The Honorable Myrna L. Bair, former Delaware State Senator (1980–2000), policy advisor, and assistant professor at the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA), passed away peacefully on Jan. 29, 2024. She was 83. 

Dr. Bair earned a doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin and taught chemistry at Beaver College from 1966 to 1970 and later at the University of Delaware (UD) between 1974 and 1980. Her contributions to UD did not stop there. She returned to the university in 1987, serving as a policy advisor for IPA and later an assistant professor in 2007. She also developed and directed the Women’s Leadership Development Program at UD. 

Dr. Bair served the state of Delaware in various capacities from the early 1980s to the new millennium. Dr. Bair served as Minority Leader for fourteen years and the Minority Whip for two years, as the only woman in legislative leadership at the time. Dr. Bair’s leadership permeated nearly every aspect of the state, focusing on gender equity and child welfare. Some of her most notable accomplishments included contributing to the development of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families and the Women’s Leadership Center. Dr. Bair also sponsored the bill that led to the creation of the Office of the Child Advocate, ensuring that child welfare was a top priority in Delaware. 

She has been recognized for continuously paving the way for other women leaders, having founded the only chapter of the International Women’s Forum (IWF) in Delaware during the 1990s. Dr. Bair received several awards, including the Order of the First State, conferred by Governor Thomas Carper, the Emily P. Bissell Award, the Distinguished Legislative Service Award from the Delaware State Bar Association, and IWF’s “Women Who Make a Difference” award. She has also been honored by Grassroots Citizens for Children and the Department for Children, Youth, and their Families. 

In 2001, Dr. Bair was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women, adding even more to her outstanding list of accomplishments. 

Dr. Bair’s friends and colleagues shared memories and accolades in her memory. 

Joan DelFattore, a retired English professor at UD and a close friend of Dr. Bair for more than 30 years, stated, “Myrna had a stellar career as a state legislator and has won major awards, in addition to her contributions to the women’s leadership program at UD. As we both got older, people who didn’t know Myrna sometimes mistook her for a sweet old lady. This never ended well because Myrna was a tough cookie. She had to be to achieve what she did in what was still very much a man’s world.”

“Myrna was one of a kind. She was a fierce advocate for women and equality,” said Kathy Murphy, associate director at IPA and close friend of Dr. Bair. “She spent her career learning how to navigate male-dominated spaces and taught other women how to do the same.”

Liane Sorenson, a former colleague of Dr. Bair in the state senate and close friend, recalled, “I was fortunate to work with Myrna Bair through the University of Delaware Women’s Leadership Development Program; the Delaware State Senate; and the Women’s Network of NCSL (the National Conference of State Legislators). She was the same in each of these settings: a natural leader, a mentor to women, a believer in leadership training, and always a force to be reckoned with. I will miss her friendship, her energy, her laugh, and her ability to get things done.”   

“Myrna was a dear friend, mentor, and IPA colleague,” said Julia O’Hanlon, Health and Aging Policy services coordinator at IPA and staff liaison for the Delaware League of Local Governments. “Through her leadership skills and trainings, she taught me the importance of learning about my own style and being true to myself. I was fortunate to work with her as part of the Delaware ACE Women’s Network (DAWN) and admired her professionalism and dedication to women’s leadership development. On a personal note, I will continue to treasure her words of advice and will fondly remember Myrna’s contagious laugh and witty sidebars.”

Sen. David P. Sokola, the only sitting senator who served with Dr. Bair, remarked, “Having served in the Senate for more than two decades, I have seen my fair share of remarkable legislators come through Legislative Hall who have used their unique personal and professional experiences to bring about lasting change: one of those is State Senator Myrna Bair. I have always deeply respected the life and legacy of Senator Bair. A practiced chemist, she brought an analytical mind to work with her each day. Moreover, I’ve always admired the work she did to establish the Office of the Child Advocate, which serves hundreds of foster youth each year to this day. May she rest in peace.”

To read Myrna L. Bair’s obituary, visit Delaware Online.