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Biography
Ruby T. Hooper (October 5, 1924 – October 12, 2007) was an American dietitian, healthcare food service worker and politician from North Carolina. In 1984, Hooper made history by becoming the first woman to run for Governor of North Carolina as a major party candidate.
Hooper was born in Saluda, North Carolina. She ran as a Republican Party candidate in the 1984 North Carolina gubernatorial election. However, she was defeated in the Republican primary by James G. Martin, who went on to be elected the governor of North Carolina in the general election. She served as deputy secretary of the Department of Human Resources in Martin's administration.
Ruby Hooper married John O. Hooper in 1946. They had one child, Dr.Elizabeth Hooper Jackson, and remained married until her death. She died on October 12, 2007 at Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina. She was 83 years old.