Justice Sandra Day O'Connor joined Supreme Court judges past and present, signing a book about late Justice Robert H. Jackson, displayed at the center that bears his name.
She signed it over dinner with center co-founder Greg Peterson, who, along with his family, got to personally know hers.
What You Need To Know
- Justice Sandra Day O'Connor died Friday at age 93
- The late justice had ties to Chautauqua Institution, where she lectured and vacationed
- The first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court also appeared at the Robert H. Jackson Center, named after the Jamestown man who served on the Supreme Court from 1941-1954
"Very warm and outside of the public glare, a grandmother. And she took to my children, as you know, babysitters on a couple of occasions. But also just very embracing," said Peterson.
She visited the center in 2007 to accept a portrait of Justice Jackson after dedicating a statue of him in 1996 before the center was built. It was later moved to the grounds.
Peterson says as the first woman on the high court Justice O'Connor created a path for other high-profile judges.
"Not only the stature of Justice O'Connor, but the nature of her connection was such that it enhanced many things we did throughout the state," he said.
In addition to visiting the Robert H. Jackson Center, Justice O'Connor also graced the lecture stage at Chautauqua Institution five times during and after her tenure on the bench.
"[She was] very down to Earth," said Maureen Rovegno, former director of religion, Chautauqua Institution. "She will always be held with the greatest affection here. And we bless her for the fact that she represented for Chautauqua something that Chautauqua's always lifted up and that's women."
After Justice O'Connor's lecture in 2007, Rovegno welcomed her to the Hall of Philosophy and the Religion Department's Hall of Missions.
"When someone like Justice O'Connor falls in love with Chautauqua and becomes part of the community, we love her back and she knows it," Rovegno said. "And it was a really lovely symbiotic relationship."
It's an enduring relationship that included the Jackson Center.
"We can only express with awe and honor that Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was part of what we did here, part of what we did at Chautauqua, part of what we did in New York state and that's something we'll always, always remember," said Peterson.