Vera Katz

Vera Katz
49th Mayor of Portland, Oregon
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2005
Preceded byBud Clark
Succeeded byTom Potter
57th Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
In office
January 14, 1985 – November 10, 1990
Preceded byGrattan Kerans
Succeeded byLarry Campbell
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
In office
1973–1990
ConstituencyMultnomah County
Personal details
Born
Vera Pistrak

(1933-08-03)August 3, 1933
Düsseldorf, Germany
DiedDecember 11, 2017(2017-12-11) (aged 84)
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Cause of deathLeukemia
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMel Katz (1964–1985; divorced)
Children1
ProfessionPolitician

Vera Katz (née Pistrak; August 3, 1933 – December 11, 2017) was an American Democratic politician in the state of Oregon. She was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives and was the 49th mayor of Portland, Oregon's most populous city. She grew up in New York City, moving to Portland in 1962, and was elected to the Oregon House in 1972. She served as mayor from 1993 to 2005.