New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver has died after she was hospitalized this week for an undisclosed medical issue, her family announced in a statement Tuesday.
She was 71.
“It is with incredible sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of the Honorable Sheila Y. Oliver, Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey,” her family said in the statement. “She was not only a distinguished public servant but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and hero.”
“As we come to terms with this profound loss, we kindly request that you respect the privacy of the Oliver family during this difficult time as they grieve their beloved Sheila,” her family said.
“Sheila Y. Oliver leaves behind a legacy of dedication, service, and inspiration," they said. "We will remember her commitment to the people of New Jersey and her tireless efforts to uplift the community.”
Oliver was filling in for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who is on vacation this week in Italy.
But she was hospitalized this week for unspecified “medical care,” Mahen Gunaratna, Murphy’s communications director, said in a statement Monday. Senate President Nicholas Scutari, a Democrat, stepped in as acting governor as mandated under the state Constitution.
Oliver and Murphy won re-election to second terms in 2021. During her time as lieutenant governor, Oliver oversaw the Department of Community Affairs, where she led efforts to expand initiatives for affordable housing and local government services.
She was elected to serve in the state General Assembly in 2003. She went on to serve as Assembly speaker for four years beginning in 2010, becoming the first Black woman in the state's history to hold that position.
Oliver grew up in Newark. She graduated cum laude from Pennsylvania's Lincoln University and received her master's degree in communication organization, planning and administration from Columbia University, according to her state government web page.
Murphy paid tribute to Oliver in a statement Tuesday, saying he and his family are “incredibly saddened and distraught to learn of the passing of our dear friend, colleague, and partner in government.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is running for the Republican nomination for president, also tweeted about Oliver's death, calling it "a sad day for NJ and for me personally."
"The passing of Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver is a loss for our state," he wrote. "I will miss Sheila. She served as Speaker in my first term and we treated each other with kindness and respect. We got things done. She was a great person and partner."