Beverly Jean White was an American activist and politician who served in the Utah House of Representatives from the 57th, 64th, and 21st districts from 1971 to 1991, as a member of the Democratic Party. She was the longest serving female member of the Utah State Legislature. White also served in multiple positions in the local, state, and national Democratic Party and attended many state and national conventions.
White was born in Salt Lake City, and grew up in Tooele, Utah, following the death of her mother. She was educated at Tooele High School and married Floyd White, who would also become involved in politics. She entered politics with her involvement in the Tooele County Democratic Ladies Club which she served as president of and later became active in the Tooele County Democratic Party.
White served as vice-chair of the Tooele County Democratic Party, secretary of the Utah Democratic Party for sixteen years, and on the Rules Committee of the Democratic National Committee. She served as a delegate to multiple state conventions of the Utah Democratic Party and as a delegate to every Democratic National Convention from 1964 to 2004, with the exception of 1976 when she served as an alternate delegate.
She first held office with her appointment to the Utah Board of Pardons by Governor Cal Rampton. She served on the board until Rampton appointed her to fill a vacancy in the state house created by Representative F. Chileon Halladay's death. During her tenure in the state house she would at times be the only female chair of a committee and served as Assistant Whip while in the majority and minority. She lost reelection in the 1990 election to Republican nominee Merrill Nelson. Following her tenure in the state house she served on a hospital board, wrote a book about female legislators, and aided in the creation of a satellite university for the Utah State University. She died in 2021.
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2. November 1928 – 24. May 2021
