The Life of Columnist Molly Ivins

She wrote her columns with Texas wit and mixed liberal views. Molly Ivins was the Star-Telegraph's political columnist in Austin Texas for nine years retiring in 2001. After a seven year battle with breast cancer she passed away on January 31,2007.

She was born in Monterey, California. Her family soon after her birth moved to Houston Texas where she was raised. She attended Smith College and earned a B.A. She later earned a Masters degree at Columbia University's journalism school. In Paris, she studied at the Institute of Political Science for a year.

She began her career in journalism at the Houston Chronicle as a reporter of the local city life. She later went on to the Minneapolis Tribune where she became the first female reporter on the police beat for the city. She returned to her home state to become co-editor for the Texas Observer.

Molly Ivins writing mainly focused on politics and social justice issues. Her pursuit to advance in her chosen career led her to the New York Times in 1976 as a political reporter. While at the New York Times she became the Rocky Mountain Bureau Chief covering nine states.

After her stay at the Times, she then proceeded to return to Texas and write for the Dallas Times Herald from 1982 until the closure of the paper in 1992. After this, she wrote for the Fort Worth Star Telegram until 2001. In 2001, she became an independent journalist with her column being distributed by Creators Syndicate until her passing in 2007.

Her column allowed Ms. Ivins to express her viewpoints with colorful language, which would become her trademark. She used many nicknames for such in the news faces as former U.S. Senator John Turner and Ex-Governor Bill Clements calling them "runts with attitudes." She also called George W. Bush "shrub" when he was a candidate for Governor of Texas and on to President. Ms. Ivins also wrote three books and co-authored a fourth. She also was a three-time finalist for a Pulitzer Prize and served on Amnesty International's Journalism Network. With everything she accomplished in her life, she often said her two highest accomplishments were being banned from Texas A&M University and when the Minneapolis police named their mascot pig after her when she was on the police beat there.