Former Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who took over the office to become the second female governor in state history after her predecessor resigned amid a corruption scandal, has died. She was 78.
Rell died Wednesday at a Florida hospital following a brief illness, her family said in a statement Thursday morning.
Rell, a Republican who was born in Virginia and moved to Brookfield, Connecticut, in 1969, served from 2004 until 2011. Known for her candor and compassion—she would personally call and write notes to people when they faced difficult or happy times—Rell was lieutenant governor and took on the governorship during a challenging period for the state. Gov. John G. Rowland was under federal investigation and faced impeachment….