MONTPELIER — The adjournment of Vermont Legislature this past Saturday night marked the closing of Rep. Betty Nuovo’s three-decade career representing Middlebury in the Vermont House of Representatives.
Nuovo, now 84, began her tenure in the House in 1980, when she became the first representative from Addison County to be elected to the Vermont House as a Democrat. A practicing lawyer at that time, she served on the House Judiciary Committee, and chaired the panel from 1985 to 1988.
She served for 10 years, but then took a break from the House. But Nuovo returned in the late 1990s for a second stint that came to a close last weekend.
Betty Nuovo was honored last month by Emerge Vermont, an organization that promotes women in politics.
Emerge Executive Director and Middlebury resident Ruth Hardy presented Nuovo as the honored guest of the group’s annual meeting, calling her an inspiration for all women seeking public office. Former Gov. Madeleine Kunin and State Sen. Claire Ayer delivered laudatory speeches about Nuovo.
During her last day in the House, Nuovo received an outpouring of gratitude through speeches delivered by her colleagues from both sides of the aisle. Much of the emotional thanks was spontaneous. Her husband, Middlebury Selectman Victor Nuovo, said on Tuesday that the kind words brought “tears to my eyes.”