Dallas' First Woman Mayor Adlene Harrison Passes Away At 98

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The first woman to hold the city of Dallas' top elected spot died over the weekend.

Adlene Harrison was 98 years old when she passed away Saturday, Feb. 19 of natural causes, according to her family.

To former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, it was no surprise that Harrison was a woman of firsts.

"She was one of the great women of the city of Dallas," Rawlings said. "She saw Dallas through the whole century and understood what our secret sauce was."

Harrison became the first female mayor of Dallas in 1976 and the first female Jewish Mayor of any major city.

She was appointed as acting mayor when Wes Wise stepped down to run for Congress.

She was also elected to the Dallas City Council three times.

"She had no problem being in a room with anybody and telling them how the cow ate the cabbage," said Rawlings. "But she did it in a way that people really, really loved and wanted to be around her."

Former Dallas City Council Member Jennifer Staubach Gates also became friendly with Harrison, who would become a constituent.

"Adlene was such a force to be reckoned with, and her imprint on this city is so great," said Gates. "You felt supported by her, encouraged by her, and she was just so frank in her conversations."

That leadership style would position Harrison as a key player in the creation of DART, as well as a regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency.

But those who knew her well knew her exterior belied her heart.

"She acted like she was a tough old gal, and she would tell you how and wag her finger at you, but, deep inside, she loved her family. She loved my family. She loved people. She loved a good laugh. And she was a lover, not a fighter," said Rawlings.

Harrison is survived by her daughter. Her husband, Maurice, died in 2012.

Her funeral will take place Tuesday, Feb. 22 at Temple Emanu-El.