By McKenna Horsley
Kentucky Lantern
Martha Layne Collins, the only woman to serve as governor of Kentucky, will lie in state at the Old State Capitol on Sunday following her recent death.
Collins, who has been remembered as a trailblazer and for revolutionizing the state’s economy by bringing Toyota Motor Manufacturing to Kentucky for its first U.S. site, died Saturday, Nov. 1. She was 88.
Gov. Andy Beshear, who like Collins is a Democrat, announced that Collins will lie in state at the Old State Capitol in Frankfort on Sunday, Nov. 9. Members of the public may pay their respects between noon and 3 p.m.
The current State Capitol is undergoing a multiyear renovation project and has been closed to visitors and employees. The Old State Capitol is at 300 West Broadway St.
Beshear added that plans for a service to honor Collins are still underway.
Beshear’s father, former Gov. Steve Beshear, served as lieutenant governor under Collins.
The current governor recalled seeing Collins while she was in office and he was a kid. She later provided the younger Beshear with “good advice, a lot of support,” he continued.
“She created a foundation for us to build a strong future on and her legacy will continue to benefit Kentucky families for generations,” Beshear said.