GERALDINE FERRARO PASSES AWAY AT AGE 75

Geraldine Ferraro

The first woman to run for Vice President for a major party has died. Geraldine Ferraro died today at Massachusetts General Hospital, a spokesman for her family said. She was 75 years old. The cause of death was complications from multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that she had battled for 12 years, according to a press statement from her family. Ferraro was the first woman and the very first Italian-American to run on a major party national ticket. She was Walter Mondale's vice presidential running mate in 1984 on the Democratic Party ticket. Ferraro earned a huge reputation for speaking her mind on the issues of the day, sometimes generating controversy for her outspoken opinions. Ferraro was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in December 1998. She disclosed the illness in 2001.

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