Roxane Gilmore, former first lady of Virginia, dies at age 70

RICHMOND, Va. -- Roxane Gilmore, a teacher and professor who served as first lady of Virginia during her husband Jim Gilmore's term as governor from 1998 to 2002, died Wednesday. She was 70.

The former governor announced his wife's death on social media and said she died after a long illness. He did not disclose the cause.

Virginia's current governor, Republican Glenn Youngkin, said in a written statement that Roxane Gilmore's “friendly and down to earth demeanor will be missed, as will her smile, laugh, humor and wit. But all these wonderful qualities will be long remembered.”

Youngkin credited her with overseeing an extensive renovation of the Executive Mansion in Richmond, the longest continuously occupied governor's home, during her time as first lady.

“Virginia’s iconic Executive Mansion will always be her legacy,” Youngkin said.

Roxane Gatling Gilmore was a native Virginian, born in Suffolk. She graduated from the University of Virginia, where she met her husband.

She and Jim Gilmore had been married since 1977.

She was a professor of Classics at Randolph Macon College. She also taught in public schools in Henrico and Chesterfield counties.

Jim Gilmore, a Republican, was elected governor in 1997 and led the state's response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, in which 184 people were killed when terrorists crashed a plane into the Pentagon.