Nancy Wyly Ryles
Encyclopedia
Nancy Ryles was an Oregon politician. She served in the Oregon House of Representatives
, the Oregon Senate and as one of three members of the state's Public Utility Commission
. She was known as an advocate for education and for equality for women and minorities. An elementary school in Beaverton
is named after her.
. She graduated from Jefferson High in Northeast Portland and was chosen as Portland Rose Festival
Queen in 1955. She married Vernon B. Ryles Jr. in 1957 and became Nancy Ryles. She attended Willamette University
and Portland State University
, but did not graduate from college.
Nancy Ryles served on the Beaverton school
board from 1972 to 1978, as well as on the State Advisory Council for Career and Vocational Education. The Oregon Education Association
gave her its Human Rights Award in 1974. She was named Beaverton
's "First Citizen" in 1979.
in 1978, succeeding Tom Marsh
, and serving what was then House District 5 (but which became District 7 after a legislative reapportionment
plan approved by the Oregon Legislature
in 1981). In 1982, she was elected to the Oregon State Senate
, District 3—a newly created district formed from portions of other districts (including about half of former Senate District 5). She served two terms in each chamber of the Oregon Legislature, and in both chambers was appointed to serve on the Education Commission of the States
.
She was proud of the passage of a 1981 bill mandating public kindergartens in Oregon, which built on work begun by then-legislator Betty Roberts
in 1965. She co-chaired a Senate Task Force in 1985 and 1986 which attempted to pass aid in dying legislation; the legislative efforts were unsuccessful, but were an important precursor to the passage of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act in 1994.
She was appointed to the Oregon Public Utility Commission
(PUC) by Governor
Neil Goldschmidt
in April 1987 and resigned her position in the Oregon Senate effective May 15, 1987, to take up her new duties. She was the first woman to serve on the Oregon PUC.
Ryles died September 12, 1990, of cancer. She was still serving on the state's Public Utility Commission at the time, her term due to end on March 31, 1991. She was buried at Bethany Presbyterian Cemetery. She was survived by Vernon Barton Ryles (b. September 25, 1937) and two children, Scott Allen Ryles and Ashley Marie Ryles.
Friends of Ryles established a women's scholarship
program at Portland State University
in her honor, the Nancy Ryles Scholarship Fund. The program had been Ryles' own idea. She had regretted having never graduated from college, and she wanted to help other women avoid having such regrets. The first scholarship winner was announced in May 1991, and by September 2010, 23 women had been its beneficiaries. The scholarship fund was valued at $708,000 in 2010.
In 1992, a newly opened elementary school
in the Beaverton School District
was given the name, Nancy Ryles Elementary School, in tribute to Ryles.
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
, the Oregon Senate and as one of three members of the state's Public Utility Commission
Oregon Public Utility Commission
The Oregon Public Utility Commission is the chief electric, gas and telephone utility regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. It sets rates and establishes rules of operation for the state's investor-owned utility companies...
. She was known as an advocate for education and for equality for women and minorities. An elementary school in Beaverton
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...
is named after her.
Early life and first public service
She was born as Nancy Wyly in 1937 in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. She graduated from Jefferson High in Northeast Portland and was chosen as Portland Rose Festival
Portland Rose Festival
The Portland Rose Festival is an annual civic festival held during the month of June in Portland, Oregon. It is organized by the volunteer non-profit Portland Rose Festival Association with the purpose of promoting the Portland region...
Queen in 1955. She married Vernon B. Ryles Jr. in 1957 and became Nancy Ryles. She attended Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
and Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
, but did not graduate from college.
Nancy Ryles served on the Beaverton school
Beaverton School District
The Beaverton School District is a school district in suburban Beaverton and Portland, Oregon, United States. The Beaverton Elementary School District 48 was established in 1876, with other elementary districts later merged into the district. The elementary district was later merged with the high...
board from 1972 to 1978, as well as on the State Advisory Council for Career and Vocational Education. The Oregon Education Association
Oregon Education Association
The Oregon Education Association is the largest public education employees' union in the U.S. state of Oregon, representing more than 46,000 teachers and classified personnel. It has local affiliates in each of the state's 199 public school districts, and 8 community colleges...
gave her its Human Rights Award in 1974. She was named Beaverton
Beaverton, Oregon
Beaverton is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, seven miles west of Portland in the Tualatin River Valley.As of the 2010 census, the population is 90,267. This makes it the second-largest city in the county and Oregon's sixth-largest city...
's "First Citizen" in 1979.
Career in government
Ryles was elected to the Oregon House of RepresentativesOregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
in 1978, succeeding Tom Marsh
Tom Marsh (Oregon politician)
Tom Marsh is a former member of the Oregon House of Representatives, representing portions of Washington County, Oregon, United States. He served two terms, from January 1975 through 1978....
, and serving what was then House District 5 (but which became District 7 after a legislative reapportionment
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
plan approved by the Oregon Legislature
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
in 1981). In 1982, she was elected to the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
, District 3—a newly created district formed from portions of other districts (including about half of former Senate District 5). She served two terms in each chamber of the Oregon Legislature, and in both chambers was appointed to serve on the Education Commission of the States
Education Commission of the States
The Education Commission of the States was founded as a result of the creation of the Compact for Education, an interstate compact approved by Congress in 1965 and currently entered by 49 U.S...
.
She was proud of the passage of a 1981 bill mandating public kindergartens in Oregon, which built on work begun by then-legislator Betty Roberts
Betty Roberts
Betty Cantrell Roberts was a politician and judge in the U.S. state of Oregon. She was the 83rd Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, the highest state court in Oregon. She was the first woman on the Oregon Supreme Court, and had also been the first woman on the Oregon Court of Appeals...
in 1965. She co-chaired a Senate Task Force in 1985 and 1986 which attempted to pass aid in dying legislation; the legislative efforts were unsuccessful, but were an important precursor to the passage of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act in 1994.
She was appointed to the Oregon Public Utility Commission
Oregon Public Utility Commission
The Oregon Public Utility Commission is the chief electric, gas and telephone utility regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. It sets rates and establishes rules of operation for the state's investor-owned utility companies...
(PUC) by Governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
Neil Goldschmidt
Neil Goldschmidt
Neil Edward Goldschmidt is an American businessman and former Democratic politician from Oregon who held local, state, and federal offices over three decades. After serving as the governor of Oregon, Goldschmidt is widely considered the most influential figure in the state's politics, both as an...
in April 1987 and resigned her position in the Oregon Senate effective May 15, 1987, to take up her new duties. She was the first woman to serve on the Oregon PUC.
Ryles died September 12, 1990, of cancer. She was still serving on the state's Public Utility Commission at the time, her term due to end on March 31, 1991. She was buried at Bethany Presbyterian Cemetery. She was survived by Vernon Barton Ryles (b. September 25, 1937) and two children, Scott Allen Ryles and Ashley Marie Ryles.
Friends of Ryles established a women's scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
program at Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
in her honor, the Nancy Ryles Scholarship Fund. The program had been Ryles' own idea. She had regretted having never graduated from college, and she wanted to help other women avoid having such regrets. The first scholarship winner was announced in May 1991, and by September 2010, 23 women had been its beneficiaries. The scholarship fund was valued at $708,000 in 2010.
In 1992, a newly opened elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
in the Beaverton School District
Beaverton School District
The Beaverton School District is a school district in suburban Beaverton and Portland, Oregon, United States. The Beaverton Elementary School District 48 was established in 1876, with other elementary districts later merged into the district. The elementary district was later merged with the high...
was given the name, Nancy Ryles Elementary School, in tribute to Ryles.
External links
- The Nancy Ryles Scholarship at Portland State UniversityPortland State UniversityPortland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...