Kay Granger, trailblazing Texas Republican and first GOP woman to chair House Appropriations, dies at 83
Former U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, a Fort Worth Republican who spent nearly three decades in Congress and broke a series of barriers for women in public life, has died at 83. Her son, J.D. Granger, confirmed the death. A cause was not immediately announced, though Granger had spoken of “unforeseen health challenges” late in her career, and her family later said dementia-related issues, including Alzheimer’s disease, contributed to her long absence from Washington in 2024.
Granger died on Aug. 2 in Fort Worth. The news drew tributes from Republican leaders who described her as a steadfast advocate for North Texas, the military, and fiscal conservatism. House Speaker Mike Johnson called her a close friend and praised a lifetime of service that began in the classroom and on local boards before reaching one of the most powerful posts in Congress.
“Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades, where she also served as Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee,” Johnson wrote. “Throughout her career, she broke barriers for women in public service.”
Sen. Ted Cruz said she had dedicated nearly 30 years to North Texas, the armed forces, and a strong national defense. Rep. Craig Goldman, who succeeded her in the 12th Congressional District, called her a legend whose work transformed the community she represented. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, a former Granger aide, remembered her as a mentor with an “indelible spirit” and an unwavering commitment to the city.
Born Norvell Kay Mullendore on Jan. 18, 1943, in Greenville, Texas, Granger grew up in Fort Worth, graduated from Eastern Hills High School, and earned a degree from Texas Wesleyan University in 1965. She taught high school, then built an insurance business. After her divorce, she raised three children as a single mother while entering public service.
She served on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission from 1981 to 1989, then on the City Council. In 1991 she became the first woman elected mayor of Fort Worth, holding the office until 1995. As mayor she focused on economic development and public safety as the city grew.
Voters sent her to Congress in 1996. She represented Texas’s 12th District for 14 terms, from 1997 until she left office in January 2025. In Washington she built a reputation as a conservative focused on spending, national security, and constituent work. She spent 25 years on the House Appropriations Committee and became chair after Republicans won the House in 2022 — the first Republican woman to lead the panel. She stepped down from the chairmanship in April 2024.
A central priority was military strength and Fort Worth’s defense industry. As the first woman to chair the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, she was a leading advocate for the F-35 Lightning II program produced by Lockheed Martin in her district. Colleagues on both sides of the aisle later cited her work on the committee as steady and institution-minded.
In 2023 Granger announced she would not seek reelection, saying she wanted to finish her final term and continue serving her constituents. Health problems intensified in 2024. She cast her last recorded vote in July of that year and spent much of the remaining months of her term in Fort Worth. She returned to the Capitol in November 2024 for a portrait unveiling honoring her Appropriations tenure.
Granger’s path — teacher, small-business owner, single mother, mayor, and appropriator — made her a rare figure who rose through local government to national power without losing her identification with Fort Worth. Allies remembered a practical, no-drama style: she broke barriers, they said, by doing the work rather than advertising the firsts.
Her funeral was held Aug. 22 at First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth. Officials across Texas described her death as the close of an era in the city’s political life, and as the loss of a lawmaker who treated appropriations not as abstract budget math but as a way to keep bases, factories, and neighborhoods functioning. She is survived by her children and grandchildren.
