Editor’s note: This story was updated at 5:45 p.m. to correct that Sen. Martin’s father was an East Hempfield Township police officer.
Katie True, an eight-term state legislator and champion of protecting children from the scourge of illegal drugs, died Tuesday at the age of 84 after the breast cancer she fought off two decades ago returned, according to her family.
Those close to True said she leaves behind a legacy as a pioneer for women in state government and a long-time crusader against substance abuse among students.
“I want to go toe-to-toe with whoever, and I don’t care if they’re men,” True, of East Hempfield Township, said in a 2017 interview with The Caucus, reflecting on her career.
True retired, briefly, from public service in 2010 after serving eight two-year terms in the House as a Republican. She represented the 37th District from 1993 to 2000, then ran in 2002 for the then-newly created 41st District seat, which she held until 2010..
In Harrisburg, True built a reputation for breaking party ranks when she thought it necessary.
“She did it her way,” longtime former state Rep. Dave Hickernell said of True’s legislative work. While in the House, True and Hickernell sat adjacent to each other on the floor. They also shared office space in the Capitol.
“You get to know someone very well spending that much time together, literally one foot apart,” Hickernell said. “Her ethics were beyond reproach.”
In 2000, between her two stints in the House, True led an unsuccessful campaign against Democrat Bob Casey Jr. for the state auditor general seat. And True served as executive director of Gov. Tom Ridge’s Pennsylvania Commission for Women.
True was quickly pulled out of retirement in 2011 when Gov. Tom Corbett tapped her to serve as commissioner of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs within the Pennsylvania Department of State. And in 2013, Corbett selected her to serve as his secretary of legislative affairs.
“She brought some maturity and a little bit more perspective to the office,” Corbett said, crediting her work in combating substance abuse. “That’s when I realized she was a very good leader.”
‘Trustworthy with everyone’
True’s husband, Peter, died last year at 87.
They are survived by six sons: Peter, Christian, Colin, Eric, Sean and Kevin; as well as 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
The family will hold a private memorial service this weekend, according to True’s son, Peter Trufahnestock.
He said people should remember his mother for her integrity.
“In a business that often brings out the worst in people, it brought out the best in her,” he said. “It didn’t matter who you were, if you were a Democrat or a Republican, my Mom was trustworthy with everyone, always sticking to the truth of the matter.”
Trufahnestock said one of his fondest memories of his mom was standing beside her on the House floor while her legislation passed that limited the window for a birth mother or father to revoke their consent for adoption to 30 days. It was later signed as Act 21 of 2004 by then-Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat.
“My wife and I had just adopted our son, Owen, the previous autumn, and she held him in her arms when she spoke on the floor and used his little hand to vote ‘Yes,’ ” he said. “That bill was a long time coming and I felt so proud to be on the floor that day.”
‘Record of accomplishments’
True launched her career in public service after she founded Kids Saving Kids, a drug education initiative aimed at elementary students.
She later became a member of the National Federation of Parents for Drug-Free Youth and held the role of Youth Director for Pennsylvanians AWARE, a statewide coalition focused on preventing drug and alcohol abuse.
It was through her anti-drug advocacy that she met then-student Scott Martin, who went on to become a state senator from Martic Township. Martin’s father was an East Hempfield Township police officer who worked with True through her anti-drug programs.
“She’s a woman who meant what she said,” Martin said of True. “She could be blunt, but she was so pleasant to be around.”
Martin said True served as a close political adviser throughout his career, often calling him to chime in on ongoing issues she heard about in the Capitol.
“She was like the mom of the legislative delegation,” Martin said, noting he had visited her a few weeks ago.
Another Lancaster County Republican who saw True as a mentor is state Rep. Mindy Fee, of Manheim Borough. Fee said that True helped introduce Fee’s late husband, Tom Fee, a former mayor of Manheim and magisterial district judge, to county politicians.
“Katie True was one of those quiet leaders who never boasted about all she was able to do, but her record of accomplishments tells the tale for her,” Fee said. “A stalwart for conservative principles, she also knew how to build consensus.”
True successfully helped steer several major pieces of legislation during her second stint in the General Assembly to strengthen protections for vulnerable individuals.
The laws increased oversight in child abuse cases (Act 33 of 2008), imposed harsher penalties for human trafficking and forced labor (Act 139 of 2006), empowered judges to remove firearms from individuals against whom a protection-from-abuse order has been filed (Act 66 of 2005), and provided domestic violence victims with the option of using confidential addresses in court (Act 188 of 2004).
“Katie True was a thoughtful and dedicated public servant who made a remarkable impact in the Republican Party and the Commonwealth,” said Kirk Radanovic, chair of the Republican Committee of Lancaster County. “Her work to protect children and advance women will be fondly remembered in her legacy.”