Rep. Kay Granger announces the arrival of new cargo aircraft, F-35 fighter jets and an airborne medical team Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, at NAS JRB Fort Worth.
Yffy Yossifor
yyossifor@star-telegram.com
Former U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, who became one of the most powerful Texans in Congress after breaking barriers as Fort Worth’s first female mayor, has died at the age of 83.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker shared posts honoring Granger, a Republican who served 14 terms representing Tarrant and Parker County, on social media Sunday evening.
“Kay Granger devoted her life to serving her Fort Worth, Texas community — as a teacher and businesswoman, on the Fort Worth Zoning Commission and City Council, as Mayor, and in Congress for nearly three decades,” Johnson said.
Granger joined the U.S. House in 1997 representing Texas’ 12th Congressional District. She announced she wouldn’t seek reelection to Congress in November 2023.
Granger was the first Republican woman to represent Texas in the U.S. House. She worked steadily to gain clout as one of a handful of House members who directed federal spending. From her perch on the Appropriations Committee, she gained influence over defense projects in particular, helping to protect jobs for top Fort Worth employers Lockheed Martin and others.
Parker described her as “a trailblazer and tenacious leader.”
“Over the years that I worked with Kay, I learned from her indelible spirit, work ethic, constant sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to Texas and Fort Worth,” said Parker, a former Granger aide. “I’m fortunate to have called her a mentor and friend.”
Granger was born in Greenville in Hunt County, Texas in January 1943 and grew up in Fort Worth. She graduated from Eastern Hills High School and Texas Wesleyan University, before going on to become a teacher and open an insurance agency.
She served on Fort Worth’s zoning commission and on the Fort Worth City Council. She was mayor from 1991 to 1995.
“I love Fort Worth, and I’m very, very excited to be its mayor and to be its first woman mayor,” she said at the time. “That’s a fun thing. History is being made.”
While serving as mayor, the city was reeling from the Carswell Air Force Base’s closure, but it was reopened as the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in 1994.
Granger succeeded former U.S. Rep. Pete Geren in Congress, where she was known as a powerful force and for being direct.
Much of her work in the House was focused on the defense industry. But Granger also steadily delivered for local and regional infrastructure needs. Drawing much attention in the later part of her tenure was the Central City Flood Control Project to reroute the Trinity River, now typically referred to as the Panther Island project.
“She never really stopped wearing the role of mayor when she came to Washington D.C.,” U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey previously said of Granger, when reflecting on her tenure in Congress around the time of her retirement.
Granger announced in March 2024 that she was stepping down from the leadership of the Appropriations Committee. In December 2024, near the end of her time in Congress, Granger announced that she was experiencing health challenges that had progressed in recent months. Her son, Brandon Granger, told The Dallas Morning News that he had been having issues related to dementia and was residing at a senior living facility in Fort Worth.
Elected officials remembered the congresswoman Sunday and offered prayers and condolences for her family in social media posts.
Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican, described Granger as living “a life of historic firsts.”
U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, a Willow Park Republican, called her a “patriot who understood the true meaning of public service.
“Her word was her bond, and she led with strength, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the people she served,” Williams said. “I was proud to call her a friend, and she will be greatly missed.”
But Granger’s “incredible legacy will not be forgotten,” said U.S. Rep. Craig Goldman, who represents the congresswoman’s former seat.
“Kay Granger transformed the city she loved,” he said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This article includes information from Star-Telegram archives.
This story was originally published August 2, 2026 at 9:22 PM.
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Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years.
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