This April 15, 2015 photo released by Seneca Women shows Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the Seneca Women Global Leadership Forum at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington. O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, announced Tuesday that she has the beginning stages of dementia, “probably Alzheimer’s disease.” (Kevin Wolf/Seneca Women via AP)
Kevin Wolf
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court, announced Tuesday that she has the beginning stages of dementia, "probably Alzheimer's disease."
The 88-year-old said in a public letter that her diagnosis was made some time ago and that as her condition has progressed she is "no longer able to participate in public life."
"While the final chapter of my life with dementia may be trying, nothing has diminished my gratitude and deep appreciation for the countless blessings in my life," she wrote. She added: "As a young cowgirl from the Arizona desert, I never could have imagined that one day I would become the first woman justice on the U.S. Supreme Court."
O'Connor's announcement of her diagnosis came a day after a story by The Associated Press that she had stepped back from public life and in which her son Jay O'Connor said that his mother had begun to have challenges with her short term memory. He also said that hip issues have meant she now primarily uses a wheelchair and stays close to her home in Phoenix. O'Connor last spoke in public more than two years ago.
O'Connor was a state court judge before being nominated to the Supreme Court in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan, who fulfilled a campaign promise by nominating a woman to the Supreme Court. O'Connor had graduated third in her class from Stanford Law School and was the first woman to lead the Arizona state senate. She was 51 when she was unanimously confirmed to the high court. On the Supreme Court, her votes were key in cases about abortion, affirmative action and campaign finance as well as the Bush v. Gore decision effectively settling the 2000 election in George W. Bush's favor.
O'Connor was 75 when she announced her retirement from the court in 2005. It was a decision influenced by the decline in the health of her husband, John O'Connor III, who himself had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement that he was "saddened to learn" that O'Connor "faces the challenge of dementia."
"Although she has announced that she is withdrawing from public life, no illness or condition can take away the inspiration she provides for those who will follow the many paths she has blazed," Roberts wrote.
Photos: Sandra Day O'Connor, 1930-2023, through the years
Sandra Day O’Connor with William French Smith
Sandra Day O’Connor, President Ronald Reagan’s nominee to be a Supreme Court Justice, poses with Attorney General William French Smith at the Justice Department in Washington on Tuesday, July 14, 1981. O’Connor is conducting a series of meeting on Tuesday, with Smith and numerous Congressional leaders. (AP Photo/Jeff Taylor)
Jeff Taylor
Sandra Day OConnor 1981
Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.), shakes hands with Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O’Connor, along with Attorney General William French Smith on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 14, 1981. O’Connor is an appeals court judge in Arizona and Thurmond chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi)
Charles Tasnadi
Reagan O'Connor
President Reagan presents his Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O'Connor to members of the press, July 15, 1981, in the Rose Garden at the White House prior to the start of a meeting between the two which took place in the Oval Office. (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sandra Day O’Connor with Orrin Hatch
Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O’Connor visits with Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah in his Capitol Hill office on Wednesday, July 15, 1981 in Washington. Hatch presented O’Connor with a “I Love Utah” button which she has attached to her jacket. (AP Photo/Cook)
Cook
Sandra Day O'Connor; Teddy Kenn
Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O'Connor and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., make a statement to reporters, July 17, 1981, on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma)
BARRY THUMMA
SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR
Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O'Connor raises her right hand to be sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 9, 1981. (AP Photo/John Duricka)
JOHN DURICKA
Sandra Day OConnor 1981
Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.), and Supreme Court nominee Judge Sandra Day O’Connor chat prior to the start of her confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sept. 9, 1981 on Capitol Hill in Washington. O’Connor is a judge in the state of Arizona. (AP Photo)
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O'Connor
Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O'Connor smiles during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sept. 9, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
RON EDMONDS
U.S. SENATE CONFIRMS OCONNOR
Sandra Day O'Connor waves as she arrives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington in Sept. 1981, shortly after her nomination to the Supreme Court is confirmed by the Senate. Walking behind O'Connor are, from left, Sen. Barry Goldwater, R-Ariz., Attorney General William French Smith, Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Dennis DeConcini, D-Ariz. (AP Photo/Scott Applewhite)
SCOTT APPLEWHITE
SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR
Sandra Day O'Connor waves to photographers after her unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 21, 1981. Standing with O'Connor, from left to right, are: Attorney General William French Smith, Sen. Barry Goldwater, R-Ariz., Sen. Dennis DeConcini, D-Ariz., Vice President George Bush, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C. (AP Photo/Scott Applewhite)
SCOTT APPLEWHITE
Sandra Day OConnor
Supreme Court Justice-designate Sandra Day O’Connor, right, poses with first lady Nancy Reagan, Chief Justice of the United States Warren Burger and President Ronald Reagan during a reception for U.S. Apellate Court judges at the White House in Washington, Sept. 24, 1981. (AP Photo)
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SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR
Sandra Day O'Connor is sworn in as an Associate Justice by Chief Justice Warren Burger at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Friday, Sept. 25, 1981. Holding two family bibles, at center, is husband John J. O'Connor. (AP Photo/Michael Evans)
MICHAEL EVANS
SANDRA DAY O'CONNoR BURGER
Sandra Day O'Connor poses with her family and Chief Justice Warren Burger on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington in Sept. 1981. This photo was taken prior to her swearing in as an associate justice of the supreme court. From left to right are: O'Connor's father Harry Day, husband John J. O'Connor, mother Ada Mae Day, Sandra Day O'Connor, Warren Burger, and O'Connor's sons, Brian, Jay and Scott. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
BOB DAUGHERTY
OCONNOR BURGER
Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor poses with Chief Justice Warren Burger after her swearing in at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Sept. 25, 1981. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
RON EDMONDS
SCOTUS OCONNOR
Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, second from right, poses with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, right, and Chief Justice Warren Burger following her swearing in at the Supreme Court in Washington, Sept. 25, 1981. O'Connor's husband, John O'Connor, is seen at far right. O'Connor. (AP Photo/ Ron Edmonds)
RON EDMONDS
SCOTUS OCONNOR BURGER 1981
Sandra Day O'Connor and Chief Justice Warren Burger pose for pictures at the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, Sept. 25, 1981. O'Connor will be sworn in as the first female justice of the Supreme Court later this afternoon. (AP Photo)
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Sandra Day OConnor
Former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, left, and his replacement on the court, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O?Connor, applaud President Reagan as he gives his State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress in Washington, Jan. 26, 1982. Mrs. O?Connor is the first woman to sit on the court. (AP Photo)
Anonymous
Sandra Day OConnor 1982
Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, is shown in 1982. (AP Photo)
Anonymous
O'Connor Reagan
President Reagan poses with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and her husband John J. O'Connor, right, in Oval Office, Sept. 23, 1983. Justice O'Connor and her husband were guests of the president who was recognizing the second anniversary of her appointment to the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
ED REINKE
O'Connor
The Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor, justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, is shown, June 24, 1985. (AP Photo/Lana Harris)
LANA HARRIS
Thurgood Marshall; William Brenn
Members of the U.S. Supreme Court pose for a formal group portrait in Washington, Nov. 12, 1986. Front row, from left are: Thurgood Marshall; William Brennan, Jr.; Chief Justice William Rehnquist; Byron White; and Harry Blackmun. From left in back row: Sandra Day O'Connor; Lewis Powell, Jr.; John Paul Stevens; and Antonin Scalia. (AP Photo/Bob Daugherty)
BOB DAUGHERTY
SCOTUS OConnor At Great Wall 1987
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and her husband John J. O'Connor visit the Great Wall of China at Badaling, north of Beijing, Aug. 28, 1987. (AP Photo/Neal Ulevich)
Neal Ulevich
O'Connor
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor delivers the commencement address at New York Law School's 100th graduation ceremony in Manhattan, June 10, 1992. Justice O'Connor also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree during the ceremony. (AP Photo/Linda Radin)
LINDA RADIN
Sandra Day OConnor 1993
Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, is shown, Dec. 1993. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander)
Marcy Nighswander
O'CONNOR
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor is shown before administering the oath of office to members of the Texas Supreme Court, Monday, Jan. 6, 2003, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
HARRY CABLUCK
OCONNOR
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor speaks after receiving the Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official during a ceremony at the American Institute for Public Service Jefferson Awards Tuesday, June 22, 2004, in Washington. (AP Photo/Adele Starr)
ADELE STARR
OCONNOR
Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Sandra Day O'Connor listens during the 2004 9th Circuit Judicial Conference Thursday, July 22, 2004, in Monterey, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
BEN MARGOT
O'CONNER
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, an El Paso native, dons a cowboy hat, given to her during an event at the University of Houston Law Center, Thursday, March 10, 2005, in Houston. (AP Photo/James Nielsen, Pool)
JAMES NIELSEN
Barack Obama, Sandra Day O?Connor
President Barack Obama presents the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom to Sandra Day O?Connor, who was the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, serving from 1981 until her retirement in 2006, during ceremonies at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
J. Scott Applewhite
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