Former state Sen. Joyce Woodhouse (D-Henderson) died Friday, leaving a legacy as an education champion.

Inducted into the Nevada Senate Hall of Fame in 2025 and the Clark County School District's Hall of Fame in 2026, Woodhouse, 82, served in the Legislature's upper house for six regular sessions and nine special sessions from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2020, including leadership roles such as Senate Finance Committee chair.

"She knew that every budget line was more than a number; it was a promise to a child, a senior, or a working family," said Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Las Vegas).

Elected leaders remembered her dedication to the community and issued statements grieving her death.

Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) called her an "unparalleled advocate for Nevada's children" in a statement Saturday, commending her for passing bipartisan education reforms that benefited future generations of Nevadans. He added that her work ethic was "unmatched" and noted she continued to serve the state long after her retirement.

"Few possess the ferocity of purpose Joyce Woodhouse carried into public service," state Sen. Fabian Doñate (D-Las Vegas) posted, adding that her "legacy will continue on through generations."

A state Senate biography of Woodhouse noted that her hobbies included reading, golfing and volunteering. Her husband, Al Wittenberg, died in 2013.

Woodhouse grew up in rural Montana on a Hereford cattle ranch, the eldest of five daughters. 

She moved to Southern Nevada for a teaching job after graduating from Carroll College and went on to earn two master's degrees in education at UNLV. She worked in education first as a teacher, then as an elementary school principal and later as a program administrator. 

Following her time as a state senator, she served from 2021-2025 as one of Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro's closest advisers.

"I can't think of any elected official who was so pure of heart and dedicated to public service," Nevada Independent CEO and longtime political columnist Jon Ralston posted on social media. "She was such a wonderful person."

Further details about Woodhouse's death were not immediately available Saturday morning.

Updated at 3:10 p.m. on 5/9/26 to add comment from Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro.