Elizabeth Rudel Smith
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Rudel Smith Gatov (April 27, 1911-January 25, 1997) was a leader of the California Democratic Party who served as Treasurer of the United States
, 1961-1962.
She was born in Montreal, the daughter of a Canadian-American industrialist who owned the Rudel Machinery Company, attended Smith College
and graduated in 1937 from the University of Michigan
.
In 1942, she moved to California when she married San Francisco businessman Frederick H. Smith IV, her third husband, whom she later divorced. She married again in 1962, to Savings and Loan executive Albert W. Gatov, who died in 1978.
Mrs. Gatov first became active in Democratic politics during the Truman presidential campaign of 1948. After working with the Coro Foundation in San Francisco to train young men and women for careers in politics and government, she chaired the Marin County Democratic Party, and, in 1956, was chosen as Democratic National Committeewoman from California, joining Los Angeles lawyer Paul Ziffren, the National Committeeman, as liaison with the national Democratic Party. She held that Party post until her appointment in the Kennedy Administration, which also followed brief service in Sacramento as Deputy Labor Commissioner for Governor Pat Brown
.
Mrs. Gatov returned to her Marin home from Washington in 1962 and remained active in Democratic politics for the next 20 years. She was a close friend of the Kennedy family and many other luminaries of the national Democratic Party.
Treasurer of the United States
The Treasurer of the United States is an official in the United States Department of the Treasury that was originally charged with the receipt and custody of government funds, though many of these functions have been taken over by different bureaus of the Department of the Treasury...
, 1961-1962.
She was born in Montreal, the daughter of a Canadian-American industrialist who owned the Rudel Machinery Company, attended Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
and graduated in 1937 from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
.
In 1942, she moved to California when she married San Francisco businessman Frederick H. Smith IV, her third husband, whom she later divorced. She married again in 1962, to Savings and Loan executive Albert W. Gatov, who died in 1978.
Mrs. Gatov first became active in Democratic politics during the Truman presidential campaign of 1948. After working with the Coro Foundation in San Francisco to train young men and women for careers in politics and government, she chaired the Marin County Democratic Party, and, in 1956, was chosen as Democratic National Committeewoman from California, joining Los Angeles lawyer Paul Ziffren, the National Committeeman, as liaison with the national Democratic Party. She held that Party post until her appointment in the Kennedy Administration, which also followed brief service in Sacramento as Deputy Labor Commissioner for Governor Pat Brown
Pat Brown
Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. was the 32nd Governor of California, serving from 1959 to 1967, and the father of current Governor of California Jerry Brown.-Background:...
.
Mrs. Gatov returned to her Marin home from Washington in 1962 and remained active in Democratic politics for the next 20 years. She was a close friend of the Kennedy family and many other luminaries of the national Democratic Party.