Former state legislator Wisdom dies at age 78

Jane Wisdom, a two-term Democratic assemblywoman who unsuccessfully challenged a sitting Republican congresswoman, died July 5 in her Pahrump home at age 78.

Wisdom represented Las Vegas in the 1987 and 1989 sessions of the Legislature.

She then lost to Rep. Barbara Vucanovich for the 2nd Congressional District seat in 1990.

Gov. Jim Gibbons remembered serving with Wisdom on Assembly committees when both were legislators.

"She left her mark," he said. "Jane was a very thoughtful legislator."

In 1989, nine of Wisdom's 12 bills passed, including one to help adoptions, another to help the handicapped and a third to bring truth in advertising.

"She had very high principles as a legislator," former Assembly Speaker Joe Dini said. "She conducted herself well."

Richard Cornett, who ran her campaign for Congress, said Wisdom was "energetic and very passionate about Nevada politics."

While she knew she had little chance of beating Vucanovich, Wisdom put everything she had into that race, he said. "She loved the Democratic Party."

As a politician, Wisdom called herself a fiscal conservative who on the issue of abortion believed in a woman's right to choose. She once said government has no more right to tell women what to do with their bodies "than the Nazis in World War II" did when they told women to have children.

Wisdom moved to Pahrump in 1997 but remained active in Democratic politics.

She was born in Hagerstown, Md., on May 1, 1932, Wisdom had worked as a Russian translator before moving to Nevada in 1962. She worked as a room reservations manager at several hotels.

In her later years, she was active in Grace Lutheran Church, recently helping oversee construction of a church.

Wisdom is survived by her son, Charles Wisdom, his wife, Karen, and three granddaughters, Lauren, Natalie and Amanda.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday at Saved by Grace Lutheran Church, 6341 S. Hawkins Way, Pahrump.