AUSTIN, Texas — Carole Keeton, the first woman to serve as Texas comptroller and Austin mayor, has died at 85.

Keeton was a political trailblazer who made history as Austin’s first woman mayor in 1977. She was also the first mayor to serve three successive terms.

An Austinite through and through, Keeton graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied government.

Keeton kicked off her political career in 1972 as a member and later head of the Austin Independent School District (AISD) Board of Trustees.

After an unsuccessful run for U.S. House District 10 in 1986, Keeton was appointed to the Texas Railroad Commission from 1994 to 1999 and then became Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts from 1999 to 2007.

Towards the end of her term as comptroller in 2006, she launched a gubernatorial campaign, running unsuccessfully as an independent against former Gov. Rick Perry.

In her obituary, her sons Mark, Dudley, Bradley and Scott McClellan said she embodied “the best of public service.”

“Mom accomplished so much in life on behalf of others because she cared deeply about making a difference and improving the lives of families and individuals from all walks,” the obituary read. “Her tireless dedication and ability to get things done were unmatched. She stood firm on principle, always focused on what was best for those she served and doing the right thing the right way.”

A public memorial will be held within the next few months to commemorate her life.