Gina Moscone, the widow of slain San Francisco mayor George Moscone, has died, according to Governor Gavin Newsom's office. She was 91.
Ms. Moscone died of cancer.
It was November 27, 1978 that disgruntled ex-supervisor Dan White assassinated Moscone and gay supervisor Harvey Milk in their City Hall offices.
In later years, Ms. Moscone sometimes attended the annual candlelight vigil for Milk and Moscone that the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club organized.
Newsom, a former mayor and supervisor in San Francisco, issued a statement June 7 on Ms. Moscone's passing.
"Jennifer and I are saddened to hear of the passing of Gina Moscone. San Francisco will long remember her as a charming, gracious first lady and a trustee on the War Memorial Board, a person who gave so much to the city she grew up in and loved so much," Newsom stated. "Those who knew her will also remember her as a loving mother who doted on her children, all while remaining a fixture in civic life in San Francisco even after the passing of her beloved husband, George. Our hearts are with the Moscone family today as they grieve their mother."
Ms. Moscone served for many years on the War Memorial Board, which oversees the management of the War Memorial Opera House, the War Memorial Veterans Building, Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, and other nearby landmarks. Thomas E. Horn, a gay man and former publisher of the Bay Area Reporter who serves on the board, said he would miss his good friend.
"Gina was a dear friend for more than 40 years," Horn wrote in an email. "We would go to the opera or ballet and then go to the gay bars on Polk Street. She was full of life. Always happy. Ever vivacious. I will miss her dearly, both as a War Memorial colleague and a best friend."
Gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) paid tribute to Ms. Moscone on Twitter.
"Gina Moscone was a great San Franciscan & fantastic human being," Wiener wrote. "Her passing is a major loss for our community. Rest In Peace, Mrs. Moscone."
Gina Moscone was a great San Franciscan & fantastic human being. Her passing is a major loss for our community. Rest In Peace, Mrs. Moscone.— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) June 8, 2022
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) issued a statement June 8 mourning the loss of her friend.
"I was so saddened to hear of Gina Moscone's passing. Gina persevered through so much heartbreak with the assassination of her beloved husband and the turmoil that riled her hometown," Feinstein stated.
"As a first lady of San Francisco, Gina dedicated herself to the city, serving for more than four decades as a trustee on the War Memorial Board. I often would join Gina for lunch and talk about the city both of us grew up in, and she was a fixture at former mayor events," she continued.
"My heart goes out to Gina's children and grandchildren. Please know that your mother was greatly loved and brightened so many lives," Feinstein stated.
The Moscones had four children. One of their sons, Jonathan, is a gay man whom Newsom recently appointed director of the California Arts Council, as the B.A.R. previously reported.
The other children are Rebecca, Jennifer, and Christopher.
Updated, 6/8/22: This article has been updated with a statement from Senator Dianne Feinstein.
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