AUSTIN, Texas — Former Austin Mayor, Texas railroad commissioner and Texas comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn died on Wednesday at the age of 85.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson confirmed the news of Strayhorn’s passing to KVUE senior reporter Tony Plohetski on Wednesday evening. In a statement, Watson referred to Strayhorn as “a powerful personality that filled a room,” and someone who “pushed people to think about the future but also made you laugh at the drop of a hat.”
Strayhorn served as Austin’s mayor from 1977 until 1993. She served on the Texas Railroad Commission in the 1990s before being elected as Texas Comptroller in 1998.
Strayhorn was the first woman to serve as Austin’s mayor and the first to become the state’s comptroller. She ran for governor as an independent in the 2006 gubernatorial election, placing third behind incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry and Democrat Chris Bell.
Strayhorn attempted to regain her seat as Austin Mayor in 2009, finishing third behind Lee Leffingwell and Brewster McCracken.