Betty Parsons Dooley, founder of the National Council of Research on Women (NCRW) and founder and president of Women’s Research and Education Institute (WREI) for 20 years, died of heart failure last week. A champion of women’s rights, Dooley, during her time at WREI, led the center for women in the military and spearheaded the Congressional Fellowships on Women and Public Policy. Dooley was also active in the Democratic Party and served as the first executive director of the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues in 1977, which under her leadership helped to pass legislation benefiting women’s health and civil rights. Jean Stapleton, president of the WREI board remembered Dooley with regard. “Betty Dooley changed history. She brought that God-fearing, can-do pioneer spirit to Washington and to the women’s movement and taught all of us how to fight for our rights.” A funeral service was held for Dooley in Washington, DC yesterday. Originally from Texas, Dooley will be buried in Texarkana, Texas.
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