Eleanor Johns, the first and only woman to have held a top job at Mayor Willie Brown's office, died on Saturday due to a heart attack. She was 76 years old.
Johns had been affiliated with Brown as a staff member, campaign finance manager, and special assistant since he became speaker of the Assembly in 1981. Her role was to mentor young people that Brown supported as they made their way up the ladder in the Democratic Party in San Francisco.
She served as a gatekeeper for Brown throughout his political career and set the standard for wherever he went. Johns was part of a city commission power couple with her husband of nearly 40 years.
At the time of her death, Johns was still serving on the Airport Commission and as executive director of the Willie L. Brown Jr. Institute on Politics and Public Service.
Many prominent figures expressed their condolences after hearing about her passing.
Governor Gavin Newsom tweeted: "Eleanor Johns represented all that is great about public service: intelligence, integrity & grace."
San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement: "Eleanor was an institution herself who dedicated her life to serving others through politics - creating opportunities for women like me along the way."
Johns is survived by her husband and two sisters. Her contributions will be remembered by many who knew her personally or were impacted by her work throughout San Francisco politics over decades."