Longtime Republican leader Trixie Averill passed away on Saturday, May 25, 2024. She was gone before I knew it. Her viewing and funeral Mass was in the community she loved, Salem and Roanoke. It seemed to me that in the political world I have always lived in, Trixie would always be there, and suddenly she was gone. I will miss her, and I join with my fellow former officeholders in honoring her life.
I became acquainted with Trixie and her husband, Dan, when I began to run for statewide office to become attorney general of Virginia. In politics, I came out of the world of grassroots campaigning, especially for other candidates. In Trixie, I immediately saw a person who shared the same experiences of actually talking to people, party activists, donors, and voters. Politics is hard work, and Trixie was always there for candidates willing to pay the price of campaigning.
Politics around Trixie was always fun. Trixie didn’t always support me every time I ran for public office, but she often did. She was never half-hearted in her enthusiasm for her chosen candidates. She was at every meeting, and every convention, providing leadership by the force of her cheerful personality. Every candidate sought her support.
I think the quality I most admired in Trixie was her loyalty, to the Republican Party, our state, and her friends. Often over the years, I’ve seen candidates who lost a nomination sit on their hands when the time came for the general election. Sometimes they quietly “bad-mouthed” their nomination opponent, or even broke ranks and supported the candidate of the opposition party. Trixie would never do anything like that. Trixie always stuck with her Republican candidate, win or lose. That shows character and principle, and Trixie had it.
Trixie was devoted to Southwest Virginia, especially to the Roanoke Valley. I still remember her insistence that I visit and spend time in Hungry Mother State Park. I had to ask her ten times whether that was really the name of that park. Trixie was very proud of Hungry Mother State Park, and so many other fine and unique places and traditions of the great Virginia southwest.
In their passing, people often remember and take note of the loss of officeholders and public figures. Trixie played a role in the development of Virginia politics as much as any candidate or officeholder. Her passing is a loss to all of Virginia, as well as to me personally.
James S. Gilmore III was the 68th governor of Virginia. He served as U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) from 2019-2021.
