‘She was a pioneer’

When Thalia Dondero decided to enter the no-holds barred world of politics, running for a seat in the state Assembly in 1972, Carson City was an old school men’s club. Just five women sat in the Legislature, only one in the upper house.

But Ms. Dondero had long been active on the Las Vegas education scene and had earned an appointment to the Nevada State Parks Commission. She wasn’t deterred by gender barriers.

Ms. Dondero lost that first race, but the experience proved invaluable two years later when she sought a seat on the Clark County Commission. This time, the vote went her way and in 1975 Thalia Dondero became the first female member of perhaps the state’s most powerful political body.

It was a position she held for 20 years during a time of tremendous upheaval in Southern Nevada.

Thalia Dondero passed away Sunday at the age of 96.

During her tenure on the commission, growth issues dominated the agenda. Clark County’s population skyrocketed by more than 60 percent during the 1980s to more than 750,000, bringing with it controversies and challenges involving water use, flood control, traffic congestion, urban sprawl and infrastructure development.

Through it all, Ms. Dondero maintained a composed and even-tempered approach to problem solving.

When she lost her re-election bid in 1994, she picked herself up and won election two years later to the Board of Regents, where she served until retiring in 2008.

“She was a pioneer,” said UNLV history professor Michael Green. “She came to it the way, historically, women were expected to get involved. Today it’s a very different situation — happily.”

And it’s different precisely because of trailblazers such as Thalia Dondero whose achievements and sacrifices helped smooth the way for hundreds who followed.