09-04-2025
'A trailblazer of her own path': Nancy Pelosi honors Francie Pepper on House floor
Truly honored that Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi honored my mom just now on the floor of the House:
Posted by David Pepper on Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi honored the late Francie Pepper in a speech on the House floor Wednesday afternoon, crediting the Cincinnati activist and philanthropist as her own political inspiration.
The former Speaker of the House, D-California, spoke highly of Pepper in the roughly minute-and-a-half speech, saying she was "a fearless and focused giant in the fight for democracy, women's rights and a better world."
"Francie meant so much to so many, whether it was an unwavering love, energy, compassion as wife, mother, grandmother, friend, neighbor, activist or her vigorous advocacy for women," Pelosi said.
Pepper was 84 when she died Friday at her home in the Cincinnati suburb of Wyoming. She was an advocate in the Queen City and beyond for a range of causes.
She took a particular interest in women's rights and domestic violence programs. She led a campaign that raised millions of dollars for the YWCA, which helped renovate its Downtown headquarters and converted a historic mansion into a shelter for battered women. She was named an Enquirer Woman of the Year for 1996.
"As a trailblazer of her own path, Francie was truly the epitome of women helping women," Pelosi said.
Memorial services will be held Saturday, April 12, from 11 a.m. to noon at Spring Grove Funeral Home. Visitation will be before the services, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
More: Obituary: Francie Pepper, an activist, philanthropist and mom who forged her own path
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Nancy Pelosi honors Cincinnati activist Francie Pepper in House speech
