Former U.S. Rep. Karen McCarthy (D), 63, dies of complications from Alzheimer's

[Dennis Donovan]

By STEVE KRASKE
The Kansas City Star

Karen McCarthy, the former English teacher turned five-term member of Congress, died today of complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

She was 63.

McCarthy, a longtime resident of Kansas City’s Valentine neighborhood, championed the environment, public education, women’s rights and an expansion of prescription-drug coverage under Medicare during a career in public office that spanned nearly three decades.

She rose to become president of the National Conference of State Legislatures in 1994 and, that same year, easily defeated 10 other Democratic candidates to cruise into Congress.

Harper’s Bazaar magazine once listed McCarthy, along with Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice, as a potential first woman president.

But in June 2009, her family announced that McCarthy was suffering from an advanced form of Alzheimer’s disease. At the time, she was also said to be dealing with a bipolar disorder that apparently went undiagnosed for at least a decade.
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Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/05/2279668/former-congresswoman-karen-mccarthy.html#ixzz11X8WJP9a

Cross gently, Congresswoman McCarthy...:(

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Oh, how sad...

That is too young, way too young...

Safe passage to her...

My condolences to her family and to all who loved her...

:(

[MannyGoldstein]

2. So awful... at such an early age nt

[Cleita]

3. Wow 63 is pretty young for advanced Alzheimers.

:-(

[Cassandra]

4. There are two ages one is likely to get...

inherited Alzheimer's; 79 or 59. She apparently had the 59 variety.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. I wish I had known that to tell my grandmother.

She had a great fear of getting Alzheimer's, even joined a support group at her retirement community though she was the only one without a "patient." I told her that if she didn't have it at age 90, she wasn't likely to get it... :(

[DCKit]

5. So wrong. n/t

[Rhiannon12866]

6. K&R. One of the good ones...

Very sad... ;(

[Va Lefty]

7. Very Sad

RIP

[Dennis Donovan]

9. Kicking this because my Grandmother died from complications of Alzheimers...

...she was 60 when she was diagnosed. It's something people don't think of when the person is so young, and it's often misdiagnosed at first.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. She was such a neat lady. She told me that she was most proud of her vote against the IWR.

RIP Karen.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Kick cause this is huge loss. She was a great liberal.

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Agreed.

;( :patriot: :kick:

[lightningandsnow]

13. So sad.

Safe passage to her. :(