Rep. Reckitt was the longtime director of Family Crisis Services in Portland and was the driving force behind Maine’s proposed Equal Rights Amendment.
Rep. Lois Galgay Reckitt, D-South Portland, shown at the State House in June. She pressed for an Equal Rights Amendment for five decades. Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press
Lois Galgay Reckitt, a state representative from South Portland and a longtime activist for women’s rights, died Monday. She was 78.
“I am so saddened by Lois’ passing,” said Speaker of the House Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland. “She will be remembered as a trailblazer, a feminist icon, and for her relentless efforts on behalf of Maine women and families. I was blessed to know Lois for five decades and I will never forget her courage, resiliency, and her fierce dedication to justice. Her legacy of leadership and her tenacity will continue to inspire us all.”
Reckitt’s family said she died of colon cancer.
“I’ve always admired my Aunt Lois” Reckitt’s nephew Dan Saulnier, told the Press Herald on Tuesday. “She spent her whole life in service to others and fighting for a more just world. And yet she was always there if I needed support, or advice, or just to get away. I’ve never met anyone quite like her, and I’ll miss her deeply.”
