Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, the witty and flamboyant Democrat who went from homemaker to national political celebrity, died at her Austin home Wednesday. She was 73.

Richards was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in March and underwent chemotherapy.

Richards was a positive person to the end, family friend and spokeswoman Cathy Bonner said.

Bonner worked in Richard's administration in the early 1990s.

"She lived under a star. And she always felt like she lived under a star because she said, 'No matter what, I have had the most wonderful life and I have gotten to do things that I never dreamed in my young life, living in little Lakeview, Texas,' “ Bonner said.

Richards was surrounded by her family when she died. Her four adult children, Cecile Richards, Daniel Richards, Clark Richards and Ellen Richards, spent the day with her.

"The family's heartbroken, as you can imagine, because Ann was an icon to most everyone else in the world, but she was their mother. And there are four wonderful adult children and four spouses and eight nearly perfect grandchildren, as she said, that survive her," Bonner said.

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	Ann Richards The former governor died Wednesday at her home in Austin. Brenda Thompson Veronica Castelo talks with Brenda Thompson about Ann Richards and the forthcoming school named in her honor. Richard Moya Veronica Castelo talks Richard Moya who served with Ann Richards as a Travis County Commissioner.

Richards was born in Lakeview in 1933 to Ona and Cecil Willis. She grew up near Waco, and in the early 1960s helped form the North Dallas Democratic Women. In early adulthood she volunteered in Democratic Party politics in Washington, Dallas and Austin.

Richards said she entered politics to help others -- especially women and minorities who were often ignored by Texas' male-dominated establishment.

"Ann Richards is one of the most important women in American history. She came to political leadership at a time when women had to overcome all kinds of barriers and obstacles to get there. And she did it with determination, and good luck and a real focus," Bonner said.

Richard was inaugurated as governor in January 1991.

She cracked a half-century male grip on the Governor's Mansion and celebrated by holding aloft a t-shirt that showed the state Capitol and read, “A woman's place is in the dome.”

Before that she won election as state treasurer two times after serving on the Travis County Commissioners Court for six years. Prior to that, she was a teacher at Austin’s Fulmore Junior High School.

Her humor always on display, she said, “I did not want my tombstone to read, 'She kept a really clean house.' I think I'd like them to remember me by saying, 'She opened government to everyone.'

Richards served as Texas governor for one term, leaving office in January 1995. She lost her re-election bid to Republican George
W. Bush.

President Bush paid tribute to Richards in a statement released by the White House Thursday.

The president said he and first lady Laura Bush “are deeply saddened by the passing of Governor Ann Richards of Texas.”

Richards “loved Texas, and Texans loved her,” and “as a public servant she earned respect and admiration,” the president said.

Richards “became a national role model, and her charm, wit and candor brought a refreshing vitality to public life,” Bush said. “Texas has lost one of its great daughters.”

In her last 10 years, Richards worked for many social causes and helped develop the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.

Last year Richards lead a Mayor’s Book Club discussion on Writing Austin’s Lives and she also volunteered at the Austin Convention Center sorting donated clothes for Hurricane Katrina evacuees, Austin Mayor Will Wynn said.

Wynn has asked all city facilities to lower their flags to half staff in honor of Richards.

Perry also ordered flags at all state buildings to be flown at half staff for five days in honor of Richards from sunrise on Thursday until sunset on Monday and again on the day of her funeral.

Richards’ funeral will be Monday. Her body will lie in state in the Texas Capitol Rotunda on Saturday and Sunday. Services will be held at noon Monday at The University of Texas’ Frank Erwin Special Events Center. Those events are open to the public. A private burial is planned.

The family requests memorial gifts be made to the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders through the Austin Community Foundation, P.O. Box 5159, Austin, Texas 78763, (512) 472-4483.