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Former Tennessee First Lady Honey Alexander dies at age 77

Honey Alexander with husband and former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander and former U.S. President George W. Bush.
Smith Funeral Home, Maryville, TN
Honey Alexander with husband and former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander and former U.S. President George W. Bush.

MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The family of former Tennessee governor and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander says his wife of 53 years has died at age 77.

Known as “Honey,” Leslee Kathryn Buhler Alexander died surrounded by her family on Saturday at her home outside of the Tennessee city of Maryville.

Lamar Alexander is a Republican who served as Tennessee’s governor from 1979 to 1987. He served as Education Secretary under President George H.W. Bush, ran for president and spent three terms in the U.S. Senate before retiring in 2020.

Honey Alexander campaigned for her husband throughout his political career, and she supported several groups that focused on family and children's health.

You can read Honey Alexander's full obituary here, including word of memorial services for her to be held in Nashville in December.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.