Dorothy Raggio, Senate majority leader’s wife, dies

Tuesday, April 7, 1998 | 10:19 a.m.

Mrs. Raggio was born in Long Beach, Calif., and lived for several years in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In 1937m she and her mother moved to Reno, where her stepfather, Dr. Lemuel Brigman, started a pediatric medicine practice. She attended the University of Nevada, Reno, and married Raggio in 1948.

The couple moved to the San Francisco Bay area, where Raggio attended law school, and in 1951 returned to Reno, where Raggio started a law practice and later served as district attorney. He has been in the state Senate since 1972.

Mrs. Raggio was active in her husband's legal and political career, and was involved in many community activities. She also served on the board of the Nevada Girls Training Center in Caliente and on the state Board of Dental Examiners.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by daughters Leslie Righetti of Whitefish, Mont., and Tracy Woodring of Reno; son Mark Raggio of Phoenix, Ariz.; and eight grandchildren.

A funeral mass is scheduled at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Therese the Little Flower Church in Reno.

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