Senate to honor Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Senate will honor Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, who passed away over the weekend after a battle with cancer. She was 58.

Senate spokesman Greg Paré said members are being asked to wear blue — the color of colorectal cancer awareness — in her honor.

Paré said all other Senate business scheduled for Tuesday will be postponed to next week, so that “the only business members will consider tomorrow will be the resolution honoring Senator Goodwin.”

Committees will meet as scheduled Wednesday.

Paré said visiting house are set for Thursday. All Senate business on that day will also be rescheduled to next week.

Goodwin was first elected to the Senate in 1986, she was the second-longest-serving member of the chamber.

Her first elected office was as a delegate to the 1986 Constitutional Convention. Prior to serving as whip, Goodwin was the long-time chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Special Legislation.

Goodwin attended St. Patrick High School and Rhode Island College. She was also employed by the city of Providence.