Former Kentucky first lady Martha Wilkinson has died at a hospital in Florida. She was 72.
Mrs. Wilkinson championed efforts to reduce adult illiteracy and ran a brief campaign to succeed her husband as governor.
Wallace Wilkinson, was governor from 1987 to 1991.
Doug Alexander, his spokesman during his administration, says Martha Wilkinson died Wednesday at a hospital in Florida.
During his term, voters approved a state lottery and lawmakers overhauled public schools.
Wallace Wilkinson failed to get a measure on the ballot allowing himself and other constitutional officers at the time to run for a second term. Martha Wilkinson ran a brief campaign for governor herself, promising to continue her husband's policies.
The Wilkinsons married in 1960.
Her husband became a millionaire businessman, only to see his business empire collapse in bankruptcy.
Wallace Wilkinson died in 2002.