention and managed the campaign of Stephen Holbrook for Utah State House of Representatives. [1]
In 1976 Farley decided she was tired of managing others campaigns and decided to run herself. She was successfully elected to the Utah State Senate as the first woman in more than 20 years. During her time in the Utah Senate, she removed sales tax from prescription drugs and fought against the creation of the MX missile complex. [1] The MX missile complex was a planned intercontinental ballistic missile project planned by the US government during the Cold War. Many community members were concerned that it would make Utah a major target if Soviet-American relations ever soured. [2]
Farley was in the Utah Senate until 1982 when she decided to run for US Congress. She ran in both 1982 and 1984 losing both, her second time by only 436 votes. Farley returned to her seat in the Utah Senate in 1986 for only one more term, retiring in 1990. [1]
Throughout her career Farley was known as a strong advocate for women. After leaving office she worked to encourage other women to run for office including Karen Shepherd, who was eventually elected to the Utah Legislature. Farley recalled that her being unwilling to be treated differently due to her gender often made her colleagues uncomfortable.[3]
One example of this is when she was turned away from the University Club, not allowed entrance to its sports grill due to its 'male only policy'. She launched a protest movement which eventually led to the decades-old club finally opening its doors to women. [4]
Frances Farley passed away in 2004 at the age of 80 due to complications of Alzheimer's. [1]
Frances Farley Photograph Collection Finding Aid
Women in Utah Politics Oral History Project Finding Aid (Frances Farley's Oral History is Box 1, Folder 2-4)
[1] Legacy. (2004, January 18). Frances Farley Obituary (2004) - Salt Lake City, UT - The Salt Lake Tribune. Legacy.com; Legacy. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/saltlaketribune/name/frances-farley-obituary?id=29350260&referrer=0&preview=false
[2] The MX Missile Project | History to Go. (2019). Utah.gov. https://historytogo.utah.gov/mx-missile-project/
[3] KSL (2017). Women’s Rights Pioneer Frances Farley Dead at 80. Ksl.com; ksl.com. https://www.ksl.com/article/86872/womens-rights-pioneer-frances-farley-dead-at-80
[4] Deseret News (2004, January 21). Sen. Frances Farley. Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/2004/1/21/19807616/sen-frances-farley/