Maryland Politics: Former state delegate Jean Cryor dead at 70 - Your source of news and gossip from the Mason-Dixon Line to the Potomac

The Baltimore Sun > Maryland News > Politics > Maryland Politics

« Annapolis alderman plans complaint over homophobic campaign fliers | Main | Pappas drops gubernatorial bid and backs Hogan »

November 3, 2009

Former state delegate Jean Cryor dead at 70

Heard the news from the statement from Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and Council President Phil Andrews:

“Montgomery County has suffered a terrible loss.

“Jean Cryor served the people of the County in several capacities – as a local journalist, a State Delegate, and as a member of the County Planning Board. Her absence will be deeply felt in many ways and in many communities.

“We mourn her loss and extend our deepest condolences to her family, her friends, and her colleagues on the Planning Board.”

My own view: For years, Cryor, former editor and publisher of the Gazette Newspapers, was the lone Republican in the Montgomery legislative delegation. She carried the distinction with humor and class, and fought the good fight on Ways and Means and on the House floor. As a woman Republican from Montgomery, her name was frequently mentioned as a lieutenant governor candidate or for other high-level positions, which she could have filled with distinction.

Posted by David Nitkin at 7:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Comments

She was the best and the brightest. Her spoken and written words were welcomed by all. To say that she will be missed is an understatement by gargantuan poportions.

Posted by: Donna Barron | November 4, 2009 2:27 AM

Jean Cryor was a wonderful advocate for Montgomery County, as a House of Delagate representative, and a member of the planning board. A thoughtful legislator who approached politics from a reasonable perspective and common sense approach. Her knowledge and experience will be missed greatly.

Posted by: Casey Aiken | November 4, 2009 12:39 PM

What a loss for all of Maryland, but especially for her wonderful family and dear friends. Jean Cryor was one of the few leaders who genuinely wanted to hear and understand what every person thought and what their experiences were, and who spent time deliberately and diligently analyzing all of the contributing factors of an issue and worked toward consensus without a personal or political agenda. Jean was fearless in her fight to protect the Potomac River and passionate about educational opportunities for all to bring Maryland up to a higher standard. Her work on the Thornton Commission was tireless, as was her dedication to relieving families, veterans, and small businesses of the burdensome state taxes that hold back our prosperity.
The many awards presented to Jean were a small testament to her passion for helping others, and no one had a a funnier or more intelligent sense of humor than Jean B. Cryor. Jean's husband Dan was a well known sportscaster on CBS and she was a pioneer in election polling for CBS. Jean loved life and loved living, but perhaps it also made her chuckle to herself knowing that she would be joining Dan on election day. My deepest condolences to her family, friends, neighbors, and constituents.

Posted by: Kathleen Clough | November 4, 2009 1:52 PM

Thanks for adding your lovely personal tribute. Jean was a woman of grace, intellect, and principle. We will all miss her terribly.

Posted by: Cheryl Kagan | November 5, 2009 11:11 AM

Post a comment

All comments must be approved by the blog author. Please do not resubmit comments if they do not immediately appear. You are not required to use your full name when posting, but you should use a real e-mail address. Comments may be republished in print, but we will not publish your e-mail address. Our full Terms of Service are available here.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)

Please enter the letter "x" in the field below:

About the bloggers

Laura Smitherman has been ensconced in the State House basement, writing about the governor, General Assembly and vagaries of Maryland politics for several years. An erstwhile business reporter, her interest in politics dates to her days in Washington when she covered Congress and national campaigns for another media outlet. She now follows a range of policy debates from slot-machine gambling to universal health care and energy regulation, while keeping an eye on the next election.

Paul West covers Washington for The Baltimore Sun, continuing a tradition that began the month the paper was born, in 1837. He hasn't been in the DC bureau that long--only since Ronald Reagan was president. He's covered Congress, the White House and presidential campaigns as the paper's national political correspondent and Washington bureau chief. He's on the lookout for news of significance to Sun readers at the other end of the B/W Parkway. That includes the activities of the state's congressional delegation and anything else that might shed some light on the inner workings of the nation's capital.

Julie Bykowicz's first days as a political reporter, in January 2009, coincided with Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon's indictment and the start of the Maryland General Assembly's 426th legislative session. She focuses on coverage of state agencies, such as social services, juvenile justice and prisons. During the session, she wrote about the death penalty, slots parlors and speed cameras, among other hot topics. Julie began political reporting after more than seven years on The Baltimore Sun's crime desk. She lives in Baltimore and works primarily in Annapolis.

-- ADVERTISEMENT --