Dispatches from assembly: In rare address, governor shares personal sense of faith

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Gov. Chris Gregoire, in a rare sharing of how she draws on faith to lead a state, told the 25th assembly of the Southwestern Washington Synod her most difficult dilemmas were in capital punishment and endorsing gay marriage.

The theme of the assembly was "Sunday Worship Meets Monday Work."

In her seven years as governor, the devout Roman Catholic allowed the death penalty for one murderer to proceed, a decision she said will dwell with her for the rest of her life.

She said the day she announced her support for gay marriage was a "weight lifted off my shoulders." Regardless of personal opinion on the issue, she has come to the conclusion that it's the responsibility of a faith-based public leader "to respect everybody."

"It has been a journey for me," Gregoire said.

She called on prayer every step of the way. She prayed for the murderer's victim and her family, and for the murderer and his family.

She and husband Mike were young during the Vietnam War, so today she prays for the families of fallen warriors, as well as for fallen law-enforcement officers. The couple attend every funeral, of which she said there are far too many.

She grew up in Auburn, the daughter of a single mother who worked as a short-order cook.

She couldn't find a teacher's job after graduating from the University of Washington, so went to work as a typist for the state Department of Corrections in Seattle's high-crime Central Area.

During those early years, she helped a convict exiting prison learn simple daily tasks such as getting a bus pass. He eventually became a probation officer and just retired after decades of service. From that, she learned how to give people a chance.

She taught baseball and swimming to a disabled cousin. He lived to age 60, instead of the predicted age 30. She learned never to give up on people.

As a caseworker for the state Department of Social and Health Services, she watched medics refuse to help one of her clients who had suffered a stroke, because the woman didn't have a Medicaid card. Gregoire learned about limited access to health care.

"Everywhere along my life there have been stories like that."

She concluded with a challenge to her listeners to serve in public office.

"It's service first, leadership second. We need folks like you."