Liz Jeffords, the wife of former U.S. Sen. James Jeffords, has died at the couple's Shrewsbury home, the Associated Press has just reported. She was 68.

Liz Jeffords' battle with cancer was one of the reasons her husband chose not to seek re-election to the Senate in 2006.

"I just felt strongly that I wanted to spend more time with my wife, be
more relaxed and have more time on my hands," Jeffords said in 2005.

She was a woman who married Jeffords not once but twice. They were divorced for eight years in the 1980s before remarrying. He called her outspoken and affectionate. The couple had two children.

The Burlington native had battled ovarian cancer years ago, and suffered a heart attack in 1998.

She was a liberal long active in Vermont politics and last fall, she was still in political mode, endorsing Peter Welch for Congress alongside Marcelle Leahy.

Our thoughts are with the family.

- Terri Hallenbeck