FARGO, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Jocelyn Burdick, the first woman from North Dakota to serve in the U.S. Senate died Thursday, December 26, in Fargo’s Bethany on University. She was 97.

Her husband, Sen. Quentin Burdick, died in 1992 while in office, and she filled his seat for a three-month term until a special election was held for a replacement.

Jocelyn was born in Fargo on February 6, 1922, to Albert and Magdalena Birch. She grew up in Fargo and graduated early from Central High School, having spent a part of her high school years at Hollywood High School in California. She went to Principia College, Elsah, Illinois, for two years, then transferred to Northwestern University, where she graduated from the School of Speech.

Jocelyn returned to Fargo where she worked for Manny Marget as a DJ and announcer at KVOX radio. She married Kenneth Peterson in 1948. They had two children, Leslie and Birch. After Kenneth passed away, she married Quentin Burdick, whose wife had also passed away and with whom he had children Jan Mary, Jonathan, Jennifer and Jessica. Together Jocelyn and Quentin had son Gage, he passed away in 1978.