Rita Crocker Clements
| Rita Crocker Clements | |
|---|---|
| First Lady of Texas | |
|
In office January 20, 1987 – January 15, 1991 |
|
| Governor | Bill Clements |
| Preceded by | Linda Gail White |
| Succeeded by | Laura Bush |
|
In office January 16, 1979 – January 18, 1983 |
|
| Preceded by | Janey Slaughter Briscoe |
| Succeeded by | Linda Gail White |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Perry Clements, Jr. October 30, 1931 Newton, Kansas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Bill Clements |
| Children | 6 |
| Residence | Texas |
Rita Crocker Clements (born October 30, 1931) is a Republican Party organizer, heritage preservationist, and former First Lady of the U.S. state of Texas.
She was born in Newton, Kansas on October 30, 1931 to rancher and political activist Mason Crocker and his wife Florabel. The family relocated to Brady, Texas when she was 10 years old. She graduated from the Hockaday School in 1949. She then graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1953. Her 1952 marriage to Richard Daniel Bass produced four children. They divorced in 1974. In 1975, she married Bill Clements.
Clements began her political career as a volunteer for the 1952 Dwight D. Eisenhower campaign for President of the United States. By 1958, she had risen to Republican party precinct chairman in Dallas County. Her continued involvement in party politics helped elect John Tower to the United States Senate in 1961. She served as state co-chair of the 1964 committee for the Barry Goldwater presidential campaign. Clements was appointed to the Republican National Committee in 1973. She was First Lady of Texas during the two non-consecutive terms (1979–1983 and 1987–1991) of her husband Governor Bill Clements. During 1979–1982, she spearheaded the renovation of the Texas Governor's Mansion. She and the Governor founded the non-profit organization Friends of the Governor's Mansion to raise private money for the project, as well as to fund future maintenance of the mansion. The non-profit organization initially raised $3 million. The state legislature appropriated an additional $1 million for the restoration.
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